August 13, 2012

What a week!

We were given a rare opportunity this week. We Got to go to the temple
site in north Phoenix and give the steel workers a tour through the
visitors center. Most of the workers only speak spanish so President
asked us to go and do it. It was really neat! Most of them knew it was
some sort of church but didn't really understand what it is for or
what it means to us. None of them were members. So We got them all
over after work and started with a prayer outside then took them
through teaching about ancient temples and modern ones, then we taught
about how families can be together forever through the ordinances of
the temple. It was really great, the spirit was so strong and some of
the men had tears in their eyes. We finished by teaching them how the
power to do these ordinances was restored and invited them to pray and
find out for themselves if these things are true. We'd put out ten
Book of Mormons at the end and when they'd left six of the ten men
took them and we found out that of the four that didn't, two already
had them! It was a huge success. Then after we got to go take some
pictures of the temple and they pointed out to us where all the rooms
would be. It was so cool! We hope we'll get to do it again with the
other work crews that come in. Hermana winchell's mom is so cute. She
made lemonade and cookies for them. :)

We're still running around like crazy people here and working hard.
It's been an odd week however. Two of the families we're teaching are
going through hards times. With both of them the father just left. The
one couple split and the other mom just came home and he and all his
things were gone. It was unteresting that thecouple the broke up said
that they'd been liking the lessons and things were going well...when
we were there. She said that afterwards they never talked and they
weren't doing the things we'd invited them to do with each other.  But
we'll see what happens. I feel like as a missionary we end up doing
mariage counciling with some people. Sometimes we just have to call
them out right in the lesson to bring the spirit back because they're
not listening, like, "Hermano, see that right there? See how you're
talking to your wife? Do you think Christ would say that about her?"
We do our best to bring them back to the lesson and hope they apply
the things.

Hermana Winchell is almost done with her mission. That came up way too
fast! But I'm happy to say that she did not go trunky and is doing
great! Of course she's a little freaked out about the future, but
she's not letting it hold her back. We expect to get a wedding invite
from her in a few months. Her boyfriend waited for her :) They're
really cute together and the fact that they've been apart for his
mission and hers and they are still doing well looks promising.

We've got a crazy week planned ahead of us! Wed. we have one exchange
(where we go to another area for the day), then Thursday we have a
conference that'll go all day, then friday we have another exchange.
That never happens. We usually only have one every six weeks. But they
asked us to do it so we will. If I write again next monday that means
we survived. :) Then Hermana goes to the mission home this sunday.
Crazy! But we're all sane and happy so it's okay!

How was the wedding? Did everything go smooth? The pictures I've seen
so far are amazing! It looks like it really came together well in the
little time you all had to plan it.

Well love you all, have a great week and enjoy relaxing after the wedding!
Hermana Watson