October 3, 2011

Dear Loved Ones:

This email will probably come as a surprise since it's not Wednesday, but since I head to Canada tomorrow morning we were allowed time to email home since I'm not sure when my PDay will be yet. So, Hello!
Conference was absolutely amazing! I loved every minute of it. I took 27 pages of notes!!! Everything was so great:). Some of my favorite talks are as follows:
First off- HOW COOL IS THAT!? We are getting another Temple in Provo! I literally cried with joy when they announced that. How neat is that?! SO EXCITING!!!
I loved every talk from all sessions so it will be hard to pick just a couple things to talk about. I loved Elder Bednar and how he talked about "Becoming Saviors on Mount Zion." We truly have the covenant   responsibility to seek out those around us and our ancestors and do the work for them. This is our duty and a great blessing. I also really liked what Ian S. Ardem of the Seventy said about managing time. "Let us be quick to kneel as we are to text." I loved that. I also loved that he said, "Don't waste our time checking status's, farming online, or catapulting angry birds at walls." :) Ha ha ha so funny. I really loved Eldar Hales and his talk on "Not my will, but thine be done." Angles are here to bear you up (D&C 84:88). I also thought of the fact that I'm a "Real Missionary" now when Matthew O. Richardson of the Sunday School Presidency was talking. Overall, I don't have time to go into every insight and talk, but I loved every moment of it. I kind of forgot it was General Conference because I felt like they were talking to just the missionaries. It was SO Great!!!
Guess what?! I ran into a cousin!!! :) Elder Ryan Haymore!!! From Mt. Airy, North Carolina. He is going to the Orlando Florida Spanish speaking mission. :) It was crazy, I saw him in the bookstore and said, "You're a Haymore?! I'm related to you! My Mom is a Haymore!" He then asked if I was related to Franklin Damarcus Haymore :) It was crazy!!! He lives on Haymore Road and we made a lot of connections. I got his address and will be writing him. I also got his home address. We took a picture and I will send it home with my stuff so you can see. What was so cool is he grabbed an Elder by him, (Elder Hiatt) and said, "Elder Hiatt, this is my cousin!" Turns out Elder Hiatt is from Mt. Airy too. Aren't we related to the Hiatt's too?...I really wish I had my pedigree chart right now.
Well I am completely out of time. :( I love you all so much!!!

God be with you 'til we meet again!

I love you with all my heart!

Sister Leanna Thompson