Saturday, May 31, 2014

Calling home for Mother's day and other assorted miracles

The most exciting news from Katelyn over the past few weeks was when she called us on Mother's day.  Actually, she was able to Skype so that we could see her and she could see us.  It was great!! The whole family was here, except for Katelyn obviously, and we well all able to talk to her.  We set the laptop up so that she could see all of us sitting around the family room.  We talked about the weather, we talked about all of the news from home and we talked about the people that she is currently teaching and her new responsibilities as a Sister Training Leader.  It was great to hear from her and she really looks good.  Having missionaries out in the mission field makes Mother's Day and Christmas the best holidays of the year. 

After having just talked with Katelyn on Mother's Day over Skype, we didn't think that we would hear from her again for at least another week.  But just two days later we got another email from her.  I asked her why she was emailing that day since we had just talked over Skype a couple of days before.  She told me that in the last couple of days she and her companion had some great spiritual experiences and they just needed to write home and tell us about them.  I can't really get into the details here of what Katelyn told us but basically while they were tracting the previous day, many different things came together all at once which allowed them to come in contact with some wonderful people who are very interested in learning more about the Gospel.  In fact these people have already had a lot of contact with other members of the Church in the area and love and respect many of them.  Katelyn described this whole experience of meeting these people as probably the best missionary experience that she has had so far.  She was just so excited to write home and tell us about it.

Things just keep moving forward for Katelyn in Spruce Grove.  In one of her most recent emails she told us that when she first arrived in Spruce Grove just a few weeks ago. They really didn't have anybody to teach.  Now just a few weeks later, they have nine new investigators and a ton of teaching opportunities.  As Katelyn put it:

"So we have found all these people to start teaching just in the past couple weeks! It has been so amazing. Seriously so many miracles are happening everywhere in the mission. Missionary work is blowing up! The work really is hastening! I love it here! I love serving in Spruce Grove! We have been so blessed! And so many people are so prepared for the gospel."
 It is amazing just how fast time is flying by.  Many of Katelyn's friends who have gone on missions are now coming home.  Some of her other friends are getting married and Katelyn is coming up on her one year mark on her mission.  It was only just a few weeks ago that she was transferred to Spruce Grove and now it is time for transfers again.  Katelyn told us this week that they received the transfer calls and she will be staying in Spruce Grove but her current companion will be moving to another area.  Katelyn referred to her new companion as her Grandma.  That sounds a little strange for missionaries and no her new companion isn't a single older sister.  What she meant by "Grandma" is that her new companion was the trainer of Katelyn's trainer.  So Katelyn's first companion, who was her trainer is referred to as Katelyn's mother.  And her trainer's trainer would be Katelyn's Grandma.  Got it?  Ok, it still sounds a little silly but hey, they are missionaries and that's the mission tradition.  So I guess Katelyn's Grandma (new companion) only has a couple of months left before she returns home.  This will probably be the first time that Katelyn actually sends a companion home.  The crazy thing is that by the time that happens, Katelyn will only have a few months left before she returns home as well.  Crazy how time flies.

In Katelyn's latest email she again told us about all of the miracles that are happening in Spruce Grove.  Katelyn and her new companion have met a few new investigators and their teaching pool just keep increasing.  They have also spent some of their time doing service for some of the people in their area.  This last week they helped to gut a trailer that will be remodeled and fixed up for one of the members in the area.  Katelyn said that she and some of the other missionaries had a lot of fun tearing out walls and ripping everything up.  I guess service is service even if it does involve a bit of demolition.