Stake Conference on Sunday was really good especially because I didn’t speak. ;) The first speaker was a convert from our ward. She has been a member for a while, 10 or so years, along with her kids but her husband isn’t, yet. She spoke about how keeping the Sabbath day holy has changed from before when she was Jewish to now as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. She shared how her Jewish grandfather's worship of honoring, renewing and delighting in the Sabbath was a great family tradition. As a child this was how she worshiped but into her teen years her family chose to follow the "worldly ways" and no longer honored the Sabbath. As she investigated Christ's gospel through the LDS faith her knowledge and understanding increased. She now has in many ways gone back to her roots and is renewed as she delights in honoring the Sabbath like her grandfather did. I don’t do her message justice but it was awesome. A young woman spoke on Family History and the blessing she has seen in her life as she prepares names to do baptisms for the dead. The second counselor in the stake presidency spoke about the power of reading the Book of Mormon every day. The spirit was so strong that my commitment to read everyday is even stronger. President Hrsuka does a great job teaching simple but powerful of the blessings and difference it makes when members are involved as companion members with the missionaries. Sister Snow our visiting authorities wife spoke adding her witness and testimony of the Book of Mormon. She is amazing and fun to listen to. Elder Snow talked about the importance of family and how the stake goals will strengthen families. Great meeting!
Allie graduated from seminary this evening. She was able to go back to our ward (stake) in North Ogden to be with all her friends that she has attended seminary with. These are a great group of kids. Alan, Jeanne and Megan were able to go and support her.
Oh my, it is transfer week again. Transfer weeks seem to come quicker now. I hope it doesn’t continue like this the next two years. We will be done before you know it. We have been told that they seem to come faster and faster after the first year. Actually I felt like getting ready for the departure meal went really smooth. I had everything pretty much prepped and good to go by early afternoon. We had a pretty big group due to the fact that our temple square sisters plus two of our Elders and Brother and Sister Allen leave later in June. We had a great evening but the highlight was learning our “family home evening” song in Burmese from Elder Webster. It was fun for all of us trying to pronounce words that just seemed incoherent. Jessie was her spunky, fun self teaching and leading the missionaries in the different versions (English, Spanish and Chinese) of our “family home evening” song. Her brothers think she is too much but I love seeing her cute personality shine.
I woke up bright and early to drive myself, Sister Millard and Elder Post to the airport on Tuesday morning because we were all on the same flight to Utah. It just happened that Elder Post was going to Weber High’s graduation too for his little sister. That was perfect for me because his family drove me from the airport right to Allie’s door. What a wonderful reunion to be with my Allie Bug!!! After she finished getting ready we headed to Weber State, snapped a few pictures with her friends and enjoyed a great graduation ceremony. The speakers did an awesome job and were quite timely too. After wards more pictures with family and friends. We then joined family for a nice dinner at Union Grill. Before Allie’s graduation party we went up to Wolf Creek to join my sisters and family for a fun girl sleep over. Allie’s graduation party was at Rush’s in Syracuse. She had a blast and was so glad that she went. She also went to Weber High’s stadium to watch the sun rise with her friends and then headed home to sleep. About that time I woke up to a beautiful Utah morning. I enjoyed a brisk walk up Powder Mt. road and then ran back down enjoying my mountains the whole time. I didn’t even notice an impact of the elevation change from Texas. Oh how I miss Utah Mountains. Once back I got ready for the day, hugged my sisters and nieces goodbye and headed to wake up miss Allie so we could enjoy the morning before I headed back to Texas. We headed for Salt Lake to shop, smell wonderful, delicious smells and enjoy Bruges Waffle and Frites. And just like that I find myself back at the Salt Lake airport. I was delighted, grateful and smiling ear to ear that I was able to be a part of Allie’s graduation. I love that girl of mine!!!
I was back among my sister missionaries on Thursday observing and joining in on an daily dose English class that is offered in the Pearland community and then to do a companionship study. It really was a great comp study, they all are but each is unique and so fun to be with the different sisters. Jessie’s last creative book report was due Friday so she busily created a new book cover to “According to Humphrey”. Not her most creative but totally done on her own so I was happy about that. I also had the opportunity to quiz Zac and Bode on upcoming tests. Surprise, Surprise the kids get out in a week and will still have final exams next Tuesday and Wednesday and my quizzing was for tests on Friday not final exams. My kids have been troopers with the academic standards that they have had to rise to. We, as a family will have great celebration when school is over!!! We do know that we will have to be on our game during the summer so we can keep up for next year. ;)
I had another companionship study Friday morning in Sienna Plantation. These sweet sisters are go-getters, want to do everything right and when they think they haven’t are very hard on themselves. I tried to let them know that they don’t have to be perfect because none of us can be. I had an “aha moment”, when we start feeling less about our abilities or ourselves. It is the time we are feeling weak because we just want to feel comfortable and confident. At that time we need to look to the things that help us be comfortable and confident instead of turning on ourselves nit picking at our weaknesses. Not sure if it helped them but it can me new insight to how I can be nicer to myself. Afterwards I attended the sister’s district meeting. Great meeting where the missionaries council together and learn from each other. Aaron and I enjoyed a date night. We went to Fat Boa’s, an eclectic Asian restaurant. It was a torrential downpour during our whole date. :) The rain just puts our bayous in the area at risk for flooding. Most rivers and bayous are close to cresting their banks.
Lucky for us the rain cleared for a beautiful Saturday morning ride and family swim. Family swimming involves races, ladder jumping, basketball, underwater gymnastics and water dancing. However only a few of us truly participate in all of those…..oh it may be only one and happens to be under 13. ;) Have I mentioned how much I love having a pool. If not, I really do. I may need one in Utah. We later went to the Wall of Water. Doesn’t really mean much until you actually see it in person. Check out our attempts to give it justice in pictures. We then went to dinner as a family. Any guesses to where we went? Yep, our beloved Torchy’s Tacos. We have decided they need to franchise so we can open one in Utah. We really do want to share the love in Utah because you don’t know what you are missing. And with that everyone should go enjoy their favorite Mexican restaurant. :)