April 6, 2015

This week was so good. As we got to testify to a random person on the street, this is the best holiday, it's Christ and chocolate. We were challenged to read John 14-17 to learn how Christ prepared his apostles for the first Easter. As I read those chapters I loved how often the word comfort is used. I realized that God never promised us the opportunity to live always comfortable, but he would always send the Comforter. I loved how they described Easter as the most sacred day of the year.

I love working with the members here! We had some powerful lessons that could not have happened without their help. One family even had us and our investigators over for an egg hunt, french toast and a session of conference with a few other ward members. Ha I think our investigators where happy to see that if they joined, they don't always have to wear skirts.

Speaking of chocolate, Larry, the recent convert whom gave me a bottle of smoked fish bought us chocolate bunnies for Easter and hand dyed some eggs. This is a tattooed 70 year old, tough veteran. It's humbling how kind people are to us and how fun it is to really see how the gospel changes us. I told Larry he's a softy now and he said yeah, but don't tell anyone. He is one of my favorite people to visit with and learn from. 

Speaking of learning...I got to attempt to use a chain saw attached to an extending pole to try to trim Grandma Rekow's apple trees. That was a hoot. I say attempt because my stubby arms had a hard time reaching the branches and Dennis (Grandma Rekow's son who lives next door) just laughed at me and helped me finish the branch. Ha it turns out its really hard to cut when you can't see the branch. You also really learn to appreciate Grandma who helps you know what branch to prune and why. I kept thinking of Jacob 5. All things really do denote there is a God.

Conference was great! It's hard to pick a favourite but the ones I needed most was Elder Bednar, Holland and the one about Shiblom. We had actually just been studying Alma's address to his sons and were wondering why Shiblom got gypped. I went back and read those 15 versus and thought, these are enough. Sometimes a lack of revelation isn't a lack of direction, it's that God has already given you what you need to be successful in what you are asking for. I left conference just happy and grateful I get to be apart of this family. I really do love you guys. 

Grandma made this crazy good chicken soup stuff. I did however find the feet of said chickens in the jars down stairs. I love Grandma Rekow's. Ha we are in Clintonville this week though and will be in Green Bay quite a bit for meetings and interviews with President. I now have mastered (ish) the round a bouts. Meaning Sister Payne is only slightly tense when I drive in the city. Ha we are lucky lucky sisters. 

From your chicken feet loving daughter, neice, grandaughter, cousin, friend Kaytie

1- We are visiting a lady at the hospital who requires we were masks during our visits. Good lookin eh?

2- Chicken feet!