Sunday visits

May 23, 2010 Sunday

This morning we visited Margaret Carruthers. We had talked to her last Sunday and she said we could come back and teach her today. She’s forgotten so much of what she knew about the church. We taught her a brief 1st lesson and then asked her what she’d like to learn more about. She asked to learn more about the Holy Ghost. We talked about Christ promising his apostles a Comforter. We also taught her about the promise in the Book of Mormon and how the Holy Ghost would teach her the truth of all things. She agreed to read a couple of chapters in 3rd Nephi before we return next week.
Manoz came to church today and seemed to enjoy it. The whole sacrament meeting was about the Aaronic Priesthood, and all the young boys spoke. During Sunday School, we sat with him and read the Book of Mormon. He’d had a tough time getting started at the beginning. He’d thumb through it and read here and there. He told us he and Aaron had talked until 11 pm last night. Aaron told us that Manoz told him that he was feeling closer to Christ as he read the things.
Tonight we had dinner with the Timson family. Brother Timson was Bishop of the Melville Ward for 3 years before it was dissolved. He and his wife are very young and had a little girl, Zaria, with naturally curly blonde hair, who is 2 ½. Sister Timson is inactive which made it really hard for the bishop. Bishop Palm wanted us to visit them. Orson called them a week ago to see if we could drop by in an evening, and Brother Timson invited us for dinner. It was so nice—we had roast lamb with mashed potatoes and gravy, broccoli, carrots, corn, and rolls. Then for dessert, Rebecca mixed some kind of caramel and served it with vanilla ice cream with “hard shell” drizzled over it and 4 squares of Cadbury chocolate served with it. If all the chocolate gives me a headache, it will certainly be worth it! Rebecca served a mission at Temple Square. She had some fascinating stories to tell about being there during 9/11, stalkers, security codes for the sisters, etc. She was also called to learn American Sign Language after she’d been there a couple of months and attended many different wards to help along with translating for “The Testament,” temple sessions, baptisms for the dead. She said that there are 3 deaf wards there in the Salt Lake area and that the people in them feel very isolated because so few people know how to communicate with them. She also did Temple Square tours for the deaf. There were also sisters called to learn signing in French and Italian. What’s sad is that she can’t use it over here: Australian sign language is different from American sign language. Mark joined the church in her ward while she was on her mission. They said the whole ward almost had them “betrothed” before she even returned from her mission. Good thing it worked out.
Tonight as we were getting out of our car, I noticed a young woman walking past our place with a cell phone texting on it. I said “Hi,” and she walked up and started talking to us. She is from India as is her husband. They live 4 units down. She asked what we are doing here so Orson explained and asked if she’d like to learn about our message. She agreed, and we have an appointment with them on Thursday morning before her husband goes to work on the afternoon shift.