P.S.

Our inactive member didn't show up today : (   But his wife came : )

We'll try again in two weeks...our last Sunday here.

The Count Down begins...and Mail Shout-Outs!

What a great week we've had! It seems like the closer we get to the end of our mission the faster the time is racing by!

Ron and I spoke in Sacrament meeting on Sunday. Our topic was Modern Day Prophets and Revelation. Pretty timely for upcoming General Conference. Ron did a fantastic job with his talk. I'm so grateful to be his companion.
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On Monday we had a senior devotional at President and Sister Bell's home in Wichita. A wonderful dinner, then some musical numbers and some question and answer time with the A.P.'s and STL's. They are pretty amazing young adults.

We've had a turn-over in Sr. missionaries so everyone went around the room and introduced themselves and told about where they're serving, etc. Our President said some very kind things about Elder Williams and myself...because we are leaving soon. We have loved serving with President and Sister Bell. Also, about six months ago our Stake Presidency was changed and right after Pres. Seger was released, President Bell snatched him up to be one of his counselors in the Mission Presidency. He and his wife are pretty much the most awesome people around!

Ron  & Kathy and Sandy & Bob Seger

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One of our visits this week was to a wonderful couple. I've talked about her before, the wife comes when her health is good, but the husband has always worked on Sundays. Well now that he is retired he still isn't coming to church. I asked him why he hasn't been coming and he said he "really didn't have a good reason for not coming." The old inertia: an object at rest tends to stay at rest kinda thing. So we told him we only have two more weeks in Kansas and we'd sure think it was awesome if he'd come to church before we leave town. He said he'd try. Yay! That is just what we wanted to hear! And believe me, that is a huge step for him. Now we pray that we'll see him on Sunday!

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Our Bishop came to our correlation meeting on Thursday. He let us know that almost all of our new members are struggling with commandment issues. We happen to know that it's not just the new members who struggle. Oy vey.
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  Many sweet thanks and happy high five mail shout-outs go to Becki Blackner, My sister Deb, and two of the cutest little look-a-likes Aydree and Brooklyn...Much love for all the written words of love and encouragement everyone has sent our way!
*****

Greatest Day Ever!

 

Consuela and Armando at the Oklahoma City Temple

 

One of the greatest blessings about being in one place for the duration of our mission has been the fact that we get to see our investigators-turned members progress. Since their baptism Armando has been given the Priesthood, Consuela is teaching Primary, and they both just made their first trip to the Temple! They've been working with our Family History Consultants to get some family names to take to the temple. Friday They did baptisms for Armando's dad and his grandparents, and for Consuela's older brother and her great-grandmother. Holy Cow the spirit was felt so strongly during the baptisms and especially the confirmations, even the ordinance workers were in tears. Best part is now Armando and Consuela are not the only members of the Church in their family!

 

We told them when they go through to be sealed in September (their one year anniversary date), we'll come back and go through with them. Ron told

them they can choose any temple they want. He suggested they choose the Kona HI. Temple ; )

*****

*~Families Are Forever~*



Bring Out Yer Dead!!

Bring out yer dead! ............ Here ya go ......... I'm not dead ............. He says he's not dead ............... Yes he is .............

I'm not! ........ I'm getting betta! ............ No your not, you'll be stone dead in a moment ......... I don't want to go!

...Oh don't be such a baby! ....... I feel fine!...I think I'm going for a walk ...........You're not fooling anyone you know!

What it's like to have a month left to go on your mission.

*****

Baptisms...we love 'em!

Friday we had the baptism of Lauren Townsend. It was a wonderful baptism.

We think she's pretty awesome, and we're so happy she has the gospel in her life!

Ron, Lauren and Kathy

*****

Last Dodge District & Mail Shout-Outs!

Our Dodge City District

(as of today...transfers are next week)

A great group of missionaries

Back row: Sisters Williams, Walker, Tapusoa, and Bradshaw

Front: Elders Pettit, Williams, Turner, Page, and Ibarra

 

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Windy March Mail Shout-Outs go to Becki-I love your letters-Blackner, and Mary Vanderlovin' Vanderholm.

Thank you for your consistent love and support via the snail mail!

*****



Spiritual Feast...and a doggy bag too!

Oh my goodness! Did we ever have a most wonderful treat yesterday! All the missionaries from the KWM were transported to Wichita to be taught by Elder David A. Bednar. Wow, was it ever a FEAST of the Spirit, of knowledge and information, of inspiration and empowerment. The time just flew by.

I have always thought of Elder Bednar as intelligent, stiff serious and unapproachable. I thought that we would go to this conference and hear a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles speak to us for an hour, using his very wordy words, and I would take notes and then we'd go home. Well he is very intelligent, and very serious in his devotion to the Gospel, but he was also very warm and funny. Elder Bednar taught by the same pattern the church is now using (probably always has been, I'm just coming late to the party here) in "Come Follow Me". Teaching us to engage the people we are teaching, whether it be in a classroom or at an investigators home. Thereby teaching them to act as an agent and not just be acted upon. We were asked to read three of his articles: Ask In Faith, Seek By Learning, and Converted Unto The Lord, and then be prepared to ask questions and participate in dialogue with him. Are you kidding me?? Participate in dialogue with an Apostle? When would we ever get an opportunity to do this again?  He taught us for three hours straight. And I'm sure we all could have sat there for another three hours to keep being instructed. I caught a glimpse of what the multitude must have felt like in 3 Nephi when Christ was telling them to "go home and ponder on the things which (he) had taught them"... They were so caught up in what he was teaching them that the time must have flown by for them as well.

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Our bus ride with Elders and Sisters from the Garden Zone

and the Dodge City Zone. Great Missionaries.



Sober and dignified, right?

Sisters Bradshaw & Tapusoa- love those girls.

Photo bomb by Sister Guillen, and Ron's head.

E. Dub with Kathy, Sisters Bradshaw, McQuay & Mortensen.

This conference was like a big family reunion! It was almost impossible to

get everyone settled enough to take a mission picture... like herding cats.

It was so good to see these fun sisters that we've served with in Dodge.

We miss them!

*****

Dear Midwest weather,

MAKE UP YOUR MIND!

Last week we had upper 70* weather... today... Brrrr!!!