Sharing Two Copies of the Book of Mormon

 This past week was a fun and busy one.  Time seems to be flying and we can't believe we have been out for 7 1/2 months.  We started out our week with a District P-Day activity to say good bye to our darling Elder and Sister Fleming who are leaving to go home.  We are all a little sad to say goodbye to them. I am sure their family is so excited to get them home.  I made a crockpot full of potato cheesy chicken soup.  She brought rolls and the young missionaries brought other food to share.  Sister Fleming is a painter so we painted rocks.  She actually had all the stuff for us to use but sat back and just watched and soaked in the excitement and spirit of these Elders and Sisters. The rocks turned out great.  I found a rock that I could see a Gnome in so I painted a Santa Gnome.  Mike painted the other rock black for me and then I tried to put a little nativity on it.  You can see-they aren't professional by any means but they turned out cute.  Free Christmas decorations are always great.  We had an awesome time together. We have two Elders and one Sister leaving for home the day before Thanksgiving.  I get really emotional to say goodbye.

                                     

Tuesday found us back in Whitesboro-the Stake Center we had been in for our activity the day before. It was Zone Conference- a highlight every time.  Sister Koyle, one of our secretaries, had asked me to head up the decorations for the lunch.  We were having a Thanksgiving lunch and so we went with pretty Thanksgiving centerpieces.  Oh course, we added candy because when have you ever known missionaries that don't love candy. 

President and Sister Gentry taught us from a training that President Nelson had given the general leadership of the church right before April General Conference.  Many had asked and asked him to share it with them and he told them no.  Finally he said that he would share but not just with them.  He said he would share with the entire church.  It is in the October 2022 Liahona and entitled, "The Everlasting Covenant."  If you have not read it-please go read it.  What an amazing prophet we have leading us ever closer to our Savior.  A covenant relationship with Jesus Christ changes everything.  We are so blessed! More than we know! After lunch we had a discussion of "finding in the winter".  Because it gets dark really early here, (It is completely dark at 5:00 and we haven't even hit the longest day of the year yet) finding people to teach gets tricky.  President asked missionaries to share what worked for them last year because we have so many missionaries that are new.  Gas station finding was the top discussion. People are kind of stuck for a couple of minutes pumping their gas and so it's easy to strike up a conversation.  And the best thing about gas station finding?  President pointed out- THEY HAVE CARS!!!!  There are so many people here that don't have cars and it makes it really hard getting them to church.  We love new converts who have cars.  In fact, they are told all the time to find families with cars to teach.  We need families.  We need families with cars.  Our missionaries are valiant and committed and completely powerful.  We love serving with them.

Our Book of Mormon class was a little small this week.  We have Covid rearing it's ugly head and several of our members have it.  We learned about Zeezrom and his bribe to Amulek to deny the existence of God.   Thank heaven the Mormon included the monetary system of the Nephites so we could see how big of a bribe was offered.  Don't you just love Amulek?

Friday was another part of the little miracle that took place on top of the mountain in Old Forge that we had told you about.  We have been in touch with the two ladies that we met there but were unable to get together with them until Friday.  We met them at their home, had some pizza and spent the evening getting them accounts on Family Tree and then adding their parents and connecting with past generations.  Holy Cow!  The husband's side of the mom exploded back to the 900's.  So exciting.  I read them the scripture in Malachi about how the hearts of the children will be turned to the fathers.  I told them that family history is a direct fulfillment of that prophecy.  We were there for 5 hours and the cute little mom kept saying, "You should have brought your jammies, we don't want you to leave." We had such a great time and then the mom leaned over to me and asked me what they difference in our church and the Methodist church was.  Seriously???  Perfect missionary moment. We started talking about the Godhead, prophets and modern day revelation, eternal families and why we do family history.  I told her about the Book of Mormon and asked if she would read it if I gave her a copy.  She said yes.  She said she would start that night.  As we were leaving, Mike brought in a Book of Mormon and started to introduce it, using the pictures in the front and talking about how it is Another Testament of Jesus Christ and that His appearance in the America's is the crowning story of the Book.  The daughter said, "Um, do you have another copy that I can have?" Well, of course we did.  Mike grabbed it for her and we said goodbye.  We haven't reached out to see if they read or not but I did send the daughter the video "Because of Him" because she is really struggling with her divorce and the holidays.  She said it helped.  We are praying that they will feel the spirit as they read.  We are trying to get together with them this week and we are planning to celebrate Thanksgiving with them.  It's unbelievable how it feels like we have known them forever.  We are so drawn together.  I feel like maybe we knew them in the pre-existence. 

On Saturday we went to a ward/RS Super Saturday Swap Meet.  We only had two ladies show up from the Rome Ward-no one from our Branch.  I had made brownies and those who were there were grateful to have a treat.  We ran home and I frosted a pumpkin cake to take to a Single Adult Thanksgiving dinner and fireside-back in the Stake Center in Whitesboro. ( I tell you, we are in the car all the time)  I had also taken the brownies that were left because if they are at our house, I eat them.  Luckily they were devoured.  We ended up leaving the cake for their potluck the next day as well.  Thank goodness I didn't have to bring it home.  It was delicious but I don't need to eat an entire sheet cake.

Sunday was a day of doing. We started with an impromptu Branch Council to decide on a service project for Christmas.  I played the piano in Sacrament Meeting, Mike conducted and spoke.  I had prepared to teach Primary but we didn't have any kiddos show up.  We had 14 in church.  It's hard to watch! After church we went to visit our friend who has been in the hospital and then went home. It was definitely a long but good day. 

We love the Lord.  We love the people we have a chance to work with. We are amazed and blessed by the Spirit.  We are thankful to be missionaries serving in this beautiful place.  Even though it's getting very cold-it is still beautiful everywhere.  I have to say, I'm kind of excited to get some snowy church pictures so stay tuned.  Love you all!  Oh- here is the other bulletin board that I didn't include last week.