Stake Conference

The highlights of the week all happened this weekend. On Saturday night we had a very cool experience. I love that the Saturday night session of stake conference will now be focused on hastening the work. That makes me happy. Elder Nash came to our stake conference. That was awesome, because he spoke at the MTC while I was there. Plus, it was neat because he can speak Spanish and he can’t just speak it, he can speak it well. That was sweet, because we had our own session of stake conference in Spanish. He really did rock it!

Anyway, Saturday night our mission president was also at the session. Our sweet Mary Thompson was there waiting for us in the lobby, but we were a little late. By the time we got there, she wasn’t in the lobby. We were kind of freaking out thinking that she had left. As we frantically looked for her, President Miller came up to us and asked us if we were looking for Mary Thompson. We said, “Yes!” and he told us she was up front saving seats for us. This is the Mary Thompson who has literally known the church for a month and lives the gospel better than most members. We found her and had good seats for the meeting!

The cool thing is that our mission president was getting his talk ready and had the strongest impression to go the lobby…that there was someone there that he needed to talk to. So of course he went, and that was where he found Mary. He saw her sitting alone and invited her in. I just love that man. He wants to be at her baptism. Mary said something like, “So I am like VIP!” and she actually speaks English quite well.  Mary is actually quite disappointed in the member that invited her to church the first time. She even used the words, “she has one foot in the world and one foot in the church.” We keep asking ourselves if we are sure she isn’t a member. The other day she texted us asking us if this orange herbal tea she had was ok to drink. After we taught her the word of wisdom, she quit drinking coffee completely. She didn’t drink it a lot, but did during the winter sometimes. She is so concerned about living all the commandments that she is asking specifics and we are thrilled.

 

Last night she shared a very sweet experience with us about how she has always arthritis type problems during the winter. She thought it was from working (she works at Kmart).  She shared with us a blessing she experienced from living. She said that within those first days she noticed a DRASTIC difference in the problems she usually feels with her wrists. We were so happy. At first she didn’t realize it was the coffee, but now she knows that it is a real commandment from God. It is really neat to see her progress. A member had told her that it was ok to drink coffee as long as you hadn’t gone to the temple….stinking member teaching false doctrine, haha. Good times.  We just keep telling her how awesome she is. She already is planning on having her family home evenings with her daughter and son in law once a week. She is just such a rock star. We love her! She decided that the first of February will be her baptismal date. We were kind of sad that she pushed it back again, but she just really wants to have all her questions answered. We told her that we will always have questions, but that is why it is so awesome and fun to study and learn throughout your life.

During the Sunday session of stake conference, Elder Nash spoke as well as Sister and President Miller. It was awesome! After the conference Elder Nash came up to me, looked at me directly in the eyes and said, “You were prepared before the life to come here…” Something along those lines. It was a nice reminder as to why I am here.

We made these for all the sisters in our zone!

 

Here is a little funny thing.  J Mary had gone to Saturday night conference as well as Sunday morning. Our little choir just of people from Spanish branches sang (including us) during our session, but the English choir sang on Saturday night. She asked us why the English choir sounded so much better than us, haha.  It was pretty funny! Jesus, who is Hispanic and who say with us was trying to come up with an explanation for it.  We told her it was because she didn’t sing with us!

One last thing to top of the week was when we stopped by Fernando and Rudolfo. Fernando who is 20 had read what we left him on his phone and we gave him a pamphlet to read while he worked out. He was just leaving, so we didn’t get to teach him, but he and his dad are doing AWESOME!

Well, I love you all.  We just ate at Grandpa’s and had that amazing syrup that he calls, “simply delicious.” I will be sure to get the recipe and make it for you when I get home! J

 

This is where we live back in Buhl!