Feeling the LOVE

Family,

I felt really loved this week as I received so many valentines packages and cards! Janae and Brooke's Valentines were both so funny.  I should have taken a picture to show each of you.  Brooke, I have that picture of Estee sitting on my study desk and Janae your families is on the wall.  Every time I look at them I get a good laugh.

For Valentines day we heart attacked all of our less-active members and investigator's doors.  It was pretty exciting, especially when we got caught because we were being too loud.  It was an adventure, but the best part was Sister Wittwer, she is just so sweet.  She was freaking out the whole time.  I asked her if this was the most daring/rebellious thing she has ever done.  She told me "No!" I then asked if she had ever been toilet papering.  She said she went once, but she just couldn't do it.  So she just stood there while all her friends toilet papered someone...ha ha.  So heart attacking someone's house was a big deal! Then she said "Well, one time I did dye a red steak in the back of my hair!!" Ha ha I about died.  She is too sweet.

This week has been full of planning for Zone Conference with the Zone Leaders.  We have a thirty minute training to give on the importance of the Book of Mormon.  I'm excited because we found a wooden arch a member has to demonstrate the Book of Mormon as the keystone of our religion.  It will go well, but I am excited to be done with it.

We volunteer at this small old folks home every week and we play domino's with the residents.  There is this old couple, Marie and Bob, that are still "with it" and they are so much fun.  This past week Bob was waiting for us and he had prepared a card trick for us.  He told me I had to show him one this week....any suggestions?  It's interesting to me though, the experiences I am having.  I know for a fact before my mission I would have never volunteered at an old folks home.  That to me would have been a waste of time.  I would have been dragging to do it, but now I do it every week for an hour or two and I know that it makes their day and mine too! I may not be teaching them the gospel, but I am helping.  I love to see them every week and I know I wouldn't have experiences like this if it weren't for my mission.

This week we got to see Aliyah, eleven year old, who is on date for March 8th.  She is so excited.  When we went over she told us that she had set some goals: Pray every night, spend time with her family together, go to church every week, and be baptized.  Kids know how to keep things simple.  I think she is going to be the one to pave the way for her family to come back to church.  Later during the week we stopped by and Dakota, 22 years old, and they had just watched the Restoration video right before we came over.  Dakota was just beaming as soon as we got there.  She told us all about the movie. She said "That John guy (Joseph Smith) prayed and then Jesus and His son appeared to him."  It was cute.  We obviously clarified some things, but the whole night her eyes were just fixed on us an she was taking in every word.  As I asked her to be baptized, I didn't even get it out of my mouth before she said "Yes!"  The spirit was incredibly strong and I felt so much joy.  We committed her to March 29 and then church of course.  There are going to be some challenges before she can be baptized, especially with living the law of chastity, but we'll take it one step at a time.  Her and Aliyah both came to church and loved it!  We were really excited for them.

Last funny story, so Sunday Sister Wittwer played the violin for the musical number.  I had to sit by the piano player to turn the pages for her.  She played this ridiculously hard piano part.  After, one of the members came up to me and told me I played so well....ha ha I told her it takes some practice to learn how to turn the pages at the perfect time! 

Well it was a good week and I am looking forward to another.  I hope all of you have a good week too! Love you!

Syd