Happy Birthday, Grandpa!

I remembered.

Been a good week! Sister Jones has been sick and so we have been in a
lot sadly... so not a lot to report, other than we had a baptism!
Heather was baptized on the 14th... the same date I got baptized 4
years ago. It was SO special... At the baptism, there was a great turn
out. Heather had been wanting to invite her dad and a few friends not
of our faith and they all told her they were coming. Then, the day
before they all told her they weren't coming. We were so sad for her,
and worried. But she told us that she wants to be baptized. She wants
to press forward, and she did! So while her friends weren't able to
come, the ward came and supported her and it was beautiful. Sister
Jones gave a great talk that set the tone for the Spirit to dwell,
then our ward mission leader baptized Heather. I was so overcome with
the beauty and power of the Spirit. I felt the same on Sunday when she
was concerned. I cry all the time now! She's so great and is so happy.
We're so excited for her! Our RC Richard had been MIA for a could
weeks, but then he showed up Sunday in a white shirt and passed the
Sacrament for his first time! WOW! It melts my heart to see them
serving.

I gave my talk in Sacrament and it was alright. I was so nervous,
which I find odd because I knock on strangers' doors and expect them
to let us in, and do many other things. I don't really remember what I
said. I was asked to speak on my conversion, my mission, and what they
mean to me now. I remember sharing a song's lyrics from The Work: A
Nashville Tribute to the Missionaries. I might be too lazy to type it
up... we'll see if I have time. I got so many kind comments
afterwards... I was swarmed. I very much so felt the ward's love and
was so grateful for that. The Spirit helped me do that. I know that I
am strong when I have him.

So, here's a cool little "small world" story. Our ward mission leader
and his family had us over for dinner last night... the Williams
family. They have a son on a mission in Longbeach, CA. They were
telling us that he had a companion from KC, MO. They then showed us
pictures. I recognized their son's companion! It was Sam Bischoff, who
is from the Odessa ward. I fell in love with his parents and his
brother's family out there. They were so tickled that I made that
connection. Just little tender mercies from the Lord. I love it. And
here's a funny story: We live in the basement and study in a couple of
recliners because we don't have a desk. Sister Jones couldn't breathe
sleeping in her bed. One morning I woke up and my companion was MIA.
It was the scariest thing! She moved out to the recliner... haha.
Well, one night right before bed I suggest that we put the recliner in
our room... it was pretty funny watching us carry that recliner into
our bedroom. It barely fit through the door. It's so much more funny
if you could see what we did! So now she sleeps at the foot of my bed
in a recliner.

OH! Another miracle from Sunday. We had been seeing this LA woman,
probably in her 50's. She joined the church over 23 years ago and
hadn't really been back since. We had invited her to church on several
occasions and she said she'd see us there, but every Sunday some
excuse would show up on our phone. Well, her visiting teachers visited
her this past week. We were having dinner with the RS president when
she got a call. "Will you pick up Diann for church?" The LA woman,
Diann, came to church for the first time in over 23 years, and wept as
she partook of the Sacrament. She referred her son and his fiance to
us and is doing great. It's a miracle. The power and importance of
visiting teaching. We as missionaries can only do so much. We need the
members to get involved to see progress and retention.

So, it's been good. We are headed down to Wichita today for zone
p-day. It's hot. Another heat wave came in. I love this work. I love
having a purpose and seeing the power of God each and every day.

I was going to type up the song, but I kept my journal at the house.
Maybe next week.

Well, I love you all. I know through my own experience that Jesus
Christ is the Son of God. That He has taught a gospel, and the fulness
of it is back through a modern day prophet. I know the Book of Mormon
is true. I know the Atonement is real and has the power to transform
us. Life is beautiful. Let us go forward with faith and discover what
we have waiting for us.

Always,
Sister Moore