Snapshot of January

 

Thank you for all of the Birthday cards and wishes -Elder Harding  and I  both had great Birthdays!We got flowers, cake, songs, the  homemade center piece in                                                 picture, gifts, and lots of love. Wonderful!

 We passed around the Ipad after our office Birthday party and told the young Elders and Sisters to have fun and take  few selfies.

They jumped right on that --- Above are Sisters Shannon, Brown, and Donnelly, and here is Sister Howell in  this one.

This is Sister Tegge, Brown and Jungheim.

And here is Elder Corbett (zone leader) and Elder Henderson, (District Leader) .  We LOVE our young Misisonaries!! They are so fun! 

    Transfer Week is at our doorstep once again --- we love it when the young missionaries try to get us to cough up what we know about who is going where! As Elder Harding was on the phone with one young Elder, trying to get some furniture moved around in the mission yesterday, the Elder said, "Ill help you if you'll help me!" and Elder Harding said..... "What?"  Then the Elder replied that if we would tell him whether or not he was getting transferred, he would help out with moving furniture --- ha ha. All in good fun, of course! These young uns do get imaginative, though, bless them!

We always order in pizza the last District Mtg before Transfers..... it is good to work and play together!

District Meeting is a spiritual highlight of our week, each Wednesday, at the Office, 10:30-12:30. This is Elders Wilson, Hendrickons, Corbett and McGuire, plus Sisters Sharp, Howell, Brown and Fincher. Recently, Sister Sharp, who was assigned to do the Doctrinal Discussion, spoke about how, as she kneeling to say her prayers one night, she remembered that although she had read from other scriptures that day, she had not read from the Book of Mormon--- she felt so bad!  She said to us, "How can I go out and teach and testify of the Book of Mormon if I do not read it every day! I knew I needed to repent."  

I was so touched by this -- I also need to read the Book of Mormon, every day. There is a power in this book, the doctrine is clear and simple, it teaches and testifies of the Savior, it brings the spirit into my life and directs me. I am grateful for the example of this group of young people. Sometimes I am not sure who is leading who!  But that is all right --- "I lift thee, and thee lift me and together, we both ascend."

We had the opportunity to speak, via Skype, to the Branch in Grand Falls, Newfoundland this past month. There are usually about 8-12 women who attend, no Primary or YW or YM's, just a group of faithful women, with the Elders conducting and assisting in running the Branch -- as I looked at these women, I marvelled at their faithfulness to continue to come out each week on their own, no family support. They are pioneers in the church, faithful converts who carry on. I learned from them about perseverance, and commitment from them. 

I know that as we turn to our Heavenly Father, He will give us the strength to do whatever it is  that we need to do in our lives. May we all feel this and feel His Divine interest in and love for  us, and His ability to help us along our individual paths. I am grateful for those whose paths are crossing mine.