TEMPLE!

Howdy ya'll,

I just want to start off telling all of you- if you haven't gone to the temple, GO!! If you haven't and haven't gone in awhile, GO!!! We were so blessed as a mission this past week to all go to the temple and to have the worlds most spiritual, coolest, eye opening experience of my life. The elders were split in two different groups and went Tuesday and Wednesday, and the Sisters went Thursday and Friday. I went Thursday which just happened to be the day that all my Hermana's went on as well. We woke up bright and early at 4, well that's when the alarm went off, but I got up around 3 wide awake and ready to go :) We carpooled with Hermana Johnson and Olsen. Our President had two questions he wanted us to focus on during the session the first one being, What is my true identity? And the second, What does the temple teach me about being an agent who acts as opposed to an object who is acted upon? I highly suggest that all of you that our endowed to go to the temples with these questions, and with a prayer that God will reveal the truth unto you. After the session we went to a different room and had a two hour study where it was open to any questions we have ever had about the temple. The temple President and his wife were also there to teach us :) I wish I could tell you the things that we talked about. We weren't allowed to take notes...but I don't believe I could ever forget the things that I learned. I have really come to realize how AMAZINGLY AWESOME it was that I got to be an ordinance worker before my mission. WOW!! I hope all of you know or care to know who you are. Trust me you are VERY important, especially to our Heavenly Father and in His work.

Hermanas at the temple

I believed I shared with ya'll that our President has asked us to extend a baptismal date within the first five minutes of talking to someone on the street and teaching a small restoration within that time. Well last Tuesday we had district meeting and we role played it a couple times and talked about what blessings this will bring into the work, especially to help us better understand who is prepared and who is not. Well, right after the meeting we had a lesson with a church headquarter referral that we hadn't met yet, and who had requested a bible. We went over to find out that he had just got called in and needed to leave so what did we do.... we put into action the role play and gave him his bible and a Book of Mormon and taught a quick five minute restoration and with the power of God we extended a date and he accepted it!!!!!!!! WHAT!!!!!! He told us that him and his family just found God and they got baptized two weeks ago, but he said that if he comes to find out that this is the true church he will for sure get baptized!! We ran back to the car and sad a gratitude prayer to our Heavenly Father. I think I am still in shock by how awesome and fast that was. But President received revelation so it must be something our Heavenly Father wants us to do, and it worked!!

Two of Emily's past companions

We have this new couple that just moved from Missouri into our branch. We went over to their trailer to get to know them and they ended up feeding us and I just fell in love with them. He is a convert and fell away for awhile, but now is excited to come to our little branch. His wife is a really sweet lady and totally tom boy with short military hair. They are like the worlds cutest couple. She is actually coming out with us today for 3 hours, and then maybe a couple hours tomorrow.

Speaking of members helping us. We had a dinner appointment with one of our members Vanessa, and her house is getting remodeled so she took us out to eat. Once we all got our food we said a prayer over it and Vanessa prayed that we would have a missionary experience. While eating a young man just randomly walks up to our table and just stares at us. We begin talking to him and Vanessa invites him to church and he accepts. He then got his food and left. Well, we realized that we forgot to ask for his name, so Vanessa gets up and runs after him outside and invites him to come eat with us. He comes back and while eating we shared the Restoration and invited him to come to church the next day. We show up to church yesterday and there he was sitting waiting for everyone to show up!!!! This is why members are SO crucially important to the work! Sadly he lives in the Elders area, but either way he can receive his salvation.

I got to do some fun house remodeling for one of our members. We took down a wall of shelves and painted a couple walls for her. I hope when I get home there will be lots of house/ yard work I can do. I keep asking people if I can mow their lawn for them, but know one will let me :(

Must be a problem with Texans wanting to ride their horses in the park.

Another crazy miracle that happened was after the temple trip our car and another car of Hermana's decided to go treat ourselves to Red Robin... YUM! While we were there a young lady and her two adorable kids came up to us and told us that she was from Utah and is a member and she was so happy to see us and then said good bye. Once we were already to get our checks the waitress told us that someone had paid for all of us!!! My heart just sunk with love. One day I hope I can be rich so I can just help pay for the missionaries or anyone :)

Our area is now a bike area... just kidding, but basically. We used like all of our miles going to the temple and we just found out that they will not be excused. So we will be on bikes. Its good being back on my bike, I just wish our area was a little smaller. We actually have been blessed by meeting some really awesome people. We had one guy at the park that filled up a plate full of good o'le Texas BBQ :) :) I was one happy missionary. And even happier that he is willing to have the elders come teach him. The elders are getting some pretty awesome people from us!

A sign in Emily's neighborhood

Well other than all that awesome stuff- plus lots more, that was basically my week. Oh and yesterday I gave a talk in sacrament about living the gospel by being a disciple of Christ. :)

I love you all, and don't forget to go to the temple. What could more could make for an awesome date night??? :)

Hermana Watkins... Sister Watkins