"I don't have any church pants."

Time is going by rather quick. Sister Meek and I have been richly blessed. Remember the two girls I told you about last week? Well, we have started teaching them as well as their cousin. It is going great!! Their parents aren't active, but they come to church with their grandma. They are smart, and really fun. It is fun and good to teach simply. Teaching them has really helped me improve my teaching. We have taught them about prayer and how to pray and the prayers they give are really sweet and sincere. Teaching them gets me excited to teach my own kids about the gospel someday. Sister Meek and I have been having a ton of fun teaching them. We made cute sticker charts for them so they can mark when they pray and read and don't drink sweet tea. (got to love the south and their sweet tea!). The whole family is awesome and I really feel as though I am supposed to be here for them. 

Prayer chart 

Their is a returning member that lives really close to us. His name is Charles Brown, he is an older man. Anyways we see him every week and always enjoy visiting. He loves country music and has an old music player with stacks of dust covered cds. Must of which are old time country, Willie Nelson, Dolly Parton etc. Sister Meek and I got to looking at them and found a Randy Travis cd. We listened to "Deeper than the Hollar" by Randy Travis and Brother Brown totally lit up when Sister Meek and I knew every word. When we went over again he says, "I've been working on that ol' record player and it is sounding good." It was pretty sweet. He hasn't been to church in years, his wife has passed recently so he is sad a lot. We started talking about having him come to church and he sorta beat around the bush. We finally asked, "Brother Brown why don't you come to church?" and his response was, "I don't have any church pants." (he wears overalls all the time.) We talked with the Elders and they had an extra pair of pants at their apartment so the next time we went over to see Brother Brown we handed him a bag and told him to open it. You should have seen his face when he saw what was inside. He got up and went to try them on. You should have seen him when he came out to show us, you would have thought it was Christmas. He says to us, "Well I think with suspenders they should fit." It was pretty fun to see him get excited to have church pants. 

Country side in Texarkana

My testimony was strengthened this past week of the power of prayer and God's handiwork in are lives. Sister Meek and I had quite the experience out tracting this past Friday night. We knocked on a door and a middle aged woman answered. Her eyes went straight to are name tags. The first thing out of her mouth were the words, "Jesus Christ." She invited us in and told us that she has been going through some family struggles and she had been praying to God to show her a sign of what she should do, when she finished the prayer she turned her head to the window to see us approaching, then we knocked on her door and when she opened the door she saw "Jesus Christ." It was amazing. One of the most spiritual lessons I have ever had. She kept saying that we were her angels and how much she loved us. When we asked her if we could give her a copy of the Book of Mormon she said, "Oh but I don't need it." When she saw the look of disappointment on are faces she went on to explain that she had a daughter who passed away when she was a teenager and that right before she died someone had given her daughter a copy of the Book of Mormon. She said that she still had her daughters copy and that she would like to read from hers. Isn't that amazing?!? God truly is mindful of us all and he knows and hears are prayers. 

Lots of fun things happening this week, lots of follow-ups to do, interviews with President McDonough, and a lot of teaching. Are meal appointments this week are pretty slim so Sister Meek and I decided that we would cook for all the elders one night. A member in the ward, Sister Atterberry, makes the best egg rolls, we called her this morning and asked if she could help us surprise the elders. She readily agreed, and goes, "I think this is wonderful!" She is the neatest lady! She is from Taiwan and I wish yall could hear her accent! 

The ward here is amazing. The Bishop, the members, everyone is incredible. Sister Meek and I were talking of how spoiled we are to be here. We have learned so much from each member. You truly are always an example of something. Here in Texarkana there are many amazing examples of individuals who live nothing but good, faithful, selfless lives. We have learned so much, we are so blessed. Are children will be richly blessed by the members Sister Meek and I have been able to meet and associate with. 

 God answers prayers. 

Practicing  building God's true church

I cooked my famous chili and biscuits

Having a little fun

Only in Texas

Hay bales for my dad.

The girls came to the baptism! Got to love Loriann's faces! 

Lynn Walkers baptism on Saturday, (taught by the Elders). She is awesome.  she had to do a report on a releigion in school and she did it on Joseph Smith.  She requested missionaries from mormon.org.  Love her so much.