Spring Green Matters in the TMM

Matters of Spring Green in the TMM 3.5.19

Such a weird day! President Wagoner is teaching our seminary class tomorrow, and I don’t quite know what to do with those empty hours I usually spend preparing every day! This could be the reason I’ve posted on Facebook four times today! Ha! We decided in our stake that in order to get our ward and stake leaders more involved with our seminary kids (and therefore get more of a commitment from students and families) we would have some come in and teach once in a while. Tomorrow starts with our stake presidency teaching in the two classes.

We really do see the Lord’s hand in our mission assignment with CES in Laredo, Texas. This is such a unique place. Of course in the schools our students learn and use English, but there is always present the idea of Spanish as their first language, the language they understand and speak best. They pray almost exclusively in Spanish—probably because that is what they speak at home, where they learn to pray. I do not think it is any coincidence that we both have ESL (English as a second language) endorsements and experience. I know that whatever experience we have had with Spanish is no coincidence, either. I started learning Spanish in the third grade, then junior high, high school, and college. We do not need to be fluent in Spanish to do our calling, but we do need to understand how kids learn. My whole professional life is rooted in how to teach and how to learn. As we have gone through this year, I have been inspired in ways to teach and help our students learn. Sometimes we feel like our whole lives have been preparing for this moment in time. The Lord knows us, loves us, and uses us according to His plan for His children.

In the nine months we have been serving in Laredo we have been asked to speak in sacrament meeting exactly once—until now. All of a sudden we have two speaking assignments! Sunday we will speak in 4th Ward (English) on “Feed My Sheep,” and on the 17th Jim has volunteered me to speak in Spanish in rama 6. I will be speaking on “seminario.” I will need prayers. Although I study Spanish every day and read “Amigos” and the “Liahona,” this will be the first time I will speak publicly in Spanish (at least since it was required in college!). I think I can do it, but if I misspeak, it just means I will keep learning, right? Sean (who knows many languages) insists that the only way to really learn to speak a language is to make a fool of yourself often. I have prayed in Spanish a couple of times, and I survived that, so. . .

We are excited to meet Dera and Mark Warner in San Antonio this Friday for a temple session and lunch. Next week is our spring break, and we are driving to Houston for three days to attend the temple. We have some family names to do a couple of sealings, too.

My birthday was fabulous! Thanks for all the wishes! Jim cooked pancakes for seminary, and the kids loved it. I taught the lesson, and it was really fun. We had seven students there, awake and engaged. Such a great day. We ended the day by feeding a keto meal to Sisters Haglund and Paskett. Sister Paskett flew home to Utah today after 18 months of serving in the TMM. She was a fabulous missionary and a great example.

We had another YSA baptism on Sunday. Jerry couldn’t wait to enter the water. After his first church attendance last week, he begged to be baptized. He had to attend one more time, so after church on Sunday he was able to make that covenant. He will be confirmed next Sunday. It is marvelous to watch these miracles happen. We take so much for granted in Utah… Our new YSA presidency (Ingrid, Cristina, & Frida) is determined to visit and fellowship the young people in our stake. We have some AMAZING young adults.

We have had a couple of chilly days, but it will be back in the 90s by the weekend. It really looks like spring. All of the trees suddenly leafed, and the whole world seems to be new, spring- green, and flowered. Check out the pictures on Facebook and below!

We love this call to serve God in south Texas! We love it that we are studying the Doctrine & Covenants and Church history to teach our students. We also love our daily Book-of-Mormon study with Cameron and our individual and couple study of the New Testament through Come, Follow Me. We had wide-margin versions of the New Testament printed so that we can journal and notate our study. What a blessing it is to have so many resources for gospel study at our fingertips—videos, talks, quotes, scriptures, gospel library, and devices!! (I got a new iPad Pro for my birthday—because I have a wonderful husband.) Thank you for your prayers and support. Sending lots of love from DEEP in the heart of Texas (feel welcome to covet our weather—that can’t be a sin). God bless.