Dear Family,
I’m sending the weekly
letter tonight because we have a busy Sunday schedule. I have a 7 am Bi-Stake
Public Affairs meeting. Josh has Western Slope Coordinating Council (five
stakes) with Elder Priday from 9 am-2 pm.
Last Sunday evening we
drove to Montrose and spent 90 minutes with the stake president and the high
councilman. They are on fire for missionary work and
love their missionaries! Monday we had our first P-Day activity and drove two
sisters to the Monument for a 2-hour drive. We’re falling in love with
Colorado. For a gallery of beautiful photos, check out photos by John Fielder: https://www.johnfielder.com/gallery/wr/ Another
great site that spotlights Colorado is a geography professor at Colorado
Mountain College who has skied all 53 of the 14,000 foot mountains in
Colorado: http://www.jonkedrowski.com/
Tuesday morning we went to
the Fruita District Meeting and that night Josh taught Mission Prep at the
Institute, and then we went to another stake’s mission council.
Tuesday evening the full
moon lit the night sky with a brilliant halo, so we were excited to go walking
at 6:30 am to see the 'Blue Blood Moon.' Sadly, low clouds obscured the view,
though we did see the moon’s red glow over the golf course for just a moment
and still got in a chilly 45-minute walk—it was only 30 degrees! After the
weekly ZL conference call we checked out new apartments for the Housing Coordinator.
Our truck has been put to good use as we moved one elder to join his new
companions and bring a returning missionary to stay the night with
us. Thursday morning we drove Elder S. to the airport. He'd only been out
four months but needs counseling. Airport runs are a sad part of our mission
duties.
Thursday night was a ward
mission council. Friday morning we went to the first hour of weekly planning
with two elders, then spent the last half with two other elders. Then we spent
about three hours with a list of member names and knocked on doors. Then we
took two more elders to dinner. I love taking their pictures and texting them
to their moms! We finally made it to Greatest Showman and
enjoyed a Friday night date!
Today we drove two hours to
Naturita, through the canyon beside Uncompaghre (oon-come-pawg-ray) National
Forest. Breathtaking views for which I was unprepared. Colorado continues to
surprise me with its geologic magnificence. At the chapel I saw my first trap
door baptismal font and we observed the baptism of a sweet 12-year-old. She had
many young friends there to support her.
Preach My Gospel includes the program for a
baptism, but the wards are in charge, so they are all a bit different. One of
my favorite songs sung recently was “Mary, Did You Know?” The Ward Music Chair
arranged it like a hymn at the request of the sister getting baptized. What a
special song to sing: “Mary, did you know that your Baby Boy is Lord of all
creation? . . .would one day rule all nations? . . .is heaven’s perfect Lamb? .
. .The sleeping Child you’re holding is the great “I AM’?”
Family news: Amy and Ella
skied at Brighton on Friday and Haleigh spent that night at the cabin with
friends. Knowing our children love and enjoy the cabin warms our hearts! Had
fun chats with the Walkers and Becca had another cheer competition.
We had a sweet experience
this week. The elders in Fruita called and needed a ride to the UPS store. On
his way, Josh saw the sisters walking and gave them a ride. When we fed them
dinner later that day Sister L. told us she’d been praying for a ride because
they were going to be late to their appointment. And President Holt pulled up
right then.
This week we head to Denver
for Mission Presidency Meeting and we hope to get in a session at the Fort
Collins Temple.
Thought from a talk at
church: “If the focus of our worship at Sacrament Meeting is the sacrament,
we’ll never go home disappointed.”
Pray for gospel
conversations! Sure do love ya,
