Love One Another

Sister Olson made this fun banner yesterday to celebrate the month of love. We may leave it up all year because serving others because we love them and we love Jesus Christ is what we are about. Sister Olson is very creative. She craves creating beautiful things and doing so fills a deep need in her.

Sister Olson left on January 10th to go to Boise to help her daughter with her 3 little boys as they welcomed a baby sister to their family. The baby didn't arrive as soon as they hoped, so her visit was extended to a long 19 days - a long time to be without a companion in the mission field.  There was plenty to keep me busy: zone conference with the four Fresno zones, teaching a Career Workshop alone (a daunting challenge for me), a farewell fireside where we said good-bye to 17 amazing missionaries, 20 new missionaries arriving the next day, assisting the Elders in teaching a Relief Society presentation on Hastening the Work, going to the temple twice. So - how did I have time to miss my companion? There is an amazing phenomenon that occurs as mission companions when you work together, live together, study together and pray together and become equally yoked in your purpose of serving the Lord. I felt like a fish out of water without her by my side - without her across the hall to share everything with, without her to study with and without her to pray with. I was so happy when she arrived back "home" so we could feel complete again. It is a mini version of how I feel without my eternal companion at my side. I express my gratitude to my Father in Heaven for the firm testimony that just as we picked up where we left off when Sister Olson got off the plane, David and I will again be together, equally yoked and sharing in the work of the Lord. This month of love marks the 45th anniversary of the day Dave and I entered the House of the Lord and became an eternal companionship. I love him immeasurably more now than on that day and look forward to our eternity together.

February 28, 1969 - Eternity

More ERC Mission Baptisms:

 Two more of the wonderful people that we have worked with at the ERC were baptized in the last week. Luis, who came to workshop last summer and has returned off and on to work with us on presentation skills. His baptism was in Spanish - but that didn't matter because the Spirit feels the same in any language.  We got to meet his mother - a special privilege. We also saw another friend from the ERC who is now working and becoming self-reliant (our purpose as welfare missionaries). This is Eduardo.

This next picture is of Crystal and Michael. They both came to the ERC a week before her baptism. Both were scheduled to come to the workshop last week, but Crystal actually got a job and started work on Monday. Michael came to the workshop and was a delight. He is a member and was instrumental in getting her talking with the missionaries. They are a very cute couple. Crystal's baptism was the most spiritual I have been to yet. She radiated light even before the baptism and literally glowed with it after. She is going to be an amazing member of the Church.

As I said in my last blog posting, I am so very grateful that the Lord allows us to see His children through His eyes so we can love them instantly and unconditionally when they walk through our doors. These two people have impacted my life by allowing me the privilege to serve them for the Lord.