January 3rd Excerpts

Ma Famille,


JOYEUX ANNÉE!!!! 2011!!

   Oh how good it is to see your emails in my inbox on Monday mornings ha ha! It is a new year and I am ready to take it on! This last week was super busy! With the holidays it has been difficult to find new investigators, but we have been teaching La Famille Créquit a lot! We also have been visiting less actives. There is an experience I would like to share that happened this week. We visited a less active that we have visited many times before, but this time was different. Elder Boehme and I had worked with her a little bit, on how she needs to come back to church. She told us with work, she had no choice. More discussion lead us to believe that she lost the desire to go to church. Well this week with Elder Nicholes we were able to sit down with here and have a tranquile lesson. We listened to her and dug deeper to find her problem. We didn't pry, or push, but simply listened and taught from the scriptures. I have no doubt in my mind that the spirit was with us, and guiding us in everything we should say and do. By some inspired question Elder Nicholes asked that I can't remember now, but the conversation led to her baptism. She explained how she felt after her baptism, light and almost as if she was weightless. By then we had started a visual activity with three cups and three butter knives. Three cups represent the 3 pillars of the Gospel: scripture study, prayer, and attending church.The cups are fixed into a triangle. The object of the activity is to rest the each knife on top of the its own designated cup, with the serrated end pointing into the middle. Then fixing the knives to support each other and resulting in a way to support a fourth cup on top. The lesson behind this activity is that if we are built on these pillars, and the foundation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, we cannot fall. But if you are missing a pillar, you will surely fall. I had just read 3 Nephi 27:21


Verily, verily, I say unto you, this is my a gospel; and ye know the things that ye must do in my church; for the works which ye have seen me do that shall ye also do; for that which ye have seen me do even that shall ye do; 


  It was at the moment Elder Nicholes pulled out a cup, and the cup on knives on top fell. She burst into tears, and explained to us that she missed the sacrament, and that she truly wanted to go back, she just can't with work. We asked her is she had the desire, and said "yes' and if she had the faith that God would provide; she said "yes". It was then we gave her a blessing and ended the visit. 
  
  You see, we were taking the wrong approach in the beginning, but when we were guided by the spirit, all things became clear. Nothing can shake that testimony in which I have. We also gave another less active a blessing to be healed from her sickness and receive comfort. The next day, she called us and joyfully expressed how she was healed. With the power of the Priesthood and faith, all things are possilbe. We can all be healed one way or another by the hand of Christ if we have faith!


 We have less than two weeks until the baptism for Famille Créquit now, NOT THAT MUCH TIME! There is so much to do and so little time. I have began to see that there is a lot that goes into baptisms, it isn't as simple as getting them to the font, its solid ha ha. In fact we have to make sure that someone even fills the font full of water! I joke, but I was really overwhelmed last night. I realized we need to teach the family more before the baptism, but her children are off to school for the week in another ville and won't be around till the end of the week. Luckily, Maryline will be with her daughter on Wednesday, so we gained one more day. The goal is to have taught them all they need to know and do before the baptismal interview next Wednesday. Elder Nicholes is very very understanding and has helped me relax. I haven't lost my marbles if that is what you are thinking at this point, but I was sure overwhelmed and anxious. I felt small and insignificant; and a like a poor planner. I was truly humbled, and knew nothing else to do other than to fall to my knees and pray for comfort and strength. At the end of our planning session last night, I switched back into an English prayer for the first time in a long time. I was truly broken in heart and spirit, and knew I was nothing without the Lord. I prayed that all would go well, and work towards the well being of God's Children. Without the masters touch, this baptism won't happen.  It continues to amaze me how much comfort and love I receive when I fall to my knees and pray. No matter how weak or broken my spirit is, my heart is filled with joy and comfort by the Master's touch. 


This is just a few things I remember from this year;


1.   Birth of Emma!
2.   Birth of Mason!
3.   My Mission call
4.   The Temple Endowment
5.   The MTC
6.   Uncle Curt passing away
7.   Momma's remission
8.   Lake Tahoe
9.   Working for Uncle Brian 
10. Realizing that I wouldn't see another Thatcher sunset for two years


I love you all, and will continue to work hard!!