Tuesday, April 14

Mark went to church with us on Sunday in the 2nd ward. He is a young fellow we met who lived below us and worked nights. We met him one day as he was moving to another building behind us in the same complex. Mark had cancer when he was 10 years old, and his hair grew in funny, so he always wears a baseball cap. He wore his baseball cap on Sunday all during church. We didn't say anything and either did any of the members. He made it through Sacrament meeting and Sunday School both. He said he enjoyed it and wants to come next week. We will see. He is not ready for us to teach him yet, but we will find some ways to serve him and get to know him.

Yesterday we taught Boyd for the last time. They had us over for a lunch and we brought the Hathaways too. They added a lot to the lesson. Boyd is having his Baptismal interview this afternoon with the district leaders. Boyd is ready. Elder Whiting went over the Baptismal questions with him on Sunday. He had tears in his eyes when he said that he knew the Gospel was true. He had a witness a couple of weeks ago and since then has been pushing forward as fast as he could go. His baptism is on Saturday a 3:30 p.m.

Christy, Boyd's wife will soon be ready. We ask the sisters to start with Ashley, his 24 year old daughter, so they have an appointment to teach her. She is very ready also. She has attended our last two appointments. She is excited to meet with the sisters too.

Yesterday we stopped in at the medical office of the Stack family to visit with Lisa, the mom. They are scheduled to be baptized on the 25th. We set up meetings and baptism interviews for Katelyn and Luke. We just need to set up the baptismal program and teach Katelyn one more time. It is really hard to see these people be baptized because then we don't get to keep teaching them every week. But we are happy to see them get baptized. Lisa is almost 16 years old, and Luke is 13. They are cousins. Luke lives with his Aunt Lisa because his mom had some drug problems.

Last night we met with the family home evening group in the second ward. They are studying Preach My Gospel and asked us to come and help teach. It was fun, but not as rewarding as meeting with less active and non-members. They were really kind, but it just wasn't the same. They invited us to their barbeque get-to-gether next week. We told them we would come if we didn't have a chance to teach someone. They really don't need us, but it is kind of a social thing. Most of them are single sisters who are just lonely.

Today is district meeting. We are meeting at our building. They usually give me assignments to talk etc. but (Elder Whiting never gets asked cause he is used to it,) but I always learn and grow. We love the Sisters who are here, Sister Blickfeldt and SIster Holmes; we also love the elders who are the Zone leaders also. Elder Cragun is one of them. They are a blessing to us.