Tremendous Temples

The North side of the new Ogden Temple.  It is spectacular  inside and out!

It was a temple weekend for everyone!  We had the amazing Ogden Temple Re-dedication on Sunday and the incredible youth celebration on Saturday.  We sent her some of these pictures, and she sent us a marvelous story from their week:

              Most of the kids in our ward sang in the 2000-strong youth choir.  It was magnificent!!             

Our Stake was in the Army of Helaman/Missionary number.  It was one of the best!

I love this picture!  The theme of the celebration was "Shine the Light".  This shows that perfectly!

From Sister Trommlitz: 
 
This week, our young man investigator actually went to the temple with his parents! It was right after we had a lesson with him and he told us he was 50/50 for continuing lessons with us. We thought he was done. 3 days later we find out that he went to the temple with his parents. He was looking for an experience that would help him draw closer to God. While he was there, he bought himself a quad (he had been wanting one since day 1) and later he found a triple combination and bought that too! Sunday he came to all 3 hours of church and was so happy. You could just see it in everything he did. He had his new quad open the entire time and was making comments in class. We hope this is the turning point for him. We haven't had a lesson since he went to the temple, but just from talking to him at church, he says he felt peace, but still seems a little unsure if it was the spirit. We hope when we get the chance to really sit down with him and talk about it in more detail, he will recognize that he was feeling the spirit and God was answering his prayers. The temple is truly an incredible place. I miss being able to go! 

I have a strong testimony of the temple. the peace that is felt there is not just a coincidence or just because of the beautiful grounds and building. It is not just from the quiet or the smiles of people walking by. All of that attributes to it, but it is peace from God because the temple is such a sacred place. It is God's house where we make sacred covenants with Him. I know the peace that he felt was the spirit confirming this to him and all that he has been diligently studying. I have never seen anyone desire for an answer so much. 

I remember when Rachel turned 12 and was so excited to be able to finally go inside the temple and do baptisms.  Ken and I took her to the old design Ogden temple, just the 3 of us.  I showed her around the locker room, got her clothing and made sure she felt comfortable, and Ken was able to perform the baptisms for those who have gone before.  It was a wonderful day.  But at that time I didn't know that she would prefer to be in the temple over almost anywhere else, over the next 6 1/2 years. When she could drive, there would be days she would already be gone when we got up (which is at 5 a.m.), having headed to the Bountiful Temple before school started.  And many Friday and Saturday nights would find her in the temple before or after hanging out with friends.  And many times she would organize her groups of friends for temple trips.  Others of her HS friends would also plan temple days and they would all go together.  It was a great way to spend some of her teenage  years.  After she made additional covenants when she received her mission call, she attended the Provo temple at least once a week until she left on her mission.  So when she says she misses the temple, she really means it!  Would that we all could have such a love for the Lord's house.  
  
Our ward had a day of service on Saturday where we cleaned and repainted a school playground. It doesn't sound like as big of a project as it was! It was great to see the ward come together and serve in the community. Service unifies the ward because it brings us all closer to God as we serve his children. 

Sounds like a great way to spend a Saturday :)  

 

A Clinton Miracle!

You hear and say a lot regarding missionaries, that there are certain people one is sent to a particular mission to reach, teach and love.  This week Sister Trommlitz found one of them!  It is exciting to see the hand of the Lord in our daily doings.         

This week, we had sisters spend a day with us as we visited less active families and guess what?! We met a sister who is from.... guess where..... CLINTON!!! It reminded me that there are specific people here that I have been sent to help. We both couldn't believe it. We laughed and bonded as we talked about recent changes in the city over the past 5 years and she gladly accepted to come back to church. We'll keep working with her and strengthening her testimony so she doesn't lose that desire.

It is so fulfilling to see less-actives who you are working with come back to church. We had another sister with many many trials who has recently started coming back.  I feel so much joy when I see her come to church and understand the gospel. 

Each week reading her emails, makes me re-commit to doing what I can in motivating myself, my family and the young women over whom I have stewardship, to reach out to everyone--those who currently participate fully in the church, those who have fallen away for any reason, and those who don't yet know or understand the gospel.  It is the shot in the arm I frequently need!  Thank goodness for good missionaries and good daughters!!  

Their favorite place to eat :)

I do not know why these missionaries chose the zombie look !:)

 

6 Weeks and 1 Transfer

Well, not a transfer for Sister Trommlitz though!  She and her companion are staying in Dalton.  She is happy to be able to continue her work there.  

Felicia and Jonathan were baptized last Tuesday! It was such a wonderful baptismal service and they radiated as they made this sacred covenant.  

Sunday was INCREDIBLE. Jonathan and Felicia were confirmed and Fast and testimony meeting was indescribably great. Sundays are always my favorite day of the week, but fast Sunday is the highlight Sunday of the month. Fasting brings the spirit in a way that is unlike anything else. So much learning and growth happens on those days.

One morning this week we get a phone call from the other sisters asking if either of us knew how to do family history. I was happy to respond that I had some experience. They then explained that they had a member who was going to come and set their recent converts up with an lds account and show them how to prepare family names for the temple, but could now no longer come. I was grateful that I was taught about family history and learned, so that I could help others do missionary work for their family members who have passed on. 

It is really great as a parent to know that things we as parents and church leaders have taught to our children are making an impact on their adult lives. (even if they do it kicking and screaming sometimes!) But Rachel took to Family History Work here at home just as well as she is taking to full-time missionary work! She even gets some time out there once a week to continue working on our family lines.  It is very exciting.  I have heard that if new converts to the gospel get involved in family history work right away, it increases their long-term activity level in the church.  So these sisters are really doing some great things with the newly baptized members! 
   

I gave my first training in our last district meeting. I taught about bearing testimony and as I studied about it, I gained a stronger testimony that we all need to share what we know. As we bear testimony we can teach principles of the gospel to people in a very comfortable way. Faith of all participants (those sharing and those listening) is strengthened. Don't be afraid to share your testimony! It is such a blessing to be able to do so.

Great counsel for us all!  I know Jesus Christ lives, that His restored gospel is on the earth today and we are a part of a great work in building the kingdom.  I know Joseph Smith saw, conversed with and learned from our Heavenly Father and our Savior Jesus Christ. And that he subsequently translated the Book of Mormon, the book that will bring us nearer to God than any other book on earth.  I am grateful for this knowledge and want to continually improve so that I can return and live with my Father and my family forever.  

Why she's holding a chicken, I'll never know!  

 The Dalton, Georgia District--They look like they're cracking up--I wonder what the story is behind that?!

 

From the ice bucket challenge to baptism

We didn't get emails from Sister Trommlitz on Monday this week, so we were anxious to see if they would come today, and they did!  I'm so glad she got to get outside a little and do something in nature.  That is really what she loves, being outdoors, appreciating and enjoying our Heavenly Father's creations. (Don't know how she ended up MY daughter!! She's definitely her father's daughter though!) For us, time is going by both slowly and quickly. We miss her, and we all, especially her siblings feel the loss of not being able to talk to her and see her regularly. I love what she said at the end of this email about faith.  It is such a good thing for all of us to remember.  Also, we know that there are people in the area of the country in which she is serving who need her to be there to teach and love them and to introduce or help strengthen the gospel message in their lives. I love that our Heavenly Father knows all, and that He gives each of us individually the experiences we need to continue to have the mortal experience we need.  Here are some excerpts from her week: 

Hermana Horrocks and I went to mutual on Wednesday where they did the ice bucket challenge afterwards. We went to just watch and take pictures of everyone, but we then got nominated!! And we couldn't just say no to a challenge! So in our skirts we sat down and allowed ice water to be dumped on our heads. ha! 

On Labor day, a family from the other 3 sisters area came down and took us to the Joseph Standing Monument and Cloudland State Park to go hiking. It was so needed... just to get out in nature and enjoy a good hike.

THE COUPLE WHO JUST GOT MARRIED ARE GETTING BAPTIZED TODAY!!!!! :) :) :) :) When they were trying on baptismal clothing the other day, I got so excited for them as I saw them in white. They are going to be incredible members of the Lord's team. They have solid testimonies and their faith is strong. They both have the temple as their goal and that's how it has been for most of the time they have been investigating. It will be a great day to see them achieve that goal.

The college student we are working with is progressing wonderfully.  He has now finished The Articles of Faith by James E. Talmage and the Doctrine and Covenants! He has been going to early morning seminary and enjoys that. We continue to pray that he will recognize an answer to his prayers. He has incredible potential as a member of this church. 

I went on my first exchange this week! I was with Sister De Hoyos in Harrison Bay and it was awesome! She is a great missionary and I learned a lot from her. We ended up doing service most of the day for a family that needed help fixing their house. They had just moved in and the place was A MESS. And not just a mess with clutter everywhere.... this house was destroyed. We helped them repaint and scrub the place down. 

I don't know where the time has gone! It is such a blessing and opportunity to be a missionary at this time. I love serving the Lord. I have been thinking a lot about faith these past couple days - how everything relates back to faith. It truly is the first building block and the anchor of our testimony. Faith in Jesus Christ is key and the more I develop that, the stronger other aspects of my testimony become. It all starts with faith. 

What?! Missionaries can't dance??!

The stake had a youth activity and it was in our area (which I am told is super rare because we are so far south compared to the rest of the stake!). But it was an awesome turnout! We played sports all day (it totally rained on us! Completely dumped!) and then had a dance that night (which we unfortunately couldn't attend. Something about the music not being missionary appropriate or something... but I think it was because we didn't want to make the youth feel bad with our dancing skills ;) )

I Love the photobombing ward member in the middle!!  

I don't have to remind anyone who knows Rachel that dancing is definitely NOT one of her talents!  But I am sure she had a great time playing the sports with the youth :)  So far so good in the great city of Dalton.  Adam is working with a trainer who works for a carpet company based out of Dalton, so he's spent a lot of time there.  He told us when he was there in '01, there was just a little tiny branch there.  Now Rachel told us it is actually a HUGE ward AND the Spanish ward too!  So missionary work has flourished in that area.  She shared more about the young man who came to church on his own.  I'm so glad to know what's happening so we can add our prayers to theirs for him.  Here it is:

 Last week I mentioned the young man who showed up at church of his own curiosity. Well, If you thought that was inspiring... wait till you hear the rest of his story!

Originally he was a mormon.org referral and he requested a Book of Mormon. We were planning on giving it to him on Monday when we first met with him, but because he came to church on Sunday, we gave it to him then.

On Monday we met with him, as originally planned, and found out that he had already read to Mosiah. Yep, he read to Mosiah in one night. We taught him the restoration and he happily accepted all of it and committed that if he found the Book of Mormon to be true, he would be baptized.

We met with him again on Wednesday and by then, he had finished the Book of Mormon. He had read the Book of Mormon in 3 days! He said that one night he was up until 5:30 in the morning reading it. When we talked to him on the phone one night he said, "I put [The Book of Mormon] at the top of my list of books to read and when a book holds that position, I get it read. It's kinda my priority book right now." He loved Alma 32, but he said that he didn't feel like he had a witness of the Book of Mormon being true yet.

We taught him the Plan of Salvation that day. He had really deep, good questions that he asked. In each lesson, he always seems to ask about the principles of the next lesson. He is craving knowledge! He wants to know everything.

We taught him the Gospel of Jesus Christ on Friday and when we asked what he had been up to that day, he said that he had been listening to conference talks. We hadn't even asked him to read, but he wanted to learn more and so he went online and looked up the conference talks! He is truly one who has been prepared by the Lord. He loves the Articles of Faith and when he was in a bookstore, he saw James E. Talmage's book on it, so he bought it and is beginning to read it. He said he is just trying to get his hands on whatever he can to learn more.

Sister Horrocks and I couldn't believe all of this. He was soaking everything in, and seemed to have no concerns about anything! Until yesterday.

Yesterday he came to church again, but left after the second hour without any real reason. We knew that something wasn't right. As we were texting him throughout the day, he expressed that he was having some doubts and was feeling overwhelmed.

We met with him that night and he shared that he was losing motivation after he had put in so much effort to find an answer, but still doesn't have one. He said he had been praying, reading and searching, but hasn't received a witness. We used the scriptures and tried to address his concerns. Right now we are praying for God to bless him with a confirmation that what he is reading is true. 

There are many ups and downs of missionary work.  Highs and lows that you have to realize are part of Heavenly Father's plan of agency.   In the end, our part is to do our best to add our efforts in bringing about the immortality and eternal life of man.  I don't doubt with caring missionaries and members, this young man will receive his answer.  

Sisters doing service helping wash a fire truck!  

One Month Out!!

This week's emails were awesome!  And she sent hand-written letters to each of us too, and even a birthday gift for Elizabeth!  Thoughtful girl :)  As she is sharing experiences, there are so many memories that come flooding back from Ken's and my missions.  The gospel of Jesus Christ provides opportunities for us here on earth for growth and experience that we could not get in any other way.  I am so grateful for what it does for me, my family and for the world. 

We have talked to many people who have connections to GA, and even to Dalton, surprisingly.  In fact Ken is working on projects at work right now with people who live there!  Rachel may even get a referral from her dad here in Utah!!   Interesting for a city with just over 33,000 people. 

Pretty, huh?

Here are excerpts and pics from Sister Trommlitz:

We have been so blessed through referrals! To start the week we had 9 we needed to contact, and then we received another 10 after only being able to contact 6! 

One of our referrals we received was a self-referral from mormon.org. He was requesting a Book of Mormon. We called him and he seemed very interested so we set up an appointment for the 18th to deliver the Book of Mormon and share a message.

Yesterday, we are sitting in ward council (a leadership mtg. that ward church leaders and missionaries attend) when we get a knock on the door from the ward clerk who says there is a boy here for his first time. Hermana Horrocks and I look at each other and suddenly realize that he is the referral that we talked to on the phone! We jump up and introduce ourselves and then show him to the chapel. We couldn't believe it! We hadn't even met him yet, didn't even invite him to church and he just showed up! He already knew a lot about the church from mormon.org and lds.org, but we were able to teach him a lot throughout church. The Elders told us that he even said the closing prayer in Elder's Quorum! (the teacher didn't know he was an investigator when he asked him... whoops! ha!) We then invited him to the baptism that night of an 8 year old girl in the ward, and he came! He is 18 and attending Dalton State. He truly has been prepared. We are teaching him today about the restoration of the gospel and I still can't even believe how all of this has happened. Heavenly Father has truly led him here.

Then on Tuesday the Relief Society had an indexing activity that we attended. A member invited a single mother of 5 kids working at Wendy's which is where they met. I sat down next to her and began talking to her - first about family history, but soon about the Book of Mormon and how it can answer the questions she has in her life. She began to get a little emotional as we testified that the Book of Mormon can help her with the trials she faces. The spirit was very strong. She accepted our invitation to come to her home and teach her more.

On Saturday we had our first lesson with her. We met her children who I fell in love with! They would LOVE primary. The lesson went well and we hope to visit her again this week. 

The couple who got married is still working towards baptism.  They have been coming to church and Rachel and S. Horrocks are hopeful it will be soon.

I got a little emotional when reading the story about the single girl with 5 kids.  It sounded similar to my own family's conversion story.  My mom was raising us 3 kids by herself when introduced to the church through a client whose hair she was doing as a beautician in California.  It was through the weekly children's primary program that we attended as children, that our family's journey to the gospel began.  Since being baptized 40 years ago, mom has never looked back.  I can't recall a single Sunday that we missed church.  Not to mention all the activities and teaching opportunities we were able to be a part of as youth during those years.  Fast forward to today and mom's 6 children, 13 grandchildren have been baptized, with at least 2 more to come in a few years. All of us are  active and participating members of the church along with wonderful spouses, but 1. He'll come back around... :)  Baptism surely is the key to the gate that leads us back home to our Heavenly Father.  We miss Rachel, but wouldn't want her to be anywhere else!   

Settling In

"I want to be a missionary now"...

No Georgia pics from this email (added some later) :(  So just a quick update from her:

 "The first Sunday in church I was asked,"do you play the piano?" Of course, I happily responded yes, and was then asked to sub in Primary the following week. Yesterday was the day and I LOVED it. Even though I was only in there for one day, I loved being with the kids and playing songs that I cherish, but have not heard for a while."

"The best is meeting the members and actually teaching." 

"As I have been here, I have realized how prepared I am, but also how unprepared I am. Heavenly Father really knows how to work with me. He compliments me, and then shows me what I need to do to improve and become who He needs me to be." (Sound like a good recipe for parenting??...:)

 "It has rained the past couple of days so I got to wear my rainboots! but afterwards, it was soooo hot! The rain was crazy though! It really pounded down and I LOVED it! If I weren't in a skirt, I would have totally danced in it and enjoyed getting drenched!  There are so many trees! It is hard to find our way around because of it, but it is gorgeous!" (Could it be any better for a girl who had her start in Oregon!)

 

Dancing in the rain :)

"I have loved my personal study lately. I am focusing on the Christlike attribute of humility which has been a great quality to develop early in my mission. I learned today that saying something is too hard is an evidence of pride in yourself because you are relying on your own abilities rather than God. So in a way, you're right when you say that, because alone, it is too hard to do. However, with God, we can do all that he asks and commands us to do."