Elder Golden Visits the Cornfield and the Trail Center Prepares for the Holidays

Dearest Family,

I love you!

This last week was pretty great, with only one exception that I can think of right now. We went to the Trail Center to do mormon.org chat, and after we had been down there for a couple of hours, one of the other sisters came in with a terrible look on her face and held up my camera. I was confused, but then took a closer look at it and saw that it was bent in half and the screen was completely broken. I guess someone found it in the parking lot. It looks like it had been run over by a car. So, add that to my Christmas list. The SD card is fine, so at least I still have the pictures, but I feel like this is just the fate of my cameras. Something happens every time.

Elder Golden of the 70 was in town with us this week doing a mission tour. On Tuesday night, he came into the Trail Center to take a tour. We had about an hour's heads up in which time Sister Vanderdoes was asked to take the tour and we all got all ready for him to come. And then waited. And waited. No one came. Not even other visitors. We were all just pacing around and watching out the window to the parking lot to see if anyone was coming. A couple hours later, they finally arrived. We shook his hand, they disappeared into the gallery, we shook his hand again, and they were gone.

Sister Lamb's First Zone - with Elder Golden
Sister Melanie is the 5th from the right on back row

The next day, we had Zone Conference. The day began with all the missionaries lining up in the hall and Elder Golden and his wife greeting each person. It probably took 45 minutes for this to happen because they spent time with each person. Elder Golden told Sister Kusnerik and me that we have a "powerful companionship". The rest of the day was spent being instructed by the Elder Golden, as well as some inserts by President Kunz and the wives. It was an amazing day. One of my favorite things that he told us was that "When you decide to follow the Spirit in everything you do, don't expect an easy ride. Buckle your seat belts. You will do lots of things that you don't understand. The Spirit works in a differnt way. It is not always rational to us." He also taught us that personal righteousness=faith. When your personal righteousness increases, your faith automatically increases as well. Also, there are lots of things that we will have to do that are right, but that we don't want to do. We are never more noble than when doing something we don't want to do, but is right. Christ did not want to experience the pains and sicknesses of all of God's children and take their sins upon Him. It was not easy or enjoyable, but He did it because he needed to, because it was what Heavenly Father required of Him. That is a couple tidbits of what we learned. It was literally a spiritual feast.





That night, we watched 17 Miracles again, this time with the YW and YM for their mutual activity. It is such a powerful movie and the kids loved it. We have had a ton of response from them about how that movie has changed so much for them. They view the gospel differently because they understand better what the pioneers sacrificed for it. Several of the YW have also told us that they want to serve missions. The spirit of missionary work is really starting to spread through the ward.

I am really starting to love the Trail Center. We decorated for Christmas this week. We have a big Christmas tree in the front lobby and garlands throughout the whole gallery. Downstairs, the Gingerbread Festival is going in full force. You can smell it throughout the whole building. Many of the displays were done by Primary or YW groups, but there are lots of people that really put their whole heart and soul into gingerbread. I will send you some pictures when I get a camera and figure out how to send pictures. Ha ha. I keep thinking about it, but thinking just doesn't get anyone very far.

This week is Thanksgiving. Sister Kusnerik keeps telling me that holidays are the best on your mission, but that has yet to be proved, and I am feeling rather doubtful, but we will see. I think it is more likely that I will spend each holiday with a stomach ache. On Thursday, we are going to have dinner with the Piercys at Boys Town. All of their kid’s families are coming to have dinner as well, so there will be lots of people there. We are really excited about it. From there, we are going to the Batin's for dinner #2. Then, on Friday, we are having dinner with the Gills, who are having Thanksgiving a day late so their whole family can be there. I will probably gain 10 pounds this weekend just from that and leftovers.

Well, that is all the time I have for now, so I am off, but just one last I love you!

I love you!

Sister Melly