Week 9 from The Colony, TX

Elder Neil L. Anderson is coming to our mission Sept 11!!!!!!!!!!

It was such an amazing week! I know I say that every week, but it really was great. We got to go to the temple, and it was just the greatest. I love the temple! It was a miracle we were able to get there actually. The temple is about 40 minutes from our house, so we got a ride with our friend Debbie who is leaving for her mission to Brazil in October. About 15 minutes from the temple, I had a prompting that something with the car was going to go wrong so I adjusted my seatbelt so that it wasn't directly on my name tag just in case we got in a crash. I didn't want to freak out my companion and Debbie in case it turned out to be nothing, but surely the car started making really weird noises while we were on the highway. We were going to keep going but Sis Hansen and I both felt we needed to get off the highway. Right when we got off, the car started slowing down and we pulled into a small parking lot right off the exit just in time when Debbie lost control of the car. It was overheated of course and there was smoke everywhere. A really nice man in the gas station close by was able to help us. It still wasn't fixed, because her hose that holds coolant was broken. We should have gone home, but we were all dying to go to the temple. We barely made it there! We were able to escape the craziness of all that and enjoy the temple for two hours. After that we were stranded at a nearby mall until AAA came to the rescue- but it's all good and we made it home safely! 

This week was really humbling. Yes, my body is still giving me a lot of pain and heart ache BUT I have no right to complain- it could be so much worse. I know some incredibly strong people that I love here in The Colony. Belinda is one of my favorites, but trust me I could give yall a whole list of people who will make anyone who has a heart cry because of their trials. Belinda is extraordinary. She was baptized in March. Both of her parents died before she was 18, she smoked all her life before she met the missionaries this year and quit in 2 weeks, she's 40 and on disability because of a really bad knee problem, she hardly has enough money to support herself at all and might not even be able to keep her house by the end of next month. All of this and so many more struggles, and she is unimaginably strong. She feeds us at least once a month because she LOVES missionaries. When the first presidency sent out a letter asking people to donate to the missionary fund, she increased her tithing by 10% even though she can hardly pay for herself. She came to a lesson with us a few days ago, and told the person we were teaching all this and that she has never been happier in her entire life. Because she has the gospel. I love Belinda and her incredible faith and charity. 

I don't have a lot of time for emailing today because this morning, a sister in our ward who has been less active for years called and told us her house was being taken away and there were people throwing her belongings out into her front yard. She is one of the only members in her family, tried all of her friends who were unable to help, and her last resort was to call us. I'm so glad she did! I was so happy to be able to lighten her load a little. We called up all the young men and men we knew would be  home during the day to come help pack all of her things into a moving truck. It was hard work, but this poor family could not have done it on their own. They were so grateful for our help, they couldn't help but cry. I can't believe how lucky I am to have this time to serve so many people. It makes my problems seem like nothing. 

I don't remember if I've shared this before.. but I love it. It is how I feel every day. "I won't give up, shut up, or let up until I have stayed up, stores up, and paid up for the cause of Christ. I must go till He comes, give till I drop, preach till all know, and work till He stops me. And when He returns for HIs own, He will have no problem recognizing me. My banner will be clear." The Fellowship of the Unashamed
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto Salvation to every one that believeth." Romans 1:16

I know this gospel is true! Even though this world is absolutely crazy. Even though many people say faith is not enough, there must be solid evidence. Even though some things may not make complete sense because man has distorted the world. Faith is enough. Jesus Christ and the hope that He carries through God is enough for every single soul. We must continue to walk by faith.

I love you Mom, Dad, Katie, Sara, Jacob, Emily, Quinten, and Prince.


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