In case you were wondering, we actually did wash
cats this weekend. Six of them to be exact. We asked the Hopp family we've been
working with if there was anything we could do to help them, and then they
invited us to help them wash their flea infested cats. So we said yes. Weed whacking
in a skirt one week, cat washing the next. Pleasanton never gets dull...
So we were told to wear flannel or multiple shirts
so that if the cats dug their claws into us we wouldn't get hurt. Luckily I was
assigned to be "The Towel Lady" and just had to wrap them up nicely
in a towel and hold them like a baby. I even got to rock them in the rocking
chair for a bit. It wasn't as bad as they made it sound it would be, but maybe
that was because I was actually doing the scrubbing. I did have to jump in and
grab a couple as they when over Sister Hopps shoulder and down her back to get
out of the water. An exciting evening to say the least. But anyways...
Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday were dismal days to
say the least getting ready to have Sister Staker transferred, may or may not
have cried over it...but Thursday came and with it Transfers. We had to get up
by 4am to get ready, loaded and drive up the Stone Oak building in North
San Antonio for the Spanish test starting at 7:15am. It was an exhausting
day, transfer days are always the longest days in the shortest week.
Sister Emily Regan is my new companion, she
is from New Mexico. She came out when I did, so that makes her the fifth
companion I've had who came out and goes home the same time as I do. She
likes to sing in the car with me, and hates unpacking as well. We're excited
for the transfer.
Wasn't General Conference Great?! I think it might
have been the best one I've been to, or at least the one I learned the most
from. We were at the chapel in Pleasanton for three of the four sessions,
hoping investigators would be there, but no one ended up coming. I've spent
almost all weekend trying to think of ways we can get people to church better.
Our Bishop and his wife took us out for lunch on Saturday between
sessions and I just have to share how they met. Ahem: She was less active, he
was a non-member in 1980. She was getting off work at a restaurant around 7pm and
walking by a gas station. He was out with his buddy riding motorcycles. He
yelled at her "Hey blondie! Want to go for a ride?" she responded,
"Do I know you?" Thinking he had said her name, Janie. He flipped up
the mask on his hamlet and said "You do now!" and thus began their
courtship. She got on the bike with him....whaaaaat?! They ended up dating for
four years, got married and she reactivated herself in 1997 and he was baptized
in 1998. Then he was called as Bishop in 2006 and has been Bishop for eight
years plus. That's a long time. Anyway, thought you'd just like that little
story. Mine and Sister Regan's jaws were on the floor.
Back to General Conference. I took so many notes.
I think my favorite part was at the very beginning when President Monson
was talking about the Temple Dedication theme for the Temple in Arizona
"Live True to the Faith" and then he paused and said "think about
that." Live True to the Faith. And if you did think about it, you'd
realize that that turned out to be the theme for the whole conference. I was
really interesting to me how much related to "letting your faith
show" and having the courage to stand up for what we believe, even when we
are alone. Not only that, but actually living what we profess to believe. Elder
Holland set the tone pretty well and when it was announced he would be the
first speaker I leaned over to SIster Ragen and whispered, "Starting
early." Many of the talks were much more boldly worded and boldly given.
Elder Nelson's statement "what are you tied to? A bouncing ball or to
God?" gave me goose bumps after he talked about watching sporting events
on Sunday. Kind'a puts it into perspective for us. I also really liked
Gary Stevenson's "Four minute performance" analogy a lot and how he
used of what Elder Bednar had taught about writing the names of people in our
families and then writing the ordinance they would need next, and the action that
would be taken to prepare them for it. Goals and Plans make the world go round
huh? I really liked that Linda Reeves pointed out that Family Prayer,
Family Scripture study and Family Home Evening were not the things that added
stress into our life, but lessened the stress in our life, when other sisters
told her that telling them to do those things stresses them out. The
Gospel does bless our homes, if we let it.
Elder Bednar's talks are always favorites for me. I
had been pondering a lot about why we, or I guess why I had had some specific
challenges and experiences, especially some on my mission. Some of those were
hard. Why did I have to experience that? Did it really help me grow? the idea
of "It was the load" from Elder Bednar's talk helped to answer
some of those questions that had been going through me mind. What’s
interesting, those questions were not in my list of "questions and
thoughts for General Conference" that I had made this week. God does look
of the heart. I'm excited to be able to study these talks in more detail. How
lucky we are to be able to have them printed and online for us to study and use
after. Think of the difference of our notes and study if we only had one chance
to listen to what our Prophets had to say. There is reason to be grateful. And
like Elder Cook said we finally have the doctrine, the temples and the
technology to really hasten the work. We do live in the fullest of times.
Well, I can't think of much more to say. We'll have five exchanges in six weeks this
transfer. Things will go fast. Hug Danika for me. Take a million pictures for
me at graduation and visits and things. Enjoy the Temple. Keep helping the
Missionaries :) and Live True to the Faith.
Until Next week,
Hermana Cheyenne Montgomery
No comments:
Post a Comment