Boy, this
week has been cold, -12 on average for 3 days! It doesn't feel that cold. I finally realize
the difference about dry cold and humid cold. Minnesota feels much colder than
Idaho! With the cold, I am glad we have our
awesome van, nicknamed "Natasha" after the Marvel S.H.E.I.L.D agent "Black
Widow" :D Yah, if you couldn't tell
- I LOVE super heroes!
We spent most of this week working with the less active members of
the church to uplift them in the Christmas season. Thursday night we split up
to each go with a member of the High Priest Group from the River Ward. We visited four families to share a spiritual
message and ask what we can do to help, gave Lucas Dobbson a priesthood
blessing to overcome his sickness, set up a visit to administer the sacrament
for a family and bless a home! Working with members who live in the area brings
so much success and warm feelings in the community :)
A couple weeks ago while hunting, Joe
Miller fell down a mountain breaking his neck, pelvis and femur. Saturday there
was a successful Silent Auction for him at Nelson Angus Ranch. WOW oh WOW the
whole town was there! I bet too high for an item I didn't want and won, but
hey! It’s for a good cause. I'll send it to my brother for Christmas! Ha. Ha. Joe is an active member of the church who has
two brothers in town. James Miller and family are members but haven't been to
church in 5 years. We have been working with them for about two months now. Jack Miller is not a member of the church, but
his wife is. We have just started teaching Jack the gospel!!
Well the peak of the week was Sunday! Turns out all the families
we visited on Thursday night came to church! These families came simply because
we visited them with active church members who showed them love. :) IT WORKS
PEOPLE! Christ like love changes and lightens people’s lives. I urge you all to
show Christ like love to your friends and neighbors especially this Christmas
season. Call the missionaries to come with you for a friendly, uplifting visit to
people you care about. Lucas Dobbson,
the one we gave the blessing, got better the next day! He honestly looked like
death on Thursday. His wife and son got sick, so we went over after church to
give both of them a blessing. At the
Silcock's for dinner, we had baked potatoes, Elk tenderloin steaks, baked
mustard glazed Steelhead trout and Steelhead trout poppers. Can you say best
meal EVER?! Brother Silcock is a master chef, hunter and fisherman and plays the
guitar! All 3 of us took turns playing and singing :)
To end this wonderful day, we watched the First Presidency
Christmas Devotional with Samantha Ladd, her son Dylan and the Taylor family.
WOW the devotional filled me with joy! As
the Prophet, spoke, my heart was filled with the spirit. The Mormon Tabernacle
Choir was amazing! Afterwards we read in
the Book of Mormon, Alma chapter 7, about the Atonement of Christ. It is one of
my absolute favorite chapters! Sam said, "I have searched all my life to
fill this empty void in my heart and through this gospel it is finally filled.
I have never felt so much peace and happiness in my life. I am finally ready to
be baptized . . .” WOW the spirit was so strong my heart was ready to burst out
of my chest! I couldn't stop smiling because of the joy and happiness I saw in
Samantha Ladd :) It really strengthened my testimony of the love of God and the
peace and joy that comes from living the gospel of Jesus Christ and using His
atonement for a remission of our sins. I am incredibly blessed to be here in
Salmon, Idaho sharing with people the joy of the gospel :)
Love and
God bless you all this Christmas Season,
