Oh and one more sports recognition I'd like to make before I leave the topic... My boy KD had 54 points this week!? That's what I'm talking about.
Well how is it goin over there? Is it nice and cold? I wish I was there. It's getting warmer which I am not happy about, especially if this is preparing us for what it is going to be like all summer…
No thank you.
So, I know last weeks letter was ridiculously ridiculous, but it being Martin Luther King Jr Day (power to the people) emailing is crazy, there are people waiting to use the computers and I had to use a different format of Gmail which is weird... so sorry if this is another lame one.
Well...biking barely happened this week. Both of our bikes needed repairing (thank you Brother McKee) so we were on "foot" until Friday night. I say "foot" because we bummed rides off of everyone. And by everyone I mean mostly the McKee's and the Ludvigson's (senior couple in the ward)…
I can't tell you how much I appreciate them and love them. It's people like them that change your life.
So with all of that nonsense, Sister Boden and I were still able to hit standard this week! WAHOO!! Pretty exciting if you ask me.
It's lookin like another run of baptisms coming up. Yesterday Loralee (I have been spelling her name wrong... whoops) was baptized by Brother Boyes.
It was the best baptism I have ever been to. Not only were there lots of people, but the spirit was SO strong.
I kid you not e v e r y o n e was crying at some point.
The baptism talks might have been my favorite part. A few weeks ago Brother Boyes pulled me aside before we talked to Lora about her baptism program. He told me to suggest that Sister Boyes give the baptism talk, but in reality, he had a special family member who would actually be doing it. I knew exactly who he was talking about and almost started crying on the spot.
During the baptism, Brother McKee announced that Sister Boyes would be giving the talk and then Brother Boyes stood up instead. He grabbed his iPad and said "There is actually going to be a change in the program. Sister Boyes won't be giving the talk."
Then he put his iPad on an easel and pressed play.
I wish you could all have been there because this is not going to do it justice. As soon as he pressed play you heard Lora gasp and grab her face and start crying. Elder Boyes (Tucker is his name, he is best friends with Lora and is the one who introduced her to the church) had videotaped himself giving the talk on baptism.
It was SOO cool. Lora had no idea, complete surprise (which is my favorite thing ever). He did awesome. It was such a beautiful experience for us all to be there. He taught simply and powerfully and filled the room with the Spirit without even being there.
I loved it.
The rest of the baptism was great. Sister Boden and I tried something new that President had recommended we start doing at baptisms. While Lora was changing we taught the Restoration to the audience.
Now I have probably taught it 100 times, but not like this. We taught it in a little over 5 minutes so it was very simple.
Sister Boden taught/testified powerfully of Christ and the love that he has for each one of us.
I was blessed to be able to recite the first vision. I can't tell you how many times I have done that and every time the Spirit testifies to me that Joseph truly did see God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. But this time was different and I think it was for a lot of people there. I was pretty emotional as I said it and I honestly don't think that I have ever felt the Spirit so strong in one setting.
If there is one thing that I have not one doubt about, it is that Heavenly Father loves every single one of us more than we can imagine. He loves us so much that He Sent His only begotten son to earth to die so that we could become clean and perfect like Him.
But, He also came to earth to establish the gospel so that we would know the path we need to take to return to live with our Father in heaven once again.
I know that God does hear and answer our prayers, just as He did to 14 year old Joseph. We may not have the blessing of a vision quite like he did, but we can know for ourselves that He does live and that He leads and guides this church.
I know that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is the exact same gospel that Christ himself established while He was on earth. I know that is has been restored and will remain on earth until the second coming of the Messiah.
I extended the invitation to all who were at the baptism and I do the same to all of you, to know for yourselves if these things are true. I promise you, as does Moroni, that if you ponder these things in your hearts and pray with sincere desire to know if they are true that the Holy Ghost will testify that they are. That through the Spirit you will know that Christ is the Savior and Redeemer of the world and that He is at the head of the church today and leads and guides us through a living prophet of God.
As a representative of Christ, I testify that these things are true and I do it because I love you and I want you to feel of the happiness this gospel brings.
I miss you all.
BIG hugs and little kisses,
Sister Nelson
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