February 6, 2012

Good Morning, Day, Evening Everyone!

I'm writing from the newly opened Library in Innisfail. :) I hope everyone is doing well. It's pretty warm here in Canada (Go Figure!) I think I might have gotten a tan ;) It is also the start of a new transfer, my 4th transfer!!! My, how time flies. I will hit my 5 Month mark this next week and my 6 Month Mark this transfer! Still in Innisfail with Sister White. Crazy. I am loving the Innisfail area more and more. It's been great to get to know the members more and really starting to feel like home.

Last Monday we had a lesson with the Ufland family. (They have 3 teenagers right now). We taught about the influence that media and technology has on us. We started with a bowl of ice cream with all the fixings and asked their son to take a bite. He said it tasted really good. Then we put wet dog food on it and asked him if he wanted to finish it. He replied, "Of course Not!" "Why?" "Because Dog Food is gross. I don't want to eat it now." "But you said it tasted good before, we thought you'd still want to eat it." We then sat them down and talked about how often we listen to music or watch movies that are "good" but they might have a couple swear words, suggestive things, or inappropriate scenes. Sometimes we think things are okay or don't have an effect on us, but even the little things can have an effect on us, even if we don't realize . It turned out great and the kids really liked it. Well, in Testimony Meeting their daughter Emily (who is super shy) got up and bore her testimony and told everyone about this lesson and the impact it had on her. It was good to feel that we made a difference. I kind of chuckled to Sister White, "Now we can't give that lesson to anyone else in the ward." Ha ha.

We were at a less active woman in the ward's house this week. She has a dog and for most of the lesson her dog was sitting on the floor and really nice to us. Well, suddenly the dog snapped and started growling and barking just at me. It scared me really bad and it was hard to control her and calm her down. I've never been afraid of dogs before, but that sure was scary. I was shaking pretty bad. I swear everyone has a dog too.

We visited Sister Gudim in the ward who is 91 and not doing very well. She always enjoys our visits. This time we decided to read her the lyrics to Mom's song "Life's Journey" She has written some poems about families before so she really liked it. It was realy special to be able to share that with her.

Sunday evening we stopped by to see Sister Votary in the ward. She is completely Blind and has been most of her life. We see her and her husband once a week to share a message and play crib, but we felt impressed to stop by and see her. She was having a really hard time and we were able to visit with her. It was quite neat to just sit on the floor in front of her in her chair and just listen to her. She is such a strong woman who never gets upset. Sister White and I were able to sit with her and just cry with her. It's times like this that I know I'm where I'm supposed to be. One of the things she said was, "Joy stands for Jesus, Others, and Yourself. You find true joy as you focus first on Jesus, then on Others, then Yourself." I really liked that.

Lastly, in personal study today I was reading in Jacob 1: 10-11. It says, " The people having loved Nephi exceedingly, he having been a great protector for them, having wielded the sword of Laban in their defence, and having labored in all his days for their welfare-- Wherefore, the people were desirous to retain in remembrance his name..." It made me wonder, what if we were called after what we loved. If we love TV we'd be Televisionites. If we love Facebook we'd be Facebookites. So, what do you love? What would you be called? I would hope Christian. This brought more meaning to what we covenant at Baptism. We covenant to take upon ourselves the name of Christ. To always remember Him. Interesting thought eh? I encourage each of us to really remember what we convenanted at Baptism and live up to the name we took upon ourselves, the name of Christ. What are you doing today to live up to His name?

"Do you want to be Happy? Forget yourself and get lost in this great cause. Lend your efforts to helping people... Stand higher, lift those with feeble knees, hold up the arms of those that hang down. Live the Gospel of Jesus Christ!"

-President Gordon B. Hinckley

I love you all!

Love, Sister Leanna Thompson