Monday, September 30, 2013

News from Katie

Hey Family!!
 
This past week was seriously one of the most memorable weeks of the mission. So much happened! The craziest part of the week was that this less active member family lost their father to Luegarics (however you spell that!!) disease. Pretty sad... he left behind a 16, 21 and 22 years old kids. The mom has always been active and she asked Sister Pitts and I to sing a duet at the funeral! ah!! It was pretty nerve racking... I don't know if I'll ever fully be able to get over my fear of public singing... but I will admit that it does get a little bit easier every time! I feel like we did a really good job. We sang "Be Still My Soul" and a lady from the ward made up a beautiful piano arrangement to go along with it! Later, we were talking with the widow and she wants us so badly to come over for dinner and teach a lesson to her less active kids as well as her sister in law! She is planning on taking her husbands name through the temple next year to do his work and she so badly wants her kids to be able to join and be sealed as well. How cool would that be? We are praying and hoping that these kids will be humble and feel the spirit directing them during this challenging time of their lives.
 
We were able to take Debra on a temple tour! It was my first time going through a tour of the grounds. It was cool and very well done. It was weird driving back through my old stomping grounds... it almost felt like I was going home! ... but not really... haha I was super excited to go back to that area though. I love the temple!!
 
We had a couple lessons with Ed and Michelle this week. At the beginning of the lesson we told Michelle that we had both felt very impressed to move her baptismal date up from October 19th to the 12th. As we said that, she said, "Oh! I was hoping you would say that! I was wanting it to come sooner as well!" hahaha I love Michelle. She seriously is SO prepared and so awesome. So we should be having a baptism on the 12th at 6pm! Please keep her in your prayers :) Michelle's baptism date and time was announced at church on Sunday! So excited! When we were at a lesson with them, Ed got really emotional when talking about how he had prayed and immediately after his prayer, it was answered. He wouldn't tell us what it was exactly but you can easily see the power of the Atonement working in his life. It is so amazing seeing that cleansing power work in people. He told us that he has felt so much happier since he started meeting with us and that we came just in time to help save their marriage. They seem so happy now. They were pretty much at the point of taking the wedding ring off and moving out... but now at church I see them hold hands and they look so happy. I love them sooo much!!!!!!! We are still working with Ed on making a goal of baptism.. .but I have no doubt that if he continues to exercise his faith the way he is now, that things will work out and the Lord will provide a way. :) This is kind of selfish to admit... but if they both get baptized.. they could go through the temple a year from now... and I could go!! ah! Not all sisters get that opportunity. I would looooove for that to happen. Of course because they would be sealed! But I would so love to be there to support them. So please keep them in your prayers that they will continue to have the courage and follow the promptings of the spirit.
 
This morning was the best morning on the mission..... I got to see the east coast for the first time in my life!!! :) We had a District Prep Day at the Daytona Beach. We met at the beachat 6:15 and were able to watch the sunrise, take pictures, play some Ultimate Frisbee and go have breakfast together. It was awesome!!! It's so sad that I live 10 minutes away from the beach and can't even get in the water.... :( oh well... I'll get to eventually ;) We touched the water though and it was super warm at 6 in the morning! It's awesome and very beautiful!! I took quite a few pictures so hopefully I'll get a CD of pictures sent home soon :)
 
The most frustrating thing that has happened out on my mission so far was Saturday... haha We found outSaturday morning that no one in the Relief Society Presidency in my ward had announced or was planning on showing the Relief Society Broadcast... so after talking with all the presidency.. we took it upon ourselves to get a Priesthood holder there for the night, call and invite all the sisters in the ward and set up the screen at the church. It was nuts and took up half the day to get it put together... but it worked out ok!! The broadcast was SO good!!! I loved all of the talks on making and keeping covenants. I have seen the importance of obedience more and more out here on the mission. You truly are so blessed for keeping your promises with God and doing all that you can to obey. I also loved the talk from President Monson on prayer and love. Wow. He is so awesome. I am so grateful for inspired leaders that help us stay on the right path through this dark and troubled world. Please take some time this next week to think about direction and quesitons that you have and pray to receive answers. God knows what is best for each one of us at this time of our lives, and I promise that He has something prepared for each one of us to hear if we will truly listen and try to apply what we learn. I'm SOOOO excited for General Conference this next week!
 
One last thing, it was so fun to find a connection between the Call family and the Jessups! The Calls are the cutest family. I love them! They really are one of the coolest families in the ward and I'm excited to get to know them more and more! Sister Call was actually the member that drove all the way to transfers to pick me up and bring me to this area! (It's about a 2 hour drive!) I got so excited to be able to talk about one my favorite families, the Jessups!! :) :) The Calls kept talking about how they always have good food there and that they are big U of U fans ;) hahaha love it!
 
Well, I better get going... but know how much I love you guys!!! I hope this next week is filled with laughter, love and the spirit :) I LOVE YOU!!!!
 
-Sister Kirkham

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