Look for opportunities this week to be the Lord’s hands!

Hello family!

From the pictures it looks like its been a great week for you too! When I saw the email that said Whitney visited I couldn’t figure out who Whitney was. Ha ha. Then I saw her picture! Sister Ehlers! I’m glad she was able to visit. She and I laughed when we realized she worked for Prosper, knew Ethan and Randy, and worked upstairs from Dad. It’s a small world.

Dad! Those pictures you took of the Salt Lake Temple were amazing! You should print some of them and frame them. Speaking of temples… guess what! I get to go again since Sister Sunderland hasn’t been yet this quarter. (Tender mercies!) I love the temple! (I’m sure you’ve figured that out by now.)

We had the neatest experience earlier this week! During a specialized training President Christensen of the Columbus Temple came and taught us some powerful things about the temple and missionary work! It was amazing! I wish I could transcribe all my notes right now and send them to you. His message was about how the temple truly is the center of everything we do in the church and how we need to make our focus as missionaries on getting everyone we teach to the temple. My companion and I ate it up! We’ve readjusted a lot of what we’ve been doing to make sure the temple is our focus and the Spirit that has followed has been amazing! Did you get a chance to go a few weeks ago when you said you would?

As far as the work this week, it has been great! We were at a less-active member’s home and he (without being prompted) invited his whole family to be baptized! It’s true! So we are starting to teach his daughter-in-law and his wife. Also, the branch is starting to pick up and our effectiveness is definitely starting to increase! I am so grateful for the Brethren who are inspired in their counsel to local priesthood leaders. They really do know what they are talking about! We just have to trust them and work to accomplish the goals they’ve set.

I don’t know if you remember when in 1999 President Hinckley challenged the church to double the number of convert baptisms we get in a year? The programs that have followed from the church (i.e. Preach My Gospel) have been in response to that challenge. It is definitely something that has been on President Jensen’s mind and we are doing everything we can in this mission to meet that challenge. It has been incredible to watch.

We also had the best scripture study class ever! Have you listened to the Reflections of Christ CD? If not, you should get a copy. They came out with a second one Reflections of Christ: Another Testament. You should definitely get that one! There is a song on there that talks about the Savior coming to the Americas. It is a powerful song! So we centered our class around that song and read the prophecies of the Savior’s coming and the events that led up to it. I love the Book of Mormon! What a powerful book! We listened to the song and discussed what it will be like to see Him again. There were some powerful insights. Anyway, the point of me telling you the story is you need to go find that CD! It’s amazing!

Will you look for opportunities this week to be the Lord’s hands?! It is the best feeling in the world! I promise all it takes is our desire; the Lord will provide the opportunities!

I love you lots and lots!

Sister Painter