Exchanges!!

Hello!

This week we went on exchanges with the Bluefield Sisters and taught Sister Lamb again! We brought someone from the neighboring ward because she knew here years ago so we thought it'd be fun to bring her. It was a wonderful lesson and Sister Lamb said she looks forward to our visits and really wants to get into church for her and her daughter. The sad part is she didn't come to church yesterday because her husband surprised them by coming home for the weekend. Grr.

We also taught Sister Breeden's boyfriend! Marc isn't very religious but liked the idea of eternal families and the priesthood being in every home. At the end of the lesson he asked some questions about different anti he'd heard (and it was the ridiculous anti, by the way, like that we have horns and lock our children up in basements and starve them while we go to church) so we ended on a good note of him realizing that we are normal, nice people. :)

Sister Quesenberry paid her tithing for the first time this week!! We're so happy for her. And she should be getting a temple recommend soon! Brother Davis is still hesitant about going to the temple because it's such a long ride and he has some health concerns but we are trying to work with the members to resolve that.

Meeting lots of new people and helping them also realize that Mormons are nice, normal people. :)

For the past year the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles have been emphasizing the importance of Sabbath Day observance and the importance of partaking the Sacrament. One of the cool things about being a missionary during this is that I get to be in different wards and get to talk about it over and over each time. :)

Yesterday we reviewed it again and these are the things that I loved that stuck out to me:

-The repentance part of the Sacrament takes place before the actual ordinance. We are to repent daily and come to the chapel with an already broken heart and contrite spirit.

-Sacrament not only cleans us from the sin and dirt that we get, but also keeps us clean, so we don't get even more dirty.

-Remember the covenant you make at Sacrament throughout the week. Then will you see the power and promise of that ordinance in your life.

-It's important to remember how you treat the Sacrament, and how you treat the Sabbath as a whole. Think, "What would the Lord have me do today?"

-The Sabbath should be different than every other day.

As a missionary, it's kind of hard to make Sabbath's extra special because we already kind of treat everyday like the Sabbath and our activities are the same as any other proselyting day. Sister Farnsworth and I have decided to make sure that the music we listen to on Sundays is especially reverent and spiritually uplifting. I'm also going to try to make the Atonement or the Sabbath a portion of my personal study on Sundays. If you have any other ideas, let me know!

I know that the Sabbath is truly a day of rest (in the Lord, not sleeping rest. :)) And I know that as we treat it that way, we will have more spiritual strength for the week and a closer connection with our Father in Heaven.

Have a wonderful week!

Sister Miller