Hello!
It was another very busy week here in Shepherd! We only got to teach 11 lessons this week but we found 3 new less-actives to work with and got to go to the temple! Our whole mission went through the temple this month and had a mini zone conference with the Temple President. We discussed Temple Covenants and how serious they are. That if we are not being exactly obedient, we are covenant breakers and the Spirit simply will not attend us. Our Zone went through on Wednesday and it was an incredible experience. President and Sister Mecham joined us all in the Celestial room and President told me some of the revelations he has received for our zone and the confirmation he had that I needed to be there...I ask for your prayers for our area and the zone!
Something fun this week, I got to be trained on driving the transfer van! A 15 passenger van so that I can assist with transfers coming up. It was an entirely new way of driving but I have almost driven every model car the mission has! Fusion, Cruze, Colorado, Jeep, Transfer Van...just have the minivan and the 2014 Silverado's left! I'm determined :D
Thursday we had zone conference from 9-4 and it was basically a condensed version of Mission Leadership Seminar we had earlier in the month. It covered chapters 8-10 in Preach My Gospel (Using Time Wisely, Finding, and Teaching Skills). Thursday night, the Elders in Hardin (about an hour away on the indian reservation) had to get their truck repaired for hail damage. So I got to drive them down in the Transfer Van without the vehicle coordinator! So much fun. I want one.
We had a baptism this Saturday! His name is LeeRoy Maxwell, and he has been waiting to get baptized for over a year. There was a lot of legal issues with the divorced parents and we finally got it figured out. I did his baptismal interview and he got baptized in the Yellowstone River( that was one of the legal conditions)! Other than that, Saturday was just odd. We witnessed a car accident, and saw two other ones. There was a 10 passenger van laying vertical in a ditch from a drunk driver, one head on crash, and we witnessed a pretty bad rear end accident. We had three solid lessons though. One was with Rick Watt, someone we found last week. I don't remember if we mentioned him or not, but he actually met an Apostle on a plane ride to Tucson. He said it was the most engaging conversation of his life. He had no idea who he was. Either way we shared a lesson partially about the Plan of Salvation and partially about the Book of Mormon. He actually asked us for a copy and said he would read it :)
Other good things happened this week but they should probably stay in my journal. It was so cool to hear all the tender mercies happening at home. The Lord will always take care of his children if we are keeping the commandments. Dad thank you for sharing your testimony. I think I am going to print it out and read it when I am having a bad day. I thought of the scripture quoted by every missionary in Moroni 10. A part I think we skip over is it says to "remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men from the creation of Adam, even down until the time when ye shall receive these things and ponder them in your heart." Part of Moroni's promise involves reflecting on how merciful the Lord has been unto us and even to his children in general from the creation of Adam. Thank you for your faith (Mom and Dad). I have been thinking a bit lately just how blessed I was to be taught the doctrine of the kingdom in our own home. The most sacred place on earth second to the temple only. I love this work and all of you reading this! Have a great week!