loving life

We have been blessed this week with being able to help some members to get more excited to make family mission plans and share the gospel. The Clark and Rusch families have both made family mission plans in the past but have failed to really implement them. We are thinking about ways to help people feel more accountable so that they follow-through and we would love suggestions.

Yesterday I wallowed in self-pity during the first part of church since none of the 5 people who had committed to come to church showed up on Sunday. It was especially disappointing to us that Chris, Nigel and Serina did not come, since now we will have to set back their baptism. Thankfully, the Spirit at church uplifts and encourages us so that we can overcome Satan's temptations and be filled with hope. Sister Laurente realized that there are some things that we can change to be more obedient and thus increase our faith as well as qualify for greater blessings.

Earlier in the week we were able to teach Chris, Nigel and Serina with Sister Daybell. The Spirit testified to them of truth and they are excited to progress. We found out later on Sunday that they had had a family emergency which is what had prevented them from attending church.

We were also blessed with being able to see Josh and teach him again. We found out that when he was in South GA with his family (because of his uncle's unexpected death) he went to church there with his grandparents and he asked his grandfather to baptize him. We were sad that he did not come to church, though.

We got to teach Keith and Jennifer Buckley this week (they just got married and are expecting in early September, she just started coming back to church and he is not a member) which was wonderful. In the past Keith has been antagonistic towards the Church but he is softening, slowly but surely. We got to have a sushi night with them and with the Wallaces (Jennifer's family with whom they are living) during which Sis. Laurente taught us how to make sushi. It was really fun and delicious! We had gone over a couple of days before sushi night to tell them what ingredients we would need and that was actually when we got to talk about the gospel with Keith. We were anxiously anticipating further, more powerful gospel discussion and teaching at sushi night but were disappointed that we did not get to do that (Keith felt a bit ill and lay down right after dinner).

Life is wonderful. Thank you for all of your love and prayers and emails and letters. I love you.

HAPPY GOLDEN BIRTHDAY RACHEL!!! I hope that you have an incredible time with Mom in Carlsbad. I adore you and cannot wait to reconnect with you. You are a remarkable person and I am blessed to be related to you.

Love,
Sister Mitchell