December???

Wait a second...wasn't it just the 4th of July?  haha.  I hope everyone had a fantastic Thanksgiving and ate a lot!  I sure did!  :)  ...but let's start off at the beginning of the week last week.  

Monday we were able to play volleyball at Midwest Academy and then eat dinner there with the Tranes and Robbins!  Don't worry, I was sitting in the massage chair and almost burned down the house when it started to smoke like crazy!  haha....whoops!  Apparently the battery was dead... oh and Sunday at church Brother Trane had asked what we wanted for dinner and jokingly told him steak...well....as and ye shall receive!  Steak it was!  yummmy  :)  

Tuesday we drove down to Kahoka for the evening.  After dropping off the elders where they needed to go, we couldn't remember where the member lived that we were supposed to meet for dinner and ended up a little lost.  (...even though you can't get TOO lost in a town that's 3X5 miles...haha)  We drove around for a bit, and ended up stopping at one house that had a lot of Christmas lights and decorations up to ask if they happened to know the McDaniels.  Well, sure enough they did and we found the house we were looking for!  As we left, we knew we needed to go back and see Hailey (the one that told us where they lived) after dinner.  So after eating and playing a couple rounds of hide and seek with the kids, we went back to thank Hailey and ended up having a wonderful lesson with her.  She has a son with Cerebral Palsy and another little daughter, stopped going to church but would like to start going again.  As we talked to her about Heavenly Father's plan for her, and how we want to help her strengthen her relationship with God again and help her and her family...she started to cry.  She prayed one of the sweetest prayers and we can't wait to go back and teach her more.  So even though we thought we were lost...we ended up exactly where we needed to be!  

Wednesday we went up to Mt. Pleasant for exchanges with the Hermanas and had a great time with them.  We were reminded of how everything happens on the Lord's time table, not ours.  He puts us with the people and in the areas we need to be at all times.  I was with Hermana Howell, and all the appointments she had set up ended up falling through.  However, as we prayed and moved forward with faith...we were able to meet and talk to some new people, and ended up with a new investigator because we listened to the spirit guide.  My new favorite saying... "Let the Holy Spirit Guide!"  haha.  

Thursday: THANKSGIVING!!!!  Such a great day!  So much food!  So much fun!  Started off driving back to Keokuk from Mt. Pleasant, then were able to go to Tina's house for lunch with her family.  It was so nice of her to let us join her and her family, and even though they don't have much...she was thanking us for coming and telling us how much it meant to her.  We are so blessed.  The people here are so humble and giving.  After Tina's we headed to Midwest Academy to eat with the Tranes, Manwills, and all the students.  It was so fun!  We ended up staying there and playing volleyball with a few of the girl students for 3 hours.  

Friday we had a great lesson with Nadine, an older lady we have been meeting with for awhile.  We watched the Restoration DVD and she said she felt the warm fuzzies.  She has been praying to know the truth, and said she hasn't gotten a no, so we were able to testify that the feelings she was feeling were from the Holy Ghost telling her it was true.  I love her.  Everytime we go over there she tells us how grateful she is for us and how she loves us. That night we continued Thanksgiving by eating dinner with the Salyers family....and got to meet more of the fam bam!  I love them all so much!  After dinner we drove through the City of Christmas; which is a huge light display throughout Rand Park here in Keokuk.  It got us into the holiday spirit that's for sure!  :)  I love this season!!!!  

Saturday we had the most powerful lesson with the Salyers and a member, Brother Zirkel.  He was able to come and share his conversion story and testimony...and the spirit was so strong!  I can't even begin to explain the feelings that were felt or what was shared, but I was also reminded of the truthfulness of this gospel and how blessed I am to have it in my life.  I know this church is true.  I know Joseph Smith restored it in it's fulness to the earth.  I know Jesus Christ leads and guides us through a living prophet today.  

I had the wonderful opportunity to do singing time in primary yesterday.  It was just what I needed.  I felt at home!  It was so fun to be with the kids, to hear their sweet voices sing the simple truths of those amazing songs...and to feel of their strong spirits.  I love my life! :)  

"God doesn't call the qualified, He qualifies the called."  I know I am far from perfect, and I am so grateful the Lord has trusted me enough to serve among these people, His children in this area.  I am so grateful to be a part of the marvelous work at this time. 

Love Always,

Sister Alston 

Cute little Eskimos! 

Fresh deer anyone? : ) I love Missouri! 

Thanksgiving at Tina's!

Thanksgiving volleyball at Midwest!

Sleeping under the Christmas tree while the Brodegards were out of town! 

Thanksgiving with the Salyers! 

Spoons!