It has been a productive and blessed week. On Monday after we cleaned the Church we got the Christmas tree out of the storage shed and got it set up in the foyer. It now awaits the young women who will decorate it before our Branch Christmas breakfast that will be held on December 20th.
Wednesday we had our first participants in the Addiction Recovery Classes. It was a spirit filled hour as we talked about the principle of honesty in our lives and how it can aid us in recovery from addictions and in our relationships with family, friends and our Heavenly Father. After the class we drove to St. Francis to make contact with a referral. We met with a young woman who had been taking the lessons while she lived in Bismarck and who we will now continue to teach....just like real missionaries!
Thursday we worked around the Church. I did some deep cleaning of the bathrooms. Sweet Sister Barker told me today that every time she walks in the kitchen she smiles and feels happy at how nice I keep everything. We also got a big thank you from our facilities maintenance man who was making his monthly rounds last week. The role of Senior Missionaries is different and more varied than that of the young Missionaries and often in these remote areas of the Church the active members need the love and support we provide as much as the less actives and non members we also strive to serve.
Friday dawned clear and beautiful and Elder Lindsey and I left early and headed to Bismarck, North Dakota to attend the Temple. We took Sister Patti Busch with us. Brother Busch passed away suddenly last Spring and Sister Busch is a faithful, stalwart member who is always reaching out and serving others. The people in this area love and admire her and have wonderful feelings about the Church because of Patti and her husband and their kindness and the love that they have shown to everyone through the years. It was fun for us, the three seniors in our little Branch to have time together.
Elder Lindsey and I at the Entrance to the Temple.
It is a five hour drive so after arriving we checked into our hotel, rested for a couple of hours then went to dinner at a local Mexican restaurant and arrived at the Temple in time for the 5:45pm session. It felt so good to be back in the Temple. To go from weekly attendance to not attending for nine months because there are no Temples close to where we have been serving has been hard. Bismarck is one of the smaller Temples but the spirit there is huge! Both days we were greeted at the recommended desk by the President and Matron who were so excited to see us. We had met them the week before at District Conference and they greeted us like old friends. It made us feel so loved.
After the session on Friday we made a stop at Walmart before heading back to the motel for the night. The next morning we hooked up with the Barker family and Annette at breakfast and Elder Lindsey took Annette and Laura to the Temple since they had to be there by 9:00am for the 10:30am session.
Sister Barker (Laura) and Sister Fool Bull (Annette)
What a blessing to share this special day with Annette and many members of our small Branch. When you go to the Temple with someone who is going for the first time it gives you an opportunity to reflect on things through their eyes. The tender mercies of the Lord were with us and continued after the session when Elder Lindsey participated as four of our young men did baptisms.
There is a peace like no other that comes by being in the Lord's house.
After the Temple we were very mindful of our five hour drive home so we did a quick drive through at McDonalds and got on the road shortly after 2:00pm. We dropped Patti at home about 7:30pm and were in our jammies by 8:00pm!
Because of District Conference last week today was our Fast Sunday. As you can imagine after our sweet experience at the Temple yesterday the testimonies were heartfelt and strong. The most wonderful thing about serving a mission during the Christmas season is that you spend so much more time focusing on the Savior who is the only true reason we are celebrating. It is a blessing we wish for all of you.
Our love and prayers,
Elder and Sister Lindsey
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