SO many things to tell you!
We are here at the new Church Headquarters Family Search Center out here in the valley...it is HUGE! This elderly couple, the Holts come here all the time and want to help us out with whatever family history they can, so they took us out here to get a 8th generation pedigree chart of our family printed and a couple other things. I was able to go up to Salt Lake again this week, and LOVED it! I keep thinking about Grammy and how she served her mission out in the Family History Center in Temple Square & about her life. She is just such an example to me and I am grateful for her dedication to go and serve a mission.
This week has been full of life lessons...and SNOW! Last week we went to dinner and to "Garden Village" a quaint little shopping center full of harvest decor. Sister Vela (aka Sister Hottie ((vela=hot in tongan)) (She is the one who made the quilt spontaneously & now she called last night and is taking me to get better boots for snow today) Anyway she took us out for the afternoon on Halloween and then to dinner and as we were sitting there, I felt impressed to go stop at burlington coat factory as you suggested..so we made a pit stop and the 2nd one I tried on was great and warm and cozy! Anyway, it was definitely inspired because it is FREEZING here! I just keep thinking of Lindsey...I mean Sister Johnson out in Taiwan in the humidity and riding a bike and then I realize I am grateful for where I am and KNOW it is where the Lord needs me to be serving.
Mom, I LOVE your letters, they are always filled with such great spiritual insight. I wish I could have been there for Anni's lesson!! That sounds incredible! Just tape record it next time :)
President Miller called us the other night and had us come over and chat with him...he's known about my stomach hurting lately and so we talked on how I can help myself to heal and how to apply the Atonement in every aspect. We worked out a new plan. he gave me a blessing and we were on our way. I am so grateful for him and Sister Miller & Sister Miller 2...I wish you could meet them.
Yesterday I bore my testimony in a couple of the sacrament meetings, and as a missionary you can typically "keep it together" however, yesterday this was not the case. I got up there and reflected how much the Savior had played a role in my life, but especially this last week.
His example. His life. His completely unconditional love for us, and how he CHOSE to suffer so that we can not only return to him, but so that he knows COMPLETELY how to succor us best, to run to our aid and help us ENDURE the burden best. To know how to help us most in our times of despair. I am honored to wear his name over my heart every day and rejoice at the opportunity to invite MY brothers and sisters to come along on this journey and follow him.
This week I had a neat experience! We were walking down to an apartment complex we have in our Stake, the whole time of our walk (it took about an hour to get there) I was looking for people to OYM...to talk to and we got squat! So as we are turning into the apartments I looked for someone...NO ONE in sight. So I put my head down and pleaded with my Heavenly Father to find someone, someone who has their heart ready and prepared for this message that we can talk to. Promising I would talk to whomever I saw...I looked up and there was a boy on the curb! Boom. done. So I marched up, asked him if he had ever thought about God as his loving Heavenly Father, asked him if he would follow Jesus Christ and read the Book of Mormon...promising it would change his life and that we would come meet with him to help him come closer, and he said...YES! woo! His name is Nisho and we are going over on Wednesday!
SUCH a testimony builder and tender mercy of the Lord. I finished and started the Book of Mormon again this week, and it is amazing how many things I am picking up that I had never noticed before! I absolutely LOVE having studies each morning. It makes SUCH a difference in my life!
This week had been great, out teaching pool is definitely a teaching puddle, but I have faith it WILL be turned around soon. We are working hard and giving all we can to the Lord, and that's all you can do. To follow His will and give it your all.
I love you all!
Mom, you will do GREAT this week!
AND I am so proud you went to pick her up for the activity!!
You are the members we pray to find who will HELP get those people back!
They truly make all the difference.
There was a lady yesterday who hadn't come to church in over 10 years who called her VT yesterday and said "can I come to church with you?" because she trusted her. She loved her. She didn't judge her, yet encouraged her to come closer to her Savior and yesterday, she took that leap.
It WILL happen, I promise you, if you give it all you got, miracles will happen.
We have a challenge to memorize so many scriptures per week, I chose to do 4 and see how it went...anyway one that I was inspired to memorize D&C 97:8 which states,
"And among all those who know their hearts are honest and are broken and are willing to observe their covenants by sacrifice, yea by every sacrifice which I the Lord shall command, they are accepted of me"
Do all you can, he WILL fill the gaps...and YOU may be that gap He fills in someone else's life.
LOVE YOU!
You all look great at the Temple!
Lainey looked so cute in her outfit!! Glad she still wears it :)
Have a great week, and keep moving forward.
Love,
Sister Givens
PS, send me pictures of the kids on Halloween!!!! I want to see their costumes!! :)