I can't believe lacey is home!! What does that even mean?! I can't even think about going home. Fortunately I still have time left, even though I'm almost at 15 months. Crazy.
Well this week wasn't too eventful, although there is always something going on as a missionary. Monday we drove up to Billings for Mission Leadership Council again. We stayed the night and then the next morning at 4AM we traveled to Helena. Stayed the night again in Billings, and then we got to go to the temple AGAIN on Wednesday! I am so blessed...I've been to the temple like 10 times as a missionary. I learn something new every time! I am jealous however that you got to go to the Gilbert Temple, I'm sure it's beautiful.
Brother Young is REACTIVATED!!! He was ordained a Priest yesterday and is set to baptize his wife and Son! I am so excited for him. We have been working with them for almost 4 months now and they have made SO much progress. We plan on preparing him for the Melchizedek Priesthood here soon. We held Tracy's baptismal interview and I testified to her that the burdens of her past transgressions will be lifted at her baptism. Her reply was, "I actually believe you this time, because everything you've said has come true! No headaches with quitting coffee and everything!" That made me super happy. The Lord will always follow through with promises made in his name if they are righteous. I love being a missionary!
Check this out from President Mecham,
"Unshaken and united faith is alive and well in the Montana Billings Mission. You will recall that last week we had a mission wide goal of having 500 investigators and less active members attend Easter services. I am pleased to announce that the mission had 273 investigators and 455 less active members attend sacrament meeting for a total of 728 souls.
At mission leadership council I followed a prompting to inform the council the mission needed 15 more baptisms to continue our six month run of 50 plus baptisms each month. The missionary leadership council felt the inspiration that there were individuals that could be baptized by month end and would ask their missionaries to exercise faith and invite those they felt inspired to be baptized. 23 individuals have accepted to be baptized on or before April 30. I believe our missionaries demonstrate the faith of some of our heroes from the Book of Mormon. Thank you for your inspiration and pure desire to serve the Savior"
At mission leadership council I followed a prompting to inform the council the mission needed 15 more baptisms to continue our six month run of 50 plus baptisms each month. The missionary leadership council felt the inspiration that there were individuals that could be baptized by month end and would ask their missionaries to exercise faith and invite those they felt inspired to be baptized. 23 individuals have accepted to be baptized on or before April 30. I believe our missionaries demonstrate the faith of some of our heroes from the Book of Mormon. Thank you for your inspiration and pure desire to serve the Savior"
Our mission is da bomb. So Elder Rasmusson and I have been fasting 3 days straight...just eating dinners. We are fasting for more baptisms in our zone and in our area. Still waiting! Quite a humbling experience for sure.
Friday we did some service for a non-member man. He has some cherry trees that he pruned and wanted us to cut them all up and bag them. It took us over 2 hours because Cherry branches don't bag very well. They are super stiff. BUT....it went really well and I love service. He insisted on paying us. We wouldn't accept anything but proposed something else. He is an awesome painter. We told him about the Plan of Salvation and we would love it if he could draw us something like the Garden of Eden or the Creation to help us teach. He pointed to a picture on the wall he painted of the Tetons and said, "That says creation to me." So he gave us this huge canvas painting. Not quite what we had in mind, but it was beautiful!
That's pretty much it. Things are going well here. the weather is random, today we have 25mph winds and it's wet from the rain and hail Saturday. I'm not as sick, however fasting for 3 days didn't help my immune system. My sore throat just needs to go away. We are so close to putting Steve Rakness on date, so please keep him in your prayers. I am so excited for Tawnya and that is sweet that Lacey gets to be a part of that now! I really enjoy answering her questions over Facebook. We have church 9-2 (2 wards), so I don't know if it would be easier to skype between our ward and yours (since we are an hour ahead of you anyway), or what. I love all of you and thank you for your prayers!
