Temple Trip

March 16, 2015

Hey! Its me again!

This week was kinda crazy, and I didn't get any mail again this last week, so I was feeling down and Saturday was just not so great.  But then yesterday we went out contacting after church.  Being out talking to people helped to assure me that things would get better. By the end of the day I was hot, a little sweaty, exhausted and very happy.  I am SO thankful for an all knowing and loving Father in Heaven. He really is great, in case anyone didn't know that already :)

The temple was beautiful!!!! And yes it IS huge. It was a beautiful sunny day and I enjoyed being there. There were a few other sets of sister missionaries in our session and 1 man. HA! They took care of that in the Terrestrial room though. It was so cool to be right on noisy-horns-honking and sirens-wailing Santa Monica Blvd, and then walk into silence and reverence in the temple. Our session was good and it was a much needed temple trip. We sat in the Celestial room for a long while afterwards. We took some pictures outside (can't send any at the library sorry) and they turned out to be the ones where it is so sunny that everyone has squinty eyes, which is funny. Sister Seo (from Korea, and who has a brother serving in this mission too CRAZY!) has a cool camera that prints out the pictures after you take it, so I have that too. After we were done at the temple, distribution center, and mission office, we went to the mall down the street for lunch. There is a salad/sandwich place that an LDS lady owns, and she lets the missionaries come get free food after the temple. It was great. I sure had a headache by the time we got home though, what with the no eating in the car rules and all.

I have started reading the BoM again. I have made it a goal to read it through 3 times before the end of my mission. That may not seem like a lot, but when you only have an hour and lots of things to study, I think its reasonable.

As of today, March 16th, I have been in the CLAM for 1 month! Now the official countdown can start, since my ministerial license expires on August 15, 2016. This month has been long and short, and fast and slow all at the same time. I am starting to understand what missionaries are talking about when they say the days are long but the weeks are short! We only have 2 weeks until transfers. It really is so weird how time goes. I appreciate it though, because as I try to take things one day at a time, and focus on right now, time moves faster too.

Our Specialized Sisters Training went really well, and I had a good time. I also had my 2nd New Missionary Orientation and that was good too. I love President and Sister Weidman!! They are great. And I love seeing the other missionaries and learning with them as well.

We don't know what is going on with Josephine. We tried to go visit her and we have called her a lot of times, and she is either not home or doesn't answer. Too bad. Anton is doing well. We are using him for me to practice teaching all the lessons and stuff from 12 week. That's what we're telling him anyways, even though I really do have to practice ;) We are hoping that teaching him from the beginning will help him to gain a testimony and want to be baptized. We'll see.

My scriptures for you this week are Psalms 37:3-9, and D&C 101:14-16, 35-38 which are from the song "Be Still My Soul". They have provided comfort for me and I really like them.

I don't have much else to tell you..... Just keep being awesome! Things continue to get better little by little, which is all I can ask for. I sure love you all and am thankful for all that you do for me, even though I am not at home. I hope you are all doing well with sports and all of your activities! Keep working hard :)

Love,

Sister Lauren Hatch :)