hey family!!!
So
this week was great! and I'm sorry, I just realized that my emails
probably seem really up and down because last week no one came to
church...and this week people came to church....ha so anyway, it's part
of missionary work! We just keep our chins up, count our many blessings,
and keep working!
I had the opportunity to attend the Relief Society
Broadcast this week. I loved that every topic was centered on covenants.
We really are a covenant making and keeping people. I loved when they
said "You go to the Temple to make covenants. You return home to keep
covenants."
Also, it was really cool because the question I brought to
conference was of course answered. It works every time, no matter what
the question!
we haven't been able to see bradley or elaine again, so hopefully soon!
The great thing that happened this week was that
two of our investigators from Haiti came to church and to a baptism! I
don't know if I have told ya'll about them yet. We found a family who
moved from Haiti a year ago. We are teaching two of the sons, Richy and
Stevenson. They are teenagers and are great!! We love them so much. They
definitely are from a warm country because we were teaching them in
their home, it was probably 80 degrees outside and they had the heater
going on inside. Needless to say, it was a very warm lesson!
So we invited them to come to a baptism this week. When we
showed up at their house, Steve wanted to come but Richy said he had a
headach and steve was too shy to come by himself. We tried to get richy
to come and he said, "Let me make this clear, I am not coming, but he
wants to go." Well, steve built up the courage to come so he changed his
clothes and then when he was ready, Sister Benge called out to richy
and said, "Come on let's go!" in her super enthusiastic voice. love her.
So finally in response he smiles and quickly says, "Let me go wash my
face!"
They both came to the baptism and they really enjoyed it. Richy
said that he felt good. So a member leaned over and said , "You should
come to church! It feels good there too."
Richy was very glad that he came and stevenson enjoyed it too; he's just more shy.
At the baptism, one of the young men in our ward attends school
with them, so he took initiative and went over to them and after
chatting with them just said, "I'll pick you up for church?" They said
they weren't sure and he smiled and said, "I'll pick you up."
Sunday rolls around and we weren't sure if the boys were going
to come but we were praying soo hard for them. We were looking at the
doors and right before sacrament meeting began, we saw sterling come
around the corner and following right behind him were our boys! It was
so great! They came and they really enjoyed it.Poor Stevenson was
freezing in the building so a member gave him their babies blanket haha.
It was great.
The second thing that happened, was we were invited to
attend a memorial for Sister Casper at the mission home. They invited
the senior couples and a group of missionaries who really came to know
her. They skyped Elder Casper so he could be a part of it. It was so
great to hear him again. We all miss him dearly.
President asked me to share some remarks about Sister Casper since
my companions and I lived with her. I was grateful for the opportunity
to talk about her and Elder Casper. It was a little hard to get through,
but I was grateful.
Then Sister Benge and I performed a musical number. Sister Benge
has the most beautiful voice. I love it. So we did an arrangement of "Be
Still My Soul." I don't know if you remember, but I was beginning to
work on it before my mission. I finished it and played it for sacrament
meeting. Well, Sister Benge helped me to change it so it could be a
vocal piece as well. She helped make it sound so much better because
she's just awesome like that. Anyway, I'm excited to show it to you! If i
remember it...missionary brain gets to ya and i feel like my memory
went bonkers haha.
ANyway, I love ya'll so much! Have the best week ever!!!
Love
you to idaho and back to tennessee...then back to idaho....then back to
tennessee....how many miles have i covered? Well I love ya TONS!!
Love your little missionary,
Sister Valerie Preston
