EXPERIENCES OF THE WEEK#24

September 21, 2014#24

  SUNDAY THE 14TH: I WAS ASKED TO TEACH A LESSON FOR RS CAN YOU IMAGE ME TEACHING -- HAW‼ IT WAS ON RAISING CHILDREN ON TRUTH AND LIGHT LESSON #16. IT WAS A GOOD LESSON AND WENT OVER WELL I THOUGHT.

 CHURCH WAS GOOD WITH A LOT OF YSA’S COMING BACK TO SCHOOL. AND TO CHURCH.  AFTER CHURCH ELDER JUDD HELPED WITH THE ELDERS QUORUM PRESIDENCY MEETING. WE CAME HOME AND HAD DINNER, NAPPED FOR A MINUTE, THEN BACK TO THE INSTITUTE FOR THE BYU DEVOTIONAL. ELDER D. TODD CHRISTOFFERSON TALKED. AFTER THE TALK WAS FINISHED WE SERVED ROOT BEER OR ORANGE FLOATS FOR REFRESHMENTS—THEY LIKED THEM. WE HAD ABOUT 20 YOUNG PEOPLE WHICH IS APPARENTLY A GOOD NUMBER. WE CAME HOME AT 10:30 PM. IT WAS A LONG DAY!

ELDER JUDD:  I was invited to come and sit in with Sisters Goodman and Hansen as they taught an investigator/YSA fellow by the name of Andrew Allen. The week before I  had met with these same sisters as they taught him.  At the end of that lesson, Sister Hansen invited Andrew to pray but he declined saying that he didn’t feel worthy. I suggested that Christ’s atonement was made for us because of our sins and that He loves us and invite us to come to Him. He thought about that for a moment and then gave the most humble prayer I have heard in a long time. He thanked God for us, the missionaries, and for His love for him, and for the opportunity to be taught the truth of the Gospel. That prayer really touched my heart. This time, following a short lesson on how to make what we read in the Book of Mormon apply to our lives, Andrew closed with prayer with only the invitation to do so.  Again his prayer was touching and very sincere and humble. He thanked God for the love he felt and the truth that he was being taught.  It is such marvelous thing to watch these young missionaries follow the Spirit and teach with such power.  I love to be a part of their efforts.

THURSDAY WE HAD THE NORMAL CLASSES WITH ELDER JUDD AND BRO. PATRICK. WE HAD A LARGE NUMBER OF STUDENTS ABOUT 60 THIS WEEK.   ELDER JUDD: we had a great experience discussing our connection with Abraham and  our responsibility to carry forward as his descendants the promised blessings given to him. As I was preparing for this lesson, I had a very strong impression to start with J.S.H 1:39; “and he shall plant in the hearts of the children the promises made to the fathers…” which Moroni quoted to Joseph in September of 1823.  I taught that “those promises” included the one given to Abraham that thru him all the families of the earth would be blessed. Of course that refers to those descendants of Abraham in the latter days that would carry the Gospel to people all over the earth.  I asked why that was important to us. One student who will be leaving on his mission to Mexico in just four weeks answered that he had been praying to better understand what he would do on his mission. The Spirit was felt strongly as we talked about his charge as a descendant of Abraham. I knew that he was given an understanding that he had not had and a connection to the covenant of Abraham he had not made before. I testified to him that the Lord had heard his prayers and this was part of the answer. I also testified that he would understand even more about this as he served his mission. I said that the Lord did know who he is and the desires of his heart and they had been answered in this class. Everyone felt the Spirit testify of that truth. The student’s name was Brody Patrick, the son of the Director of the Tampa Institute of Religion. Brody had never been to this class before.

I STARTED TO WORRY THAT WE DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH TO SERVE EVERY ONE.  ELDER JUDD DECIDED THAT HE WOULD GIVE EVERYONE ONE LADEL FULL AND TELL THEM TO COME BACK AFTER EVERYONE HAD HAD ONE HELPING. WE HAD CHICKEN AL A KING WITH BISCUITS; DESSERT WAS REALLY SIMPLE ICE CREAM WITH CHOCOLATE AND CARAMEL SYRUP THEY ATE IT ALL-- DOWN TO THE LAST MORSEL AND ENJOYED THE COMMERADERIE WITH EVERYONE. IT IS CALLED A JOYFUL NOISE. ELDER JUDD PLAYED PING PONG WITH JOSH CROSBY AND SOME OTHERS AND HAD A GOOD TIME BATTERING BACK AND FORTH. OH WE DID HAVE ENOUGH BARELY..

WHOSE HANDS  DOES IT BELONG TOO

THESE ARE THE HANDS OF THE UNKNOWN

TOM, MADILENE, MARISSA, JOE

INSTITUTE PING PONG

CHICKEN AL-A-KING AND THE LINE IS LONG

ICE CREAM IS ON THE TABLE

SIERRA AND SISTER HOWARD

YEA SOMEONE ELSE IS DOING THE DISHES

THIS SATURDAY IS THE SEMINARY AND INSTITUTE IN-SERVICE MEETING THAT BEGINS AT 8AM IN THE MORNING FOR THE TEACHERS.  ONLY IT REALLY BEGINS AT 6AM FOR ELDER JUDD AND I.  I AM ASSIGNED TO MAKE SOME BREAKFAST DISH FOR ABOUT 35 PEOPLE.. TODAY I PREPARED A MUSHROOM AND SPINACH QUICHE, SAUSAGE-BREAD CASSEROLE, AND A BACON POTATO CROCK POT CASSEROLE. WE ALSO SERVED A HUGH FRUIT BOWL, MILK, JUICE AND DONUTS (WHICH BRO PATRICK LOVES). BRO PATRICK TAUGHT ABOUT ALL THE MATERIALS ON THE INTERNET THAT THE CHURCH HAS PUT OUT TO HELP THE STUDENTS AND TEACHERS. IT IS AMAZING THE GOOD THAT IS OUT THERE.

WE WENT TO A BAPTISM LATER THAT NIGHT FOR A YOUNG LADY FROM INDIA BY THE NAME OF NEVEDAH,. IT WAS A GOOD EXPERIENCE. WE TRY TO GO TO ALL THE BAPTISMS THAT HAPPEN IN OUR WARD BUILDING.

WE WERE EXCITED TO SEE A MESSAGE FROM TRICIA AND STEVE THAT WE COULD STREAM THE OGDEN TEMPLE CELEBRATION.  WE HAVE FELT SO FAR AWAY FROM OUR FAMILIES AND FRIENDS AND EVENTS THAT WE WANTED TO BE APART OF. THEY GAVE US THE LINK AND SO AFTER THE BAPTISM WE WENT INTO THE INSTITUTE ROOM, TURNED ON THE INTERNET AND STREAMED IT ON TO THE BIG SCREEN—LOOKING OF COURSE FOR OUR GRANDDAUGHTERS AND ANYONE ELSE THAT WE MIGHT HAVE KNOWN.  DID NOT SEE A SOUL THAT WE KNEW BUT THE PROGRAM WAS FANTASTIC.  WE POP SOME POPCORN HAD A FEW CANDIES AND ENJOYED THE SHOW.  IT KEPT BUFFERING A FEW TIMES BUT THANKS TO MIKEY WATKINS CHANGING SOME SETTINGS ON THE COMPUTER(WHO KNOWS WHAT HE DID) AND THEN IT WORKED GREAT  AFTER THAT.  WE WERE SO AMAZED AT THE WORK THE CHURCH PUT ON FOR THE MEMBERS EVERYWHERE TO ENJOY SINGING AND DANCING AND LEARNING ABOUT THE DIFFERENT AREAS OF THE TEMPLE DISTRICTS.  TOMORROW THEY WILL DEDICATE THE OGDEN TEMPLE AND  IN SPIRIT WE WILL BE THERE.