Back to real life

Jan. 10, 2016

Dear Sister Kristina,

Well, it’s back to real life now. All the visitors have gone, the decorations are down, the house looks bare, etc etc We started ward conferences today so it was fun. I went to the 1st ward and to our ward today. The girls said that the youth council did a good job and they enjoyed it. Pres. Stafford came into Relief Society and spoke to the women, so that’s always a treat for us. The theme as I’ve said before is Personal Righteousness and everyone that spoke on that had wonderful insight. I’ll be speaking next week. We learned today that if you would just make a decision to obey (someone who is trying to find out if the church is true), be obedient to the commandments, then all three members of the Godhead can work together to help in the conversion process. We can’t convert people, we can only teach them principles, but they must decide on their own if they want to try to be obedient to the commandments and that’s when they can be taught spiritually. As you well know, sometimes investigators get converted to the missionaries or to a program of the church but have not really committed to being obedient and they are the ones who soon leave the church. The ones who decide to be obedient are taught and receive a deep conversion through members of the Godhead. 

Leah is anxiously awaiting a reply from a guy she has asked out for this weekend. She and Carrie Iverson want to do a double date and they got tickets from Bro. Grieve for the Steelhead hockey game. It should be fun, but Leah asked a senior and he kind of himhawed when she asked him and didn’t really give her an answer, at least she said she didn’t really understand what he was saying, so now she has to get in touch with him again and see if he can go. Awkward. I feel for her. I just hope he answers her one way or the other and quickly. She just wants to be able to say she’s been out on a date.

Leah tells me she wrote you this week and shared her experience with you. I don’t know all of what she shared, but it was a hard night and basically our prayers were answered because I wasn’t with her when she was feeling so down. Heavenly Father answered all our prayers in a very personal and miraculous way and it really made an impact on Leah. She was a different person afterwards, lighter and happier and she said she knows for sure that there is a Heavenly Father and that He loves her. When I got home and she shared her experience I was just crying because it was an answer to my prayers too especially knowing that I couldn’t be there with her when she needed help. I told Leah she needs to always remember this, write it down and move forward now with faith. We’ll see how she does. Depression is an ugly beast, but she’s so open to always talk with me and I cherish that. I’m friends with a mom who has a daughter the same age who is suffering from the same type thing, but her daughter won’t even talk to her. It breaks my heart.Thanks for all your prayers. 

Nikki was quite the busy bee yesterday and today. Her new thing she is in charge of in her Sunday School class is treats. She’s supposed to delegate it and organize it. So she thought she’d start it off and yesterday she made lemon cupcakes from scratch and today made a luxurious frosting and piped it on top. They really tasted good. This is totally a calling for her. I just hope she actually delegates it out each week. I know she’d be perfectly happy if she had to make treats each week. :)

Sarah will find out what their baby is in a couple weeks. We are all very excited. She says she has no idea and would love a boy or a girl. She had a regular appointment this past week and they let Addie put the goop on her belly so they could listen to the heartbeat. So cute!!

Kirk and Sarah and Addie and Nicole all returned home after their visit to Canada this past week. Nicole drove straight to school, but Kirk and Sarah stayed overnight and left the next night. It was so fun having them here. We opened more Christmas presents, played, ate at Carl's (Addie played in the play place), shopped, watched TV. I sure wish they lived closer.

So fun having them in our home.

Playing with Nana’s toys.

She wanted to sit with me and watch TV, so I put my hand out and she put her hand in mine….oooooh!

She has the cutest boots and it’s so fun watching her walk around in them.

Kirk came in and took this pic. We’re working on our duet!!

So the girls are back in school. They have one more week until finals. Nikki is a little worried because she says she doesn’t really know what finals are, but she is really doing well in school and has good grades. Leah says she’s not worried. hmmm  

How was your week? Leah really enjoyed hearing from Fusi, that’s been fun. Leah would love to see a picture of her. Also, the girls have been so happy about receiving a letter from their birth parents and the letter was amazing. Let me know if you’d like to read a copy of it. Leah asked them tons of questions about why they did what they did and they answered each one. It’s hard to believe they have 7 other brothers and sisters on the other side of the world. Some day we will meet them all.

I hope you have a miraculous week!! Stay close to the spirit and always be on the Lord’s errand because that’s when the miracles happen. I am so grateful for the miracles in my life and I know where they have come from.

Love you,

Mom xxoo