December 20, 2011

Sounds like a happening place. We had a really crazy week last week. April our recent convert was scheduled to go through the temple and receive her endowment on Saturday but Monday night she went MIA and didn't come home. (She lives with us in the basement). We were really worried because we couldn't find her and the McConkies were down in St. Louis working in the temple so they couldn't do anything to help either. We sent out an SOS call to all our missionaries and later in the day (Tuesday) she contacted us. At first she was ready to cancel her endowment session. Her family and friends are very much anti so she has no support from them. She used to be a Protestant minister so all her friends are all ministers too. But after much prayer and fasting she finally came around. She knew that she was suppose to go to the temple but was running from it. We drove down to St. Louis Friday night and Sister Shutt and I spent the night in the Mission home. April had to be at the temple by 9:15am for the 10:30 session. During that time we waited in the chapel and I read Alma 40-42 about the plan of Salvation. So so good. I feel like every time I open my scriptures I'm always learning new things....The session went great, the spirit was strong. The day was going great until we received a call from our Zone Leaders who notified us that sister Shutt was being emergency transferred to Missouri River and that I was going to finish training sister Luker from St. Charles.

The emergency transfer was because a new sister was entering the mission so we had to do some quick rearranging. So Sunday night we ran around saying goodbye and also packed up all of sister shutts stuff. But we had a cool miracle happen that night. Around 7:30 we received a phone call from a potential investigator. We hadn't been able to visit with her because things kept coming up so we had to keep rescheduling with her. But she gave us a call and we decided to go visit her. She was so sweet and what we thought would be a 10-15min actually turned into 45 min. We taught her part of the first vision and gave her a book of Mormon and asked her to read it. She was very receptive and was excited to learn more. We have an appointment for tonight so pray that goes through. Monday we drove down to St. Louis and participated in the mini transfer meeting. They had asked me to play the piano and I told them I'd play if they couldn't find anyone else. I haven't played in a very long time. Thankfully Elder Simms was there so he played instead. But I think I might practice a few hymns so that next time I will feel confident to play.

So now I'm the senior companion finishing training Sister luker who's been out for just over 2 months. So we're both babies. So who knows when I'll be transferred next? I could be here for a while. I'm really kind of nervous about this. And I feel weird to be driving again. I didn't pay too much attention when I was copilot so I still get really turned around when I drive. Although today we took our car into the shop finally to get the spray paint taken off. So we're going to be walking and finding rides for the next couple days.

I've ran into two people the last couple days who have some sort of connection with our family. Sunday night at our dinner appointment I found out that our host Dan Simons is from Cardston and knows Jeff and uncle David. And then we had dinner at the McNabbs last night and found out that they know the Reynolds family. Small world.

Love you all. I'll see you Sunday.

Sister salmon