October
20, 2014
Family!!!!
There is so much to say in so little time!
Monday we had a District P-day! It was fun to carve pumpkins and
dress up in costumes! woot woot! Later that night we went to our ward mission
leader’s home for dinner and their kids had just gotten these little sister
missionary figurines... and they were like an exact replica of Sister Gonzalez
and I.... including the color of our outfits we were wearing that day... it was
super funny!!! Hahahaha!
We had several great lessons this week ;)
Frank is doing great! We had a lesson with him and Brother Scott
on the temple grounds and it was sooo powerful!!! We covered different concerns
that he had... and he was very tearful through the whole lesson because he was
continuing to be touched by the spirit so strongly. He said the closing prayer
and choked up really bad. It was really sweet. As Frank puts it, he is "a
marshmellow on the inside." :) haha I love him! He really is such a cool
investigator because he is smart and knows the gospel but he has an open mind
and recognizes the spirit. He called us later that day to thank us for the
lesson and to tell us that he had come that day with several different concerns
and every single one of the concerns was address without him saying a word. How
cool is that? Sometimes I forget how amazing it is to be set apart and called
to be an instrument in God's hands to do HIS work.... when we trust Him and
just follow the spirit we can do so much. His plan is so perfect and He knows
each one of His children so perfectly.
Saturday was an amazing day but also an emotional one!! In the
morning all the missionaries in our district met at the church with other
people in the stake for the Orlando South 5K. It felt sooo good to just go
RUN!!!! We were able to start and finish the race across the street from the
temple, which was pretty fun. I was feeling it though! I'm excited to be able
to do that on my own free time and get back in shape. All the elders dressed up
in the shirt and tie with running shorts and the sisters made shirts :) super
fun! The best part was being able to run with Dave and Theresa!! Well, not WITH
them, because they smoked everyone...
but they were so cute to be cheering me on near the finish line and to have a
good time chatting and cheering others on after I had finished. Super fun! :)
After the race I WENT TO LUNCH WITH ED AND MICHELE!!!!! Let me just
tell you I was a like a little girl on Christmas. I was soooo excited to see
them :) :) I can't believe that it has been 8 months since I had seen them
last. That went by super fast. That's like half my mission time! It was so good
to see them though. They are doing amazing :) The coolest part.... Ed baptized
someone just two days before!!!! =D He has been going out with the missionaries
a lot and was a great fellowship for this man that got baptized. This man was
also about Ed's age, and was a former cop. There were a lot of other great
similarities as well and Ed just kept repeating over and over again, "Two
years ago you couldn't have paid me to believe that I would be doing this
today." :) The Atonement has changed him and Michele is so many amazing
ways and their marriage and everything is just going beautifully!!! Michele is
doing well in the Relief Society Presidency, giving talks in sacrament and in
Relief Society a few times. Ed is doing missionary work. He has received the
Melchizedek Priesthood and is teaching a primary class of 10-11 year olds :) It
just hit me just how amazing this work is.... you truly have no idea how much
of an impact you leave on the world as you reach out to help even just one
person.... the blessings are IMMEASURABLE! To think that because we helped
Michele we were able to help Ed and because of Ed and Michele they have blessed
countless people lives including this newly baptized member. Isn't that
amazing? My mind can't fully wrap around how amazing this gospel is and how
perfect God's plan is. To be honest, I was pretty emotional both Saturday and
Sunday after seeing them...but it really was tears of joy. :)
One sad note though.... Ed and Michele told me that they were
planning on getting sealed in the temple on December 6th or something...that
way I could go and so could Sister Pitts (who is now home) because she is
returning with her family that week.... well, they heard that the temple is
closed down for cleaning and for the holidays that week so they can't do it
then. They also can’t get sealed on the week of Thanksgiving, (which is the
earliest they could do it after Ed's one year mark,) because "the
Judge"-Brother Henderson,(who introduced Michele to the church,) will be
out of town with his family that week. So, the earliest they can do it is on
like January 6th.. or something like that -- the very next day after we leave!
I'm double checking on the day with Michele and need to hear back from her but that
totally burst my bubble! …but it's ok. I'm just happy that they are so set on
being sealed. They love each other and they need this beautiful day :)
Sorry, but I’m out of time! Please keep the investigator, Michele,
in your prayers; that her husband will be ok with her getting baptized. She
should be having her baptismal interview this week and getting baptized the end
of next week if all works well :) She is so excited!!!
I love you guys! Thanks for all that you do.
-Sister Kirkham
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