Family History Matters
At the San Antonio Temple on Saturday, we met a missionary who said that he and his wife were assigned to help new members get to the temple with family names as soon as possible. We were there with Carmen and the Sisters doing exactly that. Carmen, a member for exactly one week, was there with her father’s name and other family names to begin their work in the waters of baptism. It was a touching and beautiful thing to watch the young people from our District performing baptisms for the dead at the temple. Our seminary boys were baptizing, and young men, women, and adults were doing work for their family members. In the San Antonio Temple the baptistry is just inside the front doors. We can stand at the large picture window and watch these ordinances being done in the keyhole-shaped font beneath beautiful stained-glass windows glowing in the morning sun. The font does indeed look like a keyhole with the steps leading into the waters that open the door to ordinances and covenants needed for eternal life.
Carmen was so excited. She told me that her dad and mom had been taught by the missionaries and often fed them before she was born when they lived in Mexico. Her parents often talked together about the things they were learning about the gospel. Then they came to the U.S. and life got busy; they lost track of the missionaries but never lost their interest in the gospel. Carmen’s dad died a few years ago, and Carmen had a spiritual witness that her dad wanted her to get baptized and do his temple work. We had five more convert baptisms in Laredo on Saturday. It is such a blessing to be here and see people making these covenants! We just heard that President Nelson will be coming to the Alamo Center in San Antonio in November!
After we had lunch, we returned to the temple so the sisters could meet with an investigator and pray with her. Norma had postponed her baptismal date, waiting for her answer—a spiritual confirmation of the truth. The sisters invited her to come to the temple to pray for her answer. Because Norma was visiting a friend in San Antonio, she came. She cried and prayed. Carmen and the sisters sat and talked with her. She said she finally felt peace, and they explained to her that is how the Holy Ghost touches our hearts and bears witness of the truth. Norma had attended church with a friend, and was referred to the missionaries. Forces of the world, and friends who pull against God’s church, are fighting against the great work of Jesus Christ and His missionaries. The temple is a place of spiritual peace and love. Another set of missionaries had a family there, too. They are teaching the family and wanted them to feel the sweet spirit that flows from the temple.
Most of the branches are having their Primary Sacrament Meeting Program this coming Sunday. We heard some practices this week, and we are so touched by the spirit of children’s music in the Church. In English or in Spanish, these little people sing the songs of the gospel with all their hearts. I noticed especially one little girl who was baptized with her family only last week. Some sing to the piano, and some sing to a cellphone, but however they are accompanied, the sweet testimonies of the children’s singing melts my heart!
In institute last week we were talking about “a marvelous work is about to come forth” (meaning the restored church of Jesus Christ). We were asking our newest members what is “marvelous” about the gospel to them. They had many answers, but one that touched my heart was from a new member who said that as she tries to read and understand the Bible, the Book of Mormon, and the Doctrine & Covenants she finds more and more of what promises and blessings come from living the gospel.
Yesterday, we walked into 1st Branch as our dear friend Jackie, who has Down Syndrome, was leading the music. Her dad was at the back of the chapel, encouraging and directing her. She stood there with such joy, not singing, but leading us all. Her arms were both lifted high and her eyes were looking upward as if she were dedicating the music and her service to God. The sacrament song was especially moving. “Once a meek and lowly lamb, now in glory comes to earth!” Jim’s eyes filled with tears as we watched one of His most meek and lowly worshipping with all her heart through the music. Of course, it also reminded us of Cameron. When Jill put the video of Cam singing “I Am a Child of God” on Facebook, it brought our day full-circle. The worth of souls is great. Jim always thinks of these special needs kids who will someday be glorified in body and mind when they again meet our Savior.
Thousands of bugs swarming through the air! It may be the two weeks of rain, but all of a sudden, there are all kinds of insects darkening the sky, smacking against our windshield, and being a general nuisance. The temperatures have dropped into the high 80s, which is a relief, but no fall colors in sight. It is very green!
Jim lost a crown, so we are trying to find a dentist who can glue it back on. We really do not want to fly home for such an un-fun reason! Jim is on the phone with our dentist at home, trying to decide what to do. Now that the heat has abated, we feel much better generally. We are glad that we joined the gym to do our walking inside. It is either too hot for old people, too steamy for old people, or too stormy for old people.
Please continue to pray for us every day with your families. We try to include all of you in our prayers. We love you—our kids, grandkids, aunts, uncles, cousins, friends, brothers, sisters, nieces, and nephews. We know that you all face the difficulties of life, as do we. This morning in seminary we studied D&C 19, and learned this principle: If we do the will of the Lord, He will give us blessings that are greater than the riches of the earth. We love you all! You will be blessed for your goodness and service.
Monday, September 24, 2018
Tuesday, September 18, 2018
Rainbows Matter
Rainbows Matter
It has been raining for over a week—so unusual for Laredo! All the grass and weeds have grown a foot this week, and the temperatures are under 100 every day. The whole city and countryside erupted in green and little streams of water. Saturday we attended Carmen’s baptism, and we came out to see a beautiful rainbow and hummingbirds all over a flowering tree at the church. Carmen has been attending institute, so we know her a little bit and were so thankful to watch her enter the waters of baptism. The rainbow reminded me of the primary song, “I like to look for rainbows whenever there is rain and ponder on the beauty of an earth made clean again. I want my life to be as clean as earth right after rain. I want to be the best I can and live with God again.” What a beautiful thing to watch these young adults accept the the Gospel!
Today in seminary our lesson was on the worth of souls, D&C 18:1-16. It was a great conversation on how even teens can find ways to bring people to Christ. We had three convert baptisms on Saturday and confirmations on Sunday. Such a thrilling experience! We try to attend three sacrament meetings each week, and because of the confirmations we were in consecutive Spanish-speaking meetings on Sunday. It forces us to learn through the Spirit!
Last night we ended up feeding 8 missionaries as today is transfer day, and we will miss those who are going home or moving on to Corpus Christi and other places in the mission. We come to love these young missionaries so much! Elder Krommenhoek is from a neighboring stake in West Valley, so he may come visit our family in the next couple of weeks. Sisters Brown and Hughes said that Saturday was the best day of their lives. They were filled with such joy as they watched two investigators commit to Jesus Christ in the waters of baptism! We showed the picture to our seminary class this morning as a perfect example of D&C 18:16--15 “And if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father!
16 And now, if your joy will be great with one soul that you have brought unto me into the kingdom of my Father, how great will be your joy if you should bring many souls unto me!”
I will post the picture because you can just feel the joy radiating from everyone in the picture! Our seminary students are looking for ways to “cry repentance” in their own lives even as teenagers. They serve in callings, bless and pass the sacrament, share their talents, serve as good examples in their schools, and show kindness and love to everyone. We are all a part of building the Kingdom.
Tomorrow we will make waffles for all the missionaries who stay in our District and the “greenies” who come to Laredo as their first assignment. We hear that there will be nine brand-new missionaries. Two of our favorite sisters are going to Corpus Christi—Sister Zidek and Sister Brown. Sister Zidek is from Kearns and joined the Church just the year before her mission. What an inspiration and brilliant missionary she is! Sister Brown is from St. George. You will see her in the picture I post.
The way we eat is always in the conversation. We can often find something we can eat at all the “fiestas,” but we mostly rely on fixing our own food. Last night we actually made two meals because one of the missionaries is lactose intolerant. We made steak fajitas and crack chicken. Have you tried crack chicken in the crockpot or instapot? Oh, it is SOoooo good! Sister Hughes said if her mother hadn’t taught her to act like a lady, she would have licked the bowl. Try it! We use chicken thighs, cream cheese, sour cream, ranch dressing spices (we make our own to avoid sugars, but you can use the packages), bacon, and green onion.
I’ve been trying to study Spanish for hours each day. I do really love it. It’s still hard to catch everything in church meetings, councils, and conversations, but we are learning. I come home and translate the hymns, the branch bulletins, the scriptures, and the Liahona (I can do the children’s stories best!). If we had known what it is really like in Laredo, we (maybe) would have learned Spanish better before we got here!
Last Saturday we attended a family-history workshop—mainly because I was asked to play the piano. We know we need to involve ourselves more in this important work! I did get one little memory written on how my parents met and fell in love on Family Search. I was able to find some pictures on my phone and some in Family Search to add to the story. Those of you who know more about the story than I do, could definitely fill in the story for me!
Every day is a blessing to us! We do not know exactly why the Lord called us to Laredo, but we do know that this is His work, and we are supposed to be here. We are learning and loving. Pray for us and the missionaries all over the world. We love you all!
It has been raining for over a week—so unusual for Laredo! All the grass and weeds have grown a foot this week, and the temperatures are under 100 every day. The whole city and countryside erupted in green and little streams of water. Saturday we attended Carmen’s baptism, and we came out to see a beautiful rainbow and hummingbirds all over a flowering tree at the church. Carmen has been attending institute, so we know her a little bit and were so thankful to watch her enter the waters of baptism. The rainbow reminded me of the primary song, “I like to look for rainbows whenever there is rain and ponder on the beauty of an earth made clean again. I want my life to be as clean as earth right after rain. I want to be the best I can and live with God again.” What a beautiful thing to watch these young adults accept the the Gospel!
Today in seminary our lesson was on the worth of souls, D&C 18:1-16. It was a great conversation on how even teens can find ways to bring people to Christ. We had three convert baptisms on Saturday and confirmations on Sunday. Such a thrilling experience! We try to attend three sacrament meetings each week, and because of the confirmations we were in consecutive Spanish-speaking meetings on Sunday. It forces us to learn through the Spirit!
Last night we ended up feeding 8 missionaries as today is transfer day, and we will miss those who are going home or moving on to Corpus Christi and other places in the mission. We come to love these young missionaries so much! Elder Krommenhoek is from a neighboring stake in West Valley, so he may come visit our family in the next couple of weeks. Sisters Brown and Hughes said that Saturday was the best day of their lives. They were filled with such joy as they watched two investigators commit to Jesus Christ in the waters of baptism! We showed the picture to our seminary class this morning as a perfect example of D&C 18:16--15 “And if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father!
16 And now, if your joy will be great with one soul that you have brought unto me into the kingdom of my Father, how great will be your joy if you should bring many souls unto me!”
I will post the picture because you can just feel the joy radiating from everyone in the picture! Our seminary students are looking for ways to “cry repentance” in their own lives even as teenagers. They serve in callings, bless and pass the sacrament, share their talents, serve as good examples in their schools, and show kindness and love to everyone. We are all a part of building the Kingdom.
Tomorrow we will make waffles for all the missionaries who stay in our District and the “greenies” who come to Laredo as their first assignment. We hear that there will be nine brand-new missionaries. Two of our favorite sisters are going to Corpus Christi—Sister Zidek and Sister Brown. Sister Zidek is from Kearns and joined the Church just the year before her mission. What an inspiration and brilliant missionary she is! Sister Brown is from St. George. You will see her in the picture I post.
The way we eat is always in the conversation. We can often find something we can eat at all the “fiestas,” but we mostly rely on fixing our own food. Last night we actually made two meals because one of the missionaries is lactose intolerant. We made steak fajitas and crack chicken. Have you tried crack chicken in the crockpot or instapot? Oh, it is SOoooo good! Sister Hughes said if her mother hadn’t taught her to act like a lady, she would have licked the bowl. Try it! We use chicken thighs, cream cheese, sour cream, ranch dressing spices (we make our own to avoid sugars, but you can use the packages), bacon, and green onion.
I’ve been trying to study Spanish for hours each day. I do really love it. It’s still hard to catch everything in church meetings, councils, and conversations, but we are learning. I come home and translate the hymns, the branch bulletins, the scriptures, and the Liahona (I can do the children’s stories best!). If we had known what it is really like in Laredo, we (maybe) would have learned Spanish better before we got here!
Last Saturday we attended a family-history workshop—mainly because I was asked to play the piano. We know we need to involve ourselves more in this important work! I did get one little memory written on how my parents met and fell in love on Family Search. I was able to find some pictures on my phone and some in Family Search to add to the story. Those of you who know more about the story than I do, could definitely fill in the story for me!
Every day is a blessing to us! We do not know exactly why the Lord called us to Laredo, but we do know that this is His work, and we are supposed to be here. We are learning and loving. Pray for us and the missionaries all over the world. We love you all!
Monday, September 10, 2018
Charity Matters
Charity Matters 9.10.18
Yesterday was filled with wonderful experiences. We drove to Zapata (it’s about a 45-minute drive) in the rain. Our new friends, Joan and Randy Shaw welcomed us at the little chapel that was once a funeral home. We were early, so we drove over the bridge and did a little sight-seeing. The Shaws’ assignment in Zapata is to lead the church there. Elder Shaw is the branch president. Jim and I really enjoyed speaking to the congregation of about 30 saints. Several of the people were educators, so we had an instant connection. We spoke on charity, and I played a piano arrangement of “Love One Another.” It was a blessing to us and hopefully to them for us to be there. Isn’t it interesting how you can go anywhere in the world and immediately love the people you meet? We had lunch with the Shaws, checked Family Search and found how we are related to them, looked at Mexico from their apartment, checked out their garden, and planned to go back soon to tour the museum, check out the birds, and attend a cultural event of the historical society. Falcon Lake is very low right now despite the rain, so we will have to fish another time, Donny!
We returned to Laredo in time to set up for the YSA Face-to-Face with Elder Cook and two of the historians who have worked on SAINTS for the last six years. It was not easy to figure out the technology, but missionaries soon arrived and got the TV set up. We never did get the live feed to work, but it was wonderful anyway. If you did not see it, go online and watch.
Thursday night we held a read-a-thon in preparation for the devotional. It was inspiring to watch the young adults gather and read together in English or Spanish. One young man had been baptized only the Saturday before. We had lots of food and ice cream and good company—hey, that’s just like in elementary school! The 700-page book is excellent, and even Jim and I learned some things. SAINTS, A Standard of Truth is the first of three volumes of a history of the Church. It is written in a narrative style that is very easy to read. It is free in the Gospel Library app or about $6 at the store, so put it on your book list!
I was asked to play for a family history workshop on Saturday, which gave us an excuse to stay and start some family stories (we went to the 52-Stories workshop). It was really fun. We are checking the “who I’m related to” on Family Search wherever we go. I am a 12th cousin, once-removed, of Joan Shaw, and both of the Shaws are related to Jim back 8 or 9 generations. Jim stopped at the family-history room one night when we were at the church for Institute and found out that he was related to Sister Natoli (she is from Alaska and her husband flies helicopter for border patrol), who was there working on family history.
Thursday we also got to feed four missionaries. We love the connection we have with the young sisters and elders! Thursdays are busy with piano lessons and Institute, but we love to feed people! I started another piano student on Monday.
Teaching seminary every morning is the bomb! We love these kids! It is almost impossible to get the same students there every day of the week, but we would do it for even one of these choice young people. Because of the heat students have to choose early morning band, football, cross country, or seminary. We take it for granted when we have the convenience of release time, huh?
Friday we went to see the movie GOD BLESS THE BROKEN ROAD. We love to find a clean movie that we can enjoy!
We are looking forward to coming home for a week in December and very excited to be there for Cassie’s and Colton’s weddings. Cameron is coming here for Thanksgiving, so we are also looking forward to that. Every day here is an adventure, a blessing, and a spiritual opportunity. We are grateful for the technology that lets us have face-to-face prayers and scriptures with Cameron and visits with others. We are truly blessed to have the health and energy to do this work. Please pray for us and for the people of Laredo. You are always in our thoughts and prayers! Much love!
Competency Matters
It was one of those stormy days early this spring when the Midwest was hunkering down during devastating tornadoes, and Salt Lake was watching storm warnings. Dark clouds and threatening winds thundered in. Leslie and her family had returned from initiating their new camp trailer and parked it along the street when a ruckus came charging down the road. A horse was dragging a trampoline! Someone thought it would be smart to hitch up their horse to their children’s trampoline. The horse thought differently. Leslie watched as neighbors somehow calmed the horse when it veered into their yard and got the mangled trampoline unhitched. Tragedy averted! Trailer unharmed! Horse survived! Trampoline unusable!
Sometimes we hitch up our hopes to a program or an idea that looks sturdy and strong. When the storms roll in, everything gets wild, and our hopes for success are drug through the dust and mud. I guess the lesson is: be careful what you are hitching up and what you are hitching up to. We cannot take a great new Common Core, for example, and hitch it to shoddy practice or weak knowledge of the subject. Make sure that we are competent and ready and stable before we add a new core. Let’s not let the Core drag us. We can do hard things! We do whatever it takes because our kids are worth it!
Sunday, September 2, 2018
More Testimony Matters
I left out one inspiring story from Institute this week. Miriam is a beautiful young single adult in our class. She was baptized a couple of months ago. During one part of our lesson--knowing spiritual things in our hearts and in our minds--Jim asked Miriam how she had known the gospel was true. She had joined the Church two weeks after meeting the missionaries! She said that as she began to read, gradually she began to understand. Then as she began to understand, she had strong feelings that it was truth. When she knew these things, she went to her family and shared with them (testified). One of the important ways to teach is to get our young people to testify to each other of the spiritual truths they know. This new convert was the perfect example of how testifying brings the spirit to yourself and others! D&C 5:3
Testimony Matters
UIKeyInputDownArrowThe Field is White 9.2.18
As we drove to Corpus Christi on Friday, we saw something we had never seen before—cotton fields! The fields were mostly harvested, but around the edges of bare sticks some full plants remain. The ground, for acres and acres, is white. It looks like drifted snow, but in this heat we know it is cotton, fallen away from the healthy, gathered plant. It reminds me that though the bolls are all meant to be harvested, some fall by the wayside, never to serve their full purpose. As missionaries, we are broken-hearted for those who fall by the wayside. We have been asked to pray for ALL of Heavenly Father’s children, and we do.
(Do you think it is questionable that the Robstown High School mascot is the Cotton Pickers??)
Last Thursday we wondered what Institute would be like with college starting across the state and nation, but the room was almost full of faithful young adults. A young woman walked into the class and sat on the front row. She participated through the lesson with a little prompting, and at the end introduced herself. She told us that she had been inactive for five years. She had become involved in college and life and let her church attendance slip away. She comes from a family who pioneered the Church in Laredo, and she explained that an uncle is a general authority. I asked her what brought her back to Institute that night, and she gave a few reasons. I would say that the main point was the Spirit spoke to her heart and mind to bring her back. She had seen a notice on Facebook—reminding us what a powerful tool social media can be for missionary work! She said that she put all her thoughts and actions into getting to the class, so that she would not forget. She knew that no one would be calling her to remind or beg her to come. The young adults of Laredo are the strength of the Church!
What a blessing it is to be teaching the Doctrine & Covenants! One of the lessons we gave this week was concerning our responsibility to testify once we receive the witness of truth. I really wanted to bear my testimony of Joseph Smith, the Prophet, this morning, but we were attending a ward in Corpus Christi which had people lined up to testify. It was a very large stake center, filled to the brim with the faithful congregation of Saints and the spirit of God. I knew that I could share my testimony to you in this blog. As we taught this last week, I gained a new appreciation for young Joseph, who made so many mistakes and ended up repenting and repenting as he tried to learn and do God’s will. To understand Joseph’s place in the Restoration, we have to understand the historical context—the times and seasons of his life and work. For three years he went to Cumorah, hoping to receive the plates and begin the work he knew he was called to do. For three years he was called to repent and be humble. When he finally did receive the plates, he was attacked and beaten before he could get them home. Then he had to return the plates to Moroni when, against Heavenly Father’s counsel, he let Martin Harris take the 116 pages of manuscript and lose them. Joseph thought he had lost his soul. He had to continually repent, but nothing can stop the work from progressing, and he was able to finish the translation with the help of God, good people who were sent to assist him, and the tools that had been buried anciently with the plates. It is such a great lesson for us. We struggle along, too, giving the best we can and continually repenting and trying to correct ourselves. Joseph was the best God had for the Restoration and the translation of the Book of Mormon, yet he had to learn as he went along as a youth and young adult, letting God correct him and sustain him. I know that he was a prophet and that the Book of Mormon is true!
I left out one inspiring story from Institute this week. Miriam is a beautiful young single adult in our class. She was baptized a couple of months ago. During one part of our lesson--knowing spiritual things in our hearts and in our minds--Jim asked Miriam how she had known the gospel was true. She had joined the Church two weeks after meeting the missionaries! She said that as she began to read, gradually she began to understand. Then as she began to understand, she had strong feelings that it was truth. When she knew these things, she went to her family and shared with them (testified). One of the important ways to teach is to get our young people to testify to each other of the spiritual truths they know. This new convert was the perfect example of how testifying brings the spirit to yourself and others! D&C 5:3
EARLY Friday morning on our way to the church to teach seminary, we saw a strange sight. Our headlights were at such an angle that we were able to see, walking along our road, a man who was dressed all in black, including a black ski mask. At his side was something that looked like a rifle. At 5:30 in the morning it is still VERY hot in Laredo, Texas, making this more than a little bit disconcerting. Jim asked if I wanted to go back and check it out, but I was scared to confront anyone appearing like that. We decided to call the police, who are used to unusual people, and we reported what we had seen and gave the location. They sent an officer. I do not know the rest of the story—he was walking, thankfully, away from the direction of the high school and church. You never know what you will see on the “streets of Laredo!”
We were blessed to meet with the senior missionaries, Margo and Monte Thompson, who are teaching 4 classes of Institute here in Corpus Christi, including some for adults. We found that they lived near our home in West Valley for sixteen years—in the neighboring stake. They know the Goates, and probably many others of you! We spent some wonderful hours with them yesterday at lunch and sharing stories. It is really good to meet with other missionary couples!
Today is our 46th anniversary. We are grateful to be spending this mission in the Texas McAllen Mission. We are grateful for the love that we share for each other and for our family. We are truly blessed. We love you all very much. We love the Lord and Heavenly Father. We are grateful for the Holy Ghost and for our testimonies. We pray for all of you every day. Please pray for us in the Lord’s work.
As we drove to Corpus Christi on Friday, we saw something we had never seen before—cotton fields! The fields were mostly harvested, but around the edges of bare sticks some full plants remain. The ground, for acres and acres, is white. It looks like drifted snow, but in this heat we know it is cotton, fallen away from the healthy, gathered plant. It reminds me that though the bolls are all meant to be harvested, some fall by the wayside, never to serve their full purpose. As missionaries, we are broken-hearted for those who fall by the wayside. We have been asked to pray for ALL of Heavenly Father’s children, and we do.
(Do you think it is questionable that the Robstown High School mascot is the Cotton Pickers??)
Last Thursday we wondered what Institute would be like with college starting across the state and nation, but the room was almost full of faithful young adults. A young woman walked into the class and sat on the front row. She participated through the lesson with a little prompting, and at the end introduced herself. She told us that she had been inactive for five years. She had become involved in college and life and let her church attendance slip away. She comes from a family who pioneered the Church in Laredo, and she explained that an uncle is a general authority. I asked her what brought her back to Institute that night, and she gave a few reasons. I would say that the main point was the Spirit spoke to her heart and mind to bring her back. She had seen a notice on Facebook—reminding us what a powerful tool social media can be for missionary work! She said that she put all her thoughts and actions into getting to the class, so that she would not forget. She knew that no one would be calling her to remind or beg her to come. The young adults of Laredo are the strength of the Church!
What a blessing it is to be teaching the Doctrine & Covenants! One of the lessons we gave this week was concerning our responsibility to testify once we receive the witness of truth. I really wanted to bear my testimony of Joseph Smith, the Prophet, this morning, but we were attending a ward in Corpus Christi which had people lined up to testify. It was a very large stake center, filled to the brim with the faithful congregation of Saints and the spirit of God. I knew that I could share my testimony to you in this blog. As we taught this last week, I gained a new appreciation for young Joseph, who made so many mistakes and ended up repenting and repenting as he tried to learn and do God’s will. To understand Joseph’s place in the Restoration, we have to understand the historical context—the times and seasons of his life and work. For three years he went to Cumorah, hoping to receive the plates and begin the work he knew he was called to do. For three years he was called to repent and be humble. When he finally did receive the plates, he was attacked and beaten before he could get them home. Then he had to return the plates to Moroni when, against Heavenly Father’s counsel, he let Martin Harris take the 116 pages of manuscript and lose them. Joseph thought he had lost his soul. He had to continually repent, but nothing can stop the work from progressing, and he was able to finish the translation with the help of God, good people who were sent to assist him, and the tools that had been buried anciently with the plates. It is such a great lesson for us. We struggle along, too, giving the best we can and continually repenting and trying to correct ourselves. Joseph was the best God had for the Restoration and the translation of the Book of Mormon, yet he had to learn as he went along as a youth and young adult, letting God correct him and sustain him. I know that he was a prophet and that the Book of Mormon is true!
I left out one inspiring story from Institute this week. Miriam is a beautiful young single adult in our class. She was baptized a couple of months ago. During one part of our lesson--knowing spiritual things in our hearts and in our minds--Jim asked Miriam how she had known the gospel was true. She had joined the Church two weeks after meeting the missionaries! She said that as she began to read, gradually she began to understand. Then as she began to understand, she had strong feelings that it was truth. When she knew these things, she went to her family and shared with them (testified). One of the important ways to teach is to get our young people to testify to each other of the spiritual truths they know. This new convert was the perfect example of how testifying brings the spirit to yourself and others! D&C 5:3
EARLY Friday morning on our way to the church to teach seminary, we saw a strange sight. Our headlights were at such an angle that we were able to see, walking along our road, a man who was dressed all in black, including a black ski mask. At his side was something that looked like a rifle. At 5:30 in the morning it is still VERY hot in Laredo, Texas, making this more than a little bit disconcerting. Jim asked if I wanted to go back and check it out, but I was scared to confront anyone appearing like that. We decided to call the police, who are used to unusual people, and we reported what we had seen and gave the location. They sent an officer. I do not know the rest of the story—he was walking, thankfully, away from the direction of the high school and church. You never know what you will see on the “streets of Laredo!”
We were blessed to meet with the senior missionaries, Margo and Monte Thompson, who are teaching 4 classes of Institute here in Corpus Christi, including some for adults. We found that they lived near our home in West Valley for sixteen years—in the neighboring stake. They know the Goates, and probably many others of you! We spent some wonderful hours with them yesterday at lunch and sharing stories. It is really good to meet with other missionary couples!
Today is our 46th anniversary. We are grateful to be spending this mission in the Texas McAllen Mission. We are grateful for the love that we share for each other and for our family. We are truly blessed. We love you all very much. We love the Lord and Heavenly Father. We are grateful for the Holy Ghost and for our testimonies. We pray for all of you every day. Please pray for us in the Lord’s work.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)