Family and Friends!
What a week! This was a very special weekend for me, I have had some of the most amazing experiences so far of my mission, as well as my life, this weekend.
John and Jessica were both baptized. Saturday was a very stressful day for Sister Jo and I, but it ended on a fantastic note. :) Both John and Jessica I have been with since the beginning of their conversion process. Seeing the progress they have made and the strength in their testimonies has been one of the biggest blessings on my mission. The baptisms were beautiful, and everything went so well. On Sunday, President Murphy asked Jessica to share her testimony in sacrament meeting, and it was one of the most powerful testimonies I had ever heard. She told her conversion story, and how much the gospel had changed her life in the past 6 months and it was amazing. She made m cry, but I had her crying when I spoke as well, so it was all good ;)
On Saturday, my branch president called me and asked if I would give a talk on Charity. With the baptism and everything going on, I didn't have much time to think about it until Sunday morning. When I sat down at my desk to write my talk, the only thing I could think of was Grandma and Grandpa Goodman. Grandma and Grandpa are the most charitable people I know. In my talk I talked about Grandmother Goodman and how she responded to Grandpa Davis’ death. When he passed away, she didn't see her own loss, she saw the loss of many other people who had come to love and rely on him in many ways. She took them in and showed the most Christ-like love toward each of them. I talked about their examples to me and afterward I kind of felt like I was babbling on about my grandparents, but everyone was very touched by their strength and their Christ-like love for everyone. After church, the Young Women's president came up to me and was asking me all about my grandparents, and I continued to talk about how awesome they are and how much they have changed my life. She said that all of the young Women in the ward were touched by my grandmother's example and the Charity she has and that they talked about her for the majority of their lesson.
Last night I got a very sweet phone call from my mission president telling me that my Grandfather Goodman had passed away. I was very sad. Two days before I left on my mission, I had the strongest feeling that I would not see my grandpa again in this life, so I told my mom that I needed to see my grandparents again even though I had already said goodbye to them. They came over the night that I was set apart and I was able to see them one more time. In the past month that feeling that I would not see grandpa again had gotten stronger and stronger each week. And I was having a hard time with it. I wrote my mission president a few times about it and we came to the conclusion that this in between is the hardest part. Because I knew that he wouldn't be around much longer, and that thought of if I were home right now I could still give him one last hug kept crossing my mind- but I'm not, and I can't. We also came to the conclusion though that once he did pass, I would feel peace and comfort. That was our email conversation a couple of weeks ago, and so when he called me last night, he knew it would be tough for me at first. After I talked to him I had a short cry, but then felt better as I thought more and more about it. I thought about Grandpa and who he was, he was so Christ-like, always giving service and so selfless. He always was the greatest member missionary, and I know that he is now doing some awesome missionary work in the spirit world! When my mission president called me last night he said that for the rest of my mission, my grandfather will be walking beside me and that I would grow closer to him now more than ever. I am so grateful for the knowledge that I will see him again. I am grateful for the example that he has been to me and to so many others. I know that he had a testimony of the gospel, you could see it in his eyes and he had such a burning desire to share it with everyone he met.
I love you all and hope you have a fantastic week.
Love, Sister Davis
(Granddaughter of Roy Marvin Goodman)
Alma 40:12
OH! P.S. I am getting transferred to Potsdam, NY (which is wayyyyy colder than here) and I am going to be companions with sister Langford (when I first heard her name I thought they said Langseth-Brad-haha) And I am also going to be a sister training leader! I am so excited! :) LOVE YOU ALL!
note: Potsdam is close to where Kiera's Grandpa Bakow lives, I think she will be in the same district (stake), so she will most likely see him.
PIctures:
2 feet of snow on Valentines Day
John's baptism - finally
Jessica baptism
John and Ma "Ma will be baptized soon... by John"
OINK... (must be pig month - our nephew Jake sent pictures of pigs last week too)
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