Dia de Enamorados y la Amnistad

On February 21st, our branck celebrated Valentine's Day. We had a dinner and dance. It was really a lot of fun! The dinner was st up like a nice restaraunt, where the young men and women served the couples!!!

Special Mutual

This week with the young women, we had the opportunity to do a service project. The special mutual had a dinner-dance, and we were able to go help serve their dinner, then set up for the dance. What an incredible experience! All of the people who attend spacial mutual are handicapped in some way. It was incredible to be able to spend time with them. I felt so much love in that room! It was really neat to be able to talk to them. It was also an incredible experience for the young men and women- as we talked about what it must be like to live in such a limited body. It was just awesome. I want to share a few pictures from that night!

A wedding and baptism!

Last Saturday was a very special day! Carmen and Francicso have been working together to become members of the church. I absolutely adore them- they are some of the most special people I have ever met. I know I have been blessed to able to know them! Last Saturday they were married byt President Alvarenga, the branch president, and then Carmen and Eric were baptized. Francisco will be baptized soon as well.

One thing I want to share about Francisco. One Sunday we were discussing baptism in gospel essentials. Francisco told the teacher about his father who passed away, and how he was concerned about him being able to accept the gospel. I felt strongly impressed to tell him after class that his father had been watching, and listening as they had been being taught. We talked about baptisms for the dead. The spirit was so incredible! He is a very special man who has an incredible mission on this earth. I am so grateful to have the opportunity to be his friend and be a part of the decisions he is making in his life! I look forward to the day we ge to attend his baptism!

Draper Temple!

Today was a great day! Zane and I had the opportunity to go to the Draper Temple open house with the The Elders in the branch, as well as a soon-to-be member, Francisco. We really enjoyed the spirit we felt there. I can hardly describe... as one can imaginne... the spirit that is present when you enter the temple. It was absolutely amazing to have the opportunity to share that with Francisco, who has never been to a temple before- and who is looking forward to the day he can be sealed in the temple to his family. Tomorrow, I will be taking the rest of his family - and I am very excited to share that experience, again!

I am so grateful for the opportunity that I am being given to serve this mission. I can hardly imagine what my life would be without it! I love the members of my branch with all my heart. The peace I feel is so amazing as I help and love them. The Lord has been truly gracious to allow us to serve Him in this way!

Eternal friendships

Today I talked to a friend I haven't talked to for nearly 15 years. My thought when I called him was hmmmmmmmmmmm... where do I begin? It seems like 15 years is a very long time to catch up on - our lives have been so many different directions.

I am so grateful for good friends. We may not have had contact wiht each other, but I can honestly say we have both traveled similar paths. He is living through some trials that are currently offering him a lot of opportunity for spiritual growth. Mine has also. It was incredible to me that we could simply pick up the phone - and have a very deep, meaningful, spiritual conversation. I know the Lord has put him back in to my life at a time that I need him. I am so grateful to Zane that he is not a jealous man, and that he understands that a good friend is a good thing to have- and he is ok with me reconnecting to my friend.

I know a lot of growth will come as I keep in touch with this friend... and I look forward to talking to him again!!!

Baptisms!

Saturday, our young men and young women went to the temple to participate in baptisms for the dead. It was absolutely amazing!! I love the youth in our branch so much. The spirit was so strong! We have a small youth group, 6 young women and 3 young men. 3 young women went, as well as 1 young man. I also invited a cute young woman from another ward to attend with us. I was really touched with the reverence the youth had toward the temle.

There were many firsts for me that day - first time in the Jordan River Temple, first time in Spanish, first time since being endowed, first time with my husband, first time as a missionary, first time as YW president... the list could go on and on I am sure!

I am so grateful for the opportunity to be serving a mission. I love the members of our branch with all my heart. I absolutely love the spirit that I feel there, as well as the sense of family I have. I feel like Heavenly Father has truly given me the opportunity to learn and to grow. My heart is so full. I wish I could share in words what my heart feels. I hope some day everyone I know has the opportunity to love as deeply as I am learning to. It is absolutely changing my life.

A Brand New Year

For the youth of the church, there was a celebration called "A Brand New Year" that was boradcast from the Conference Center. Our stake held a celebration last Saturday from 6:00-10:00 at night, ans we sure had a lot of fun! A lot of the youth from the stake went. We did a service project, played games, ate pizza, had ice cream... I'm not sure how you could have much more fun that we did! The program was put on by youth for youth- and can be seen at abrandnewyear.lds.org for anyone interested in seeing it, or hearing the music from it. I was very touched.

My beautiful young women!

Making baby blankets

Having fun working as a team


One things that was a little side note, and a little funny... is as we were watching the DVD, up popped Parker and Summer from my (English) ward. I said to my girls "that's my Parker and Summer!" I think they thought I strange. A little later, one of the young women from another ward yelled out "It's Parker! Look guys, it's Parker!" She must go to school with him... I just thought it was cute. They both did an AWESOME job. I even saw Alina from the Cottonwood 10th ward on the DVD also. I would love to find her again! She is adorable!

We even made a can can line - to show the prophet we "can can" follow his teachings. I have to say, we had a really good time. This was absolutely hilarious!

It is always good to have good, clean fun. I am so grateful to the people who organized this activity. They really put a lot of work in to it, and I know it will make a difference in the lives of the youth that were there!