Email No. 16

Family! This week was just superb.

First things first! I absolutely LOVE the rain boots and rain jacket! You all know me so well:)

So Skype! I will be skyping 7:30pm my time, so if I can math correctly, that would be 4:30 your time. I know that that is right after church for you, but that is the only time that would work I think.... I don't know the email or anything that I will be using, but I know the members that I will be emailing from. The Gushue's. Anywho.... Think of questions, things you want to tell me! Write them down. Sing me a song, write me a poem. Sing beautiful ballads. I dunno. Free court here, really.

This week was purrty good. Sister Duncan and I get along just swimmingly. We started this new thing where we have a word of the day in an effort to broaden our vocabulary. Also, we geek out all the time about science and all that jazz together, so that's fun.

It also getting so so beautiful out. The grass is getting really green and I love it. The trees haven't quite begun sprouting leaves, but the buds are there. I love it. As I write this, it is about 70. It is so so beautiful. And everyone says, it just gets better. 

Our area isn't really that populated, but in an effort to get more exercise, and save some oh-so-precious miles, we have begun walking A LOT more. I love it. I can already see the results. So, fun story. We were tracting the other day and going along this really hilly road and we hadn't seen a house in for-ev-er. So we decided to start pretending like we were in an adventure/reality show. Saying things like "Criky! Look over there! It's a the very rare mail box! Let's go knock on the door and wrestle whatever comes out!" (read in an Australian accent) It was a fun time. And then, on another road we got to the end (took us an hour-ish to get there) and as we were coming up to this anciently old farm house we see this cat running up to us in the distant. And so we walked up to it's owner's home. They weren't there, but I joke you not, this cat just kept following us and whenever we would turn to it, it would start, what looked like seizing, on the ground. It was hilarious. So after about 20 minutes of it following us, I asked Sister Duncan what we should name him, to which she quickly responded, "Reginald! Reggie, for short!" Reggie followed us for about 45 minutes and then he disappeared so we were making a joke that a cat went tracting with us. It was a grand old time.

We were able to be apart of a huge miracle. There is this recent covert family that we are working with and the mother's daughter and fiancee recently came to live with them. Keesha and Brandon. We began teaching them about a month ago. The first lesson we had was fine, but something was off. And everytime we went back to teach them, neither on really wanted to sit in on the lesson. But about 2 weeks ago, Keesha really began sitting in and wanting to know more. But Brandon still wouldn't sit in. So last Friday night, we went over and Keesha couldn't come into the lesson because something came up. So we had a lesson outside, on a picnic table, by the fire. We taught the kids and after the lesson was done. Keesha and Brandon came out and we had just THE BEST talk. Brandon even said he would sit in on the lessons now!!! Oh, that made me so so happy :) Miracles!!! 

Yesterday and Saturday we were very privileged to have Elder Christoffel Golden and Elder William Titera of the Seventy at our Stake Conference. It was absolutely, incredibly enlightening. Mostly what they focused on on Saturday was keeping the Sabbath day holy. The Sabbath has been desecrated by man and we need to do all we can to keep it holy. By having family councils, father interviews, reading the scriptures, etc. The big take away was how can we better keep the Sabbath day holy. It is the day of the Lord and the least we can do to show our love for Him is by honoring the day He has set apart to rest our souls from the world.

In my studies this week, I came across this well known scripture in 1 Kings chapter 19:

 11 And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the Lord. And, behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the Lord was not in the earthquake:

 12 And after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.

As I sat pondering this scripture I thought, "Why would Heavenly Father, the creator of the universe, the Almighty, use a still, small, voice? He has all this power, yet He speaks to us gently. Why?" And this is what I felt is the reason: it is a test of humility. We pray and ask for things and then, often, we do not sit still and listen. We expect a huge lightening bolt to come down and then we will know our answer. But He wants to see if we are humble enough to recognize the way that He does answer our prayers. So the question is, are you humble enough to recognize the Hand of the Lord in your life? If not, repentance is real.

I know that my Savior lives and that because of Him, we can be with our families forever and experience eternal joy. I love this gospel and the light that it brings into my life. May we all have a renewed strength and zeal to live the gospel more fully.

I love you all!!!!

Love,

Sister Sewell

 Me and Sister Dellasilva

Sister Dellasilva, and President Sternal and his wife

Cool heater:) there are even cooler ones in New England

One of the 3 rivers in Milo... We had lunch on this cute picnic table. LOVE

Have I said that Maine is pretty? Because it is.

Pictures from Hailie's baptism

Derpin around with Sister Duncan

Scenes we came upon whilst tracting.

 I have titled this one "She has crazy eyes." Use at your own disgression.

Gorgeous sunset

 Brook we came upon while tracting

 What the heck are you doing reggie??!!!

Me and reginald.

 I thought you all would want a happy smily picture of me:).

WHOOPIE PIESSSSSSSSSS

 Pretty skies.

Cool house.

Fun little farm house that I covet.