So, SO Grateful for MISSIONARY MONDAYS!

Whooohooo! T-minus a few hours until we get to see you cute face! Remember how everyone has been hating Mondays for forever because of Jody/piano and laundry? Well, I've never hated Mondays but I especially LOVE them with a missionary! Here's a rundown on my pics this week. I thought you'd like to see Daniel and McKay together at ice skating (pic 1). Bishop told me that Daniel is starting his mission papers in February. That's super exciting. So as you can see, we had the YW/YM ice skating activity last week. It was a great time. Gwen was the cutest and loved it so much. Pic 2 is of Dad and Gwen ice skating. Gwen isn't the best ice skater, since we haven't done it much, but she worked hard the entire time to get better. And it was really paying off by the end of the night. It is fun to have her in YWs. It's like she grew up overnight. She's so sweet and kind to everyone. Pic 3 is in the recovery room after McKay's surgery on Thursday. He seriously would not wake up. The day was long but everything went really well. McKay hasn't had much pain but he's been a little down. In some ways he is such a great patient and in other ways, he's the worst. It will be good to have him back in school tomorrow. I just pray that this fix works for his wrist. Pic 4 is Sister Lawson and Jane after church today. Our sacrament meeting was awesome with Kenzie speaking. She's such a great person and she'll be a terrific missionary. Dad just told me that he sent the recording of her talk to you. Why is Dad so amazing? One thing I really liked was how Kenzie asked "How has the Lord been trying to connect with you?" It got me thinking a lot about the different ways that I "Hear Him" in my life. You'd be so proud of me because I just started a new and waaay improved scripture study that I am loving. I'm really working with the Come Follow Me lesson plan and I've divided my days up and have organized what I study each day. The real key for me is to WRITE down what I did during the week. I have no idea why, but it really helps me to record it and look back at the end of the week. Anyway, Wednesdays are always really busy because I have Young Womens like ALL DAY...I mean, really...ALL DAY. So, I listen to conference talks associated with the CFM lesson plan on Wednesdays when I get ready. The other morning I was listening to Elder Renlund "Family History and Temple Work: Healing and Sealing" and it was soooo good. After it was over, I was getting ready for the day and thinking about how much I miss the temple and how I am SO ready to be able to go weekly again. I was feeling sorry for myself that it has been so long since I was there and I suddenly had a very clear picture in my head of all the many ancestors of ours that are on the other side. The message was also very clear...it was something to the effect of..."oh YOU think that YOU are ready for the temple to open again? WE are the ones waiting for our temple blessings and WE cannot do anything but wait until the temples open up. YOU think that YOU are praying hard for the temples to reopen? Well WE are praying like 100xs more fervently for our temple blessings to FINALLY get done!" It was seriously eye opening and powerful. Another cool thing that has come from my new way of studying the scriptures is that I really feel like this is the year that I need to focus on and hone in on my "personal revelation" skills. DId I tell you that last week? I just feel like Heavenly Father has so much to reveal to us but we need to ask. I also have been recording things that I need to ask about and then writing my answers down. There's just something really good that comes from keeping a notebook with me for my scripture study. Who knew? And by the way...speaking of recording progress....have you seen my streak on Duo Lingo? I'm like at 110 days?!?! YOU can take some of the credit for that :) Pic 5 Is Grandpa Jim rolling around on the floor with Scout today when they came up for dinner. It has been so long since we've seen them. It is always so fun to have them to dinner and Grandpa just loves Scout...who is in need of extra love! (especially today since she had a diarrhea accident while we were at church *gross* but the best part of it was that Henry and McKay got home way before us and had to clean it up *score*) Grandma and Grandpa joined us for CFM and they just made the discussion so much more fun. I am so grateful for my parents. I feel especially grateful for them after being around Grandma and Grandpa Horsley for the last few weeks. I never understood what it meant to have parents who were best friends and loved to be together. I just kind of thought everyone's parents were that way. The strong foundation of parents who love each other gives families and children a steady place to build on and it is a blessing that I will be forever grateful for. Pic 6 is Jane with her "Jane loves Lori" creation. Jane makes about 10 notes a day for Lori Paulsen. It's really cute. And Lori is so sweet to Jane. It is so nice to have other people who step in and love your kids. Lori is that for Jane and I am so grateful. On Friday they have an American Girl Doll tea party. So fun! Anyhow, that's a short sinpet from our week. I was thinking about you all day and praying that someone made it to church!!!! I am looking forward to that report. Tonight Dad and I were talking about how nice it is to at least have one child who you know loves you. Remember Sundays at our house? Remember how sometimes people are grumpy. Remember your brother McKay? Well....I won't go into tons of detail but it was a grumpy day. As I was talking to Dad I said "At least we have one teenager who loves us!" So, thanks for that. It gives us hope that maybe your brothers will love us again someday...haha! Keep doing what you are doing. You make your mother proud! And way beyond that...you make your Heavenly Father proud. I know there is lots in store for you. SIX MONTH MARK DOWN!! Jen Harris told me today that they found out Hunter's release date (Oct 27), which is nine months away. I said "oh that's a pregnancy!" She laughed and said "I know...but I think I am more excited to see him after the next nine months than I was to meet him for the first time after I was pregnant with him!" So cute. I can see how she'd feel that way. I know you know this, but I am still praying my guts out for you. I love you tons. The Lord loves you. You are doing amazing things and changing people's lives. Keep up the great work. D & C 64:33-34 Love you TONS! Your favorite MOM :)

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