Life is Good

You meet some of the most interesting people when tracting. A couple days ago as we made our way down a street, one of the guys said he wasn't interested and started to close the door when Sister McQuivey asked if he was making barbequed chicken for dinner. (Something she and her companion use to do was guess what dinner they were making at each house). She was close, but it was actually barbequed ribs. Then the guys said "Do you want some? I have some extra." He then disappears for a bit while we stand outside gaping at each other until he comes back with a paper plate and three hot ribs. Somehow we managed to finish the last couple of houses before sitting down to eat them. :)

Another experience was when, at our last house, we tracted into a Jehovah's Witness. Ironically what surprised me most was that he didn't even try to shut his door to keep the cold out for the 50 minutes he talked to us. Sister McQuivey told him some principles we believe in, but he was so vehement it was hard to keep it to a friendly discussion. I ended up baring my testimony which hopefully touched him at least a little bit since you can't bash something someone personally knows without insulting them directly, but I said something that would have led into another discussion when we both decided to let it go and say goodbye. As long as it was, it was a great learning experience for me; both in what the Jehovah's Witnesses believe in, what more I need to study, and overall having my first confrontation with another strong Christian.

Saturday the mission gathered for a conference with a member of the Twelve. They wouldn't tell us who it was, only that it was going to be a younger member, so I guessed either Elder Quentin L. Cook or Niel L. Anderson. I was leaning more towards the latter when President Weaver announced that the plane had landed and they would be there soon, and it turned out to be Elder Anderson as well as Elder Craig C. Christiansen of the Seventy! Since we most likely wouldn't have time afterwards, they had us go up row by row and shake hands with him. It's always fun to see a member of the Presidency in a more casual setting - you get a better view of how they are personally, and I learned so much from him!

He first talked about how the presidency refers to him and the others as the "kids". When President Monson was ordained into the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, Elder Anderson was ordained a deacon. He was also the mission president to my companion's mother who served in France, so when he spoke he had Sister McQuivey stand and he explained how he knew her as well as a few other missionaries there.

Rather than stick to the podium, he took a microphone and walked down the isles while having missionaries add comments or read scriptures from the projector. One of my favorite parts was when he talked about looking for the unseen rather than the seen. He said to pray for the ability to see the unseen things which are spiritual, and reflecting on it later made me wonder how much he knows about us just by looking at us. At one point he said "All of you are great. Well, some of you have problems - do you want me to point out who?" But he said he was joking and didn't point out anyone. But it made me think about the potential we have to see beyond the visible, and find the needs of others even without them directly telling us as we strive to teach the gospel according to the needs of our investigators. I don't even remember everything he said, but the spirit I felt afterwards was remarkable, and I hope I can maintain that same spirit.

I love this gospel, and I am so grateful for the huge part God's played in my life. I was looking at the family calendar Anthony made and I couldn't help but feel how much I love my family! I don't know what I would do without them - they play a big part in my life and have been such an influence on me. Families truly are forever.

Sister Dunster