"By Small and Simple Things..."

Hi everyone!

We had a really good week.  Not because of any big things, but just a lot of little things. 

We met with our friend Maria this week and she is SO awesome.  She's hilarious.  We read Alma 32 with her and talked to her about just starting out with a "desire to believe".  We talked about letting this desire work in her and grow and that eventually it will grow into something strong and powerful.  This is consistent with the Lord's promise that by small and simple things, great things come to pass. 

One of the sets of elders in the ward had a baptism this week. There was such a sweet spirit there.  Juan is the man that was baptized and he is the most humble man.  You could just feel how much the Lord loves him.  At the baptism, we met his granddaughter who is also the sweetest.  She's a senior in high school and was telling us how she loves her grandfather and that he's her best friend.  We found out she lives in our area so we went to visit her on Sunday and are going to start meeting with her this week. 

We taught a Family Home Evening lesson this week and talked to the family about Captain Moroni and the Standard of Liberty.  We teach this lesson fairly frequently for FHE with various families but, every time we teach it, it still impresses me.  We read these scriptures with them from Alma 46:

11 And now it came to pass that when Moroni, who was the chief commander of the armies of the Nephites, had heard of these dissensions, he was angry with Amalickiah. 

12 And it came to pass that he rent his coat; and he took a piece thereof, and wrote upon it—In memory of our God, our religion, and freedom, and our peace, our wives, and our children—and he fastened it upon the end of a pole.

13 And he fastened on his head-plate, and his breastplate, and his shields, and girded on his armor about his loins; and he took the pole, which had on the end thereof his rent coat, (and he called it the title of liberty) and he bowed himself to the earth, and he prayed mightily unto his God for the blessings of liberty to rest upon his brethren, so long as there should a band of Christians remain to possess the land—

This passage of scripture is just so vivid and powerful, I feel like I can see it.  Those are the things they were fighting for, their motivating forces when they felt they could fight no more: their religion, freedom, peace, wives, and children.  Wow.  We then asked the family to, together, make a list of the things that THEIR family fights for, the things they will defend at all cost.  Once they have this list, we invited them to display it in a place they will frequently see and remember their commitment to these values.  It's a really great activity and always makes me ponder the things I am willing to fight for. 

I know that the gospel of Jesus Christ is worth fighting for and defending and that when we do so, we are never alone because we have the help of heaven. 

A funny thing happened this week.  We didn't have a dinner appointment one night and we had this coupon for Papa Murphy's.  We went to use it and, before we even knew what had happened, we accidently bought three pizzas so we decided to freeze a bunch. Here's some pictures!  I also included a picture of my blistered, torn up foot. 

I love you!  Have a good week!

Love,

Hermana Meise

Note from Mom:  I don't know why my children always have to send pictures of their foot ailments when on missions.  Jeff did the same thing.  I guess it's somewhat of a badge of honor and testament of all the walking and hard work they are putting in. Or, maybe they're just looking for some good 'ole "mom-i-got-a-booboo" sympathy.  Feel free not to look.