So we share the Pioneer YSA Stake with the assistants and our zone leaders. Our stake president took us all out to lunch at the Grand America hotel restaurant ... if you've never been there, let me tell you that it feels like The Suite life of Zach and Cody or Titanic or something. So we got to have a nice sit down lunch with the elders and it kind of felt like ... a weird date. I didn't know what to talk about with them..... guess who's lost their social skills? Me!
I went on exchanges with some sisters and got to teach a legit Polygamist family... legit. Like 3 old houses next to each other for each of the wives. The AP's taught and baptized one of the daughters a couple of weeks ago and now her little brother is getting the lessons from the sisters in the family ward. It's the weirdest thing .... I thought Polygamists were like Amish people? But they're not. They're totally normal. The daughters are like, really cute too .... and they have a picture of Joseph Smith huge on their living room wall. Like, this is weird, haha! I know the AP's have been struggling with teaching the other YSA aged daughters ... there's 9 kids from this wife and 3 or 4 are YSA aged daughters. One got baptized and it took forever because for children of polygamy to get baptized, it has to be approved by the first presidency ... crazy. She's so solid though and is getting married in the temple to her boyfriend in a year! Anyways I know the AP's haven't quite gotten the other girls to commit. They asked me to talk to them girl to girl (I don't know what that means - I'm not friendly and good with girls). They are so cute and we talked about hair and clothes and MAC makeup for a while ... then I asked about baptism and she said she doesn't want to live polygamy, but if it's what the Lord wants her to do she needs to do it. Well, I didn't know what to say that- how often do we teach polygamists? I haven't! She was really sincere about it though and honestly just really wants to do what the Lord wants her to do.. I want to go home and watch Sister Wives now. Heck, I should be on Sister Wives. Just kidding. But that was definitely a first.
Katja got baptized Saturday! Her sister who got baptized at BYU and her husband came to town for it. It was wonderful and I've never seen so many boys at a baptism ... there was literally 50 people there and 70% were good looking RM's. She's really cute and recently returned RM's have no shame... hahah. I overheard her brother-in-law saying "first I marry their daughter in the temple, then I baptize their other daughter ... if she gets married at 18 to a member, they're gonna kill me" HAHA! It was an awesome baptism though. Sister Tranchina cried the whole baptism because it was her first baptism where she saw the whole process. It was cool.
Guess who showed up at my singles ward yesterday? Holly Bingham! I was so shocked. ... I told her the wards I covered but didn't expect her to come and visit haha - it was so good to see her though- definitely a tender mercy. What a blessing to see her!
So last night we met with those less active RM's I was talking about last week ... we had a really good meeting. They have such strong testimonies. Their apartment smelled like weed ... but they came to church and are really really trying. One of them, Jace, is taking this little 18 year old kid under his wing and helping him get ready to go on a mission. It's really helping both of them! Right after that we went and visited more less active RM's ... but these ones made me sad. They were 200% opposite. We shared a scripture on Christ and asked how trials have strengthened their testimony of the Atonement. They said "I don't know." We asked what the plan of salvation means to them; they said "I don't know." It was so sad - we couldn't get any spirit there at all. I asked if they ever testified of something on their mission and really knew it was true and they said yes. So sad to know that they will be held accountable for that.
That's all I can think of right now....
Have a wonderful week!
Heidi
PS - uplifting letter of the week, from Trichelle:
“Nearly one year ago, Sister Taylor and Sister Johnson started visiting me and helping me reconnect with my Savior. Sister Hornberger, Shields, Callahan and Pearson- you helped finish what was started. Since then, I've lost 90 lbs., started a full time job in Bountiful that I love and in two weeks will move into a house and have all 3 kids full time.
To say you have all made a difference in my life would be such an understatement. You've brought light and love and hope and faith back to my dark and seemingly hopeless world. I love you all. Sister Taylor....I can't find you on FB. Please find me...LOTR marathon must happen!!
I love you all very, very much. Please stay in touch! Also warn the missionaries in the Bountiful North Stake I'm coming. **cue Jaws music**
Love you all,
Trichelle”
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| Katja's baptism |
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