New member helps share the Gospel

Hope you all had a good 4th of July! I'm emailing late today because we went to go find some really American looking shirts this morning for 4th of July, pictures to come later.

I was reading in 3 Nephi and I loved these verses:

"For a small moment have I forsaken thee, but with great mercies will I gather thee. In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment, but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee," sayeth the Lord thy Redeemer. 

"For the mountains shall depart and the hills be removed, but my kindness shall not depart from thee...O thou afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted! Behold, I will lay thy stones with fair colors, and lay thy foundations with sapphires, carbuncles, and all thy borders of pleasant stones."

"And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord; and great shall be the peace of thy children." (3 Nephi 22:7-16)

Just remember that whenever times get tough the Lord cares and loves us!

This week has been full of miracles, as usual. What week isn't? We must be blessed.

We met with a recent convert who really wants her daughter to be baptized, so now we have the opportunity to bring a family closer together. It was really cool because the other day her friends were with this investigator so we talked to all of them. At first her friends weren't really listening to us...they were just pretending that they had no idea what we were saying. But then this investigator's mom all of a sudden asked the most inspired question that hit my heart too. She asked these 10 and 11 year old friends, "Does your mom and dad drink and smoke?" They all nodded yes. Then she asked, "Do you want them to stop?" They all enthusiastically replied "Yes!" We had their full attention as we testified that this gospel can bring families together. And this recent convert of ours bore a beautiful testimony of how her husband's life changed since she joined the church. Hopefully as we continue to work with them we may touch the hearts of their parents so that they may improve family life at home. I am SO blessed for the wonderful family setting I've grown up in and I certainly hope Sister Strickland and I can help other families see the blessings that living the gospel brings.

Love you all and keep it strong!