September 27, 2011

Hi Family!

So quick e-mail since we have a lot to do today. We got the call Saturday that our area is closing. With the death of one Sister and two more going home for medical reasons, there are not enough Sisters to keep our area open. Plus we are the only ward in the mission with two sets of missionaries. But this week was amazing and, wow, it went by so fast! It started with a trip to the Palmyra Temple and seeing all the church history sites around the area. It was fun to be taken on a tour from visitor center Sisters as well. I could take a step back and say, "Hmm, yeah I do that.... bad idea gotta change that. " or "I love how they did that!" Yeah so I am all pumped and ready to go back to Temple Square, seeing a visitor center got me all jittery to get back.

We also got to spend an hour ALONE in the sacred grove. It was amazing. It was just me, the Lord and 1 billion mosquitoes. The First Vision couldn't have been made up, because only God and Jesus Christ could have made all those mosquitoes go away for Joseph Smith to stay in that grove. But on a more spiritual note the feeling inside that grove was definitely close to being inside the Temple. To think that this grove was where the restoration all got started and that by small things great things are brought to pass. As missionaries and members of the Church everything we do is a small and simple thing that has great and lasting impressions on us and the lives of others. Let's not allow a moment to pass us by without remembering why we are here and what this life is all about. It’s not about the money or the material objects but our families and our Heavenly Father. Life may be hard sometimes but the Lord understands more than we do. Joseph Smith never had it easy but we look up to him, not just because he restored the Church but because he conquered his trials and came out on top. That is a promise that we all have from our Heavenly Father, rely on Him, do what is right, and we will be blessed in some way or another.

But we did service in Owego on Saturday! We helped a man demolish his walls (so awesome) and take out all of his trash. We got to even wear the Mormon Helping Hands t-shirts!! Dream #75843 accomplished. Later we got to clean the Tioga County Museum's collection pieces that were under 5 feet of water. It was so sad but a neat experience to clean eye glasses and ribbons from the 1800s. We had to throw away a lot as well, but we also picked up a new investigator who is seriously GOLDEN! He was a guy that we met on the bus (when everyone got in a religious debate a few weeks ago) and he asked for a baptismal date! Too bad we both won’t be here for it. That is ok. We found him and set him up with the Elders. He will do well.

Ok, enough writing. We have an entire apartment to clean and drive two hours to the mission home before 9 p.m. tonight. Call ya tomorrow!