PDay at Our House

February 24th, 2013 in About Me

Last week we had PDay at our house, it is really right in the middle of where 9 Elders (one pair is a three-some) and 2 Sisters serve. 3 of the 11 missionaries were American. All the others were from Central America, Venezuela to Mexico to Guatemala. You know what else? Lots of them have only been members for a short time. Can you imagine only being a member for a year and then serving the Lord for two years right after that? Faith, what extreme faith. I watch them on their missions and know that it is making them servants of the Lord and his gospel for life. They will go back to their countries and be the strong and humble ones. Who are called as Relief Society presidents, bishops, missionary presidents, and temple presidents. They will know how to bear their testimony to touch others, how to run a meeting, how to live their life the right way. God is working hard in Central America, the church is booming in lots of sections out here. Our area, not so much, but one day it will. These missionaries help me see it will happen.

I felt a lot of motherly love towards these missionaries. I want them to go home and continue to be strong members of the church. I want them to get an education, learn English, be strong fathers and mothers, and raise strong kids.

They spent the afternoon eating—boy oh boy did I stuff them full. Pans of brownies, huge fruit smoothies, trays of chicken, rice, beans, tacos, etc. I cranked up that AC and didn’t wory about how much it was going to cost. They played UNO, talked with each other, had Tyler entertain them with his funny stories, and just relax.

My favorite part is when they all got their photo albums of their families. I sat in the corner watching them proudly show off their pictures. One melted my heart—a picture of the Elder and his family outside the temple in Guatemala after they had been sealed together.

I have always believed what the church says, that the gospel improves your life. In many ways but out here I see how it improves their lives temporally. The gospel teaches you to better your life–through having “good dealings with men,” through education, through giving you opportunities to learn and grow through callings, etc. The gospel teaches you the importance of the family unit–Fathers and mothers take care of their children. You don’t leave, you teach your children of the gospel, you make sure they hold tight to their virtue, etc. The church changes generations of families temporally. I always understood the spiritual importance of it but now I really see the temporal importance of it as well.

I am so proud of all these boys. One of them reminded me of my brother Bryan—his laugh, smile, way he stood, his height. I feel love for them like I do my own brothers and sisters. But that is how it should be and this is something I am also learning. You treat the others in your ward/branch as your brothers and sisters in Zion. Show them respect, show them love, do not offend, do not be offended, support each other, be patient with each other.

Living out here is such a good experience for me.

Now before I end this post you are probably wondering why one of the Elders in the first picture is dressed in that big black suit. It is a bite suit, we couldn’t let the Elders stop by without a couple of them being bit by Rocco!

I bet it was sure an interesting PDay for them, Pura Vida Hermanas y Hermanos. Go forward and work work work. Thank you for being such a great example to my girls. My future sister missionary daughters…