I Love You Mom

Hi

It's always interesting as I sit at the computer, reviewing the week and deciding what I need to say to you. The tender mercies we have seen are endless. The lessons I've learned are many and the Spirit I have felt has been strong. I wish I could accurately describe to you the joy that comes into my heart each day the sun rises and I get to put on my nametag. 

But today I would like to thank the person who played such a significant role in my being here. The reason that I have made it this far, the one who has cheered me on, who has laughed and cried with me every step of the way. My hero. My MOM. 

Mom, sometimes as kids..we believe that you are superwoman. That you are not actually human and that's why we believe that you can be in two places at once, that you can survive on one hour of sleep, that's the reason you are able to make posters, while you do a science fair project and plan our graduation parties while planning a wedding shower and feeding us, painting gourds, planning a gift show and coming to all of our games and events - ALL AT THE SAME TIME. Now I see what a big responsibility you super mom's have!! Then, luckily, we grow up a little bit, we serve missions and we realize that we never told you thank you enough. We never thought about how you were feeling or what you wanted. We sort of forgot that you have feelings too, that you have hard days and that you struggle. Then we realize how selfless and how perfect you really are. And we learn that you are still superwoman just in a more real sense of the word. I want to say thank you. Thank you for being at every soccer game. Thank you for hugging me as soon as I walked in the door from school. Thank you for making sure that we had family prayer and scripture study before we left in the morning. Thank you for never complaining and always trying your best. Thank you for believing in me and for helping me become the person I am today. You'll never fully understand the impact that you have had on my life and the lives of Ralph, Will, Lucy, Jake (and Duke and Dad, of course. We are the luckiest kids in the world. I so appreciate and love you. I honor you for your righteous character and desire to do that which is right. I am grateful for your testimony. President Monson said, “One cannot forget mother and remember God. One cannot remember mother and forget God. Why? Because these two sacred persons, God and mother, partners in creation, in love, in sacrifice, in service, are as one.” It is so true. Happy Mother's Day Mom!!

It has been a great week over here in Greenwood!! It's WARMING up finally!!! We have now met 5 less actives that we had previously known little or nothing about all in miraculous ways. One came up and started talking to us when we were looking for volunteer opportunities at the Lion's Club, another stopped by the church randomly while we were having a lovely conversation with her on facebook, we found another while looking for a former investigator..she now lives there (the former passed away), one we facebooked to just say hi - they (a couple) called and told us how excited they were to have us come out and visit because they want to start over and the last came up to us while we were talking to people on the street and asked us for a card!!! It's amazing how well Heavenly Father keeps track of His children. He does know us and He leads us where we need to be to help each other out. We also visited a member named Ethel Caroline Bailey who suffers from polio. She hasn't had visits in a long time and it was a such a sweet experience to see her face light up as we walked in her nursing room door and she noticed us, she practically yelled "sister missionaries!!!" She struggled to talk but still tried for a good long while. She told us that her named was "Ethel Caroline Bailey, Handicap Missionary" She had the biggest smile on her face when I told her that we had the same middle name she bore testimony of how she knew the Savior loves her and that she was going to be ok because He is watching over her. I shared Alma 7:11-12 and added my testimony that our Savior does succor us in our times of pain and sorrow. I'm not sure I have ever seen anyone smile so big (she did a fist pump as I read because she loved it so much). Ethel is an amazing person with a strong Spirit. My heart was full as we sung a few hymns together and we hugged her goodbye. She told us that we made her day. Again Heavenly Father is so in charge of this work. He knows His children.

There is so much more I would like to share but my time is up. I'll talk to you later.. 

LOVE YOU ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

HAVE A HAPPY WEEK. Can't wait to see your beautiful faces on Sunday! Woot woot

Also happy birthday to abigail!!!! I love you! (I saw Fred and Barbara Jo on TV at the CES devotional!! And President Bourne - they all looked great!!)

XOXO sister g