Week 5 from Grandma
My dearest Children, Grandchildren, Family and Friends!!
I can't believe that we have been away from home for 5 weeks and in our beautiful little Temple for 4 weeks!! What a joy it is to be serving a mission. I just can't believe that I am so blessed to be here serving my Heavenly Father. My favorite thing to do in the temple is to work with the sweet patrons who come....they are few in number at this time of year!! I got to help two sisters who were receiving their own endowment and as I helped them with a portion of it, the Spirit was so strong that we all were touched. Another day, a sweet girl came in to do some work for her own family and was worried about inconveniencing us!! What a sweetie!!! I assured her that we were there to serve her!! Then, there is a sister who comes often who is either suffering from a bit of dementia or has a few special needs. She fills my heart with so much joy and love!! I have been reflecting on what we do in the temple and I am reminded once again of the account in 3rd Nephi of when the Savior comes to the Nephites and he let them come, ONE by ONE, to feel his wounds and he blessed the children, ONE by ONE. So it is with each of us. We are individually important to our Savior and our Heavenly Father, each ONE, and we are known by him. We had an experience today with a sweet sister we were asked to Home Teach. She lives in an assisted living apartment that she moved into in January. The ward knew where she had gone but not that her telephone number had changed. At one point during her visit, she told us that she had thought she had been forgotten because no one has visited her since January. She hadn't answered the bell when we rang her apartment after we found that her phone number was incorrect but both of us felt that we should still try to get in. An aide said she would go up to the apartment. How grateful I am!!! Toward the end of our visit, I felt impressed to tell her that she was known and loved dearly by her Heavenly Father and that He would never forget her. We will probably visit her every Sunday. Hopefully, we will be able to persuade her to come to church with us....but if not.... We also have another sister to Home Teach but her phone is disconnected also and she didn't answer her door....work to do there! Dad also told you that we would be teaching the youth Sunday School class and that we will be the Family History Consultants....in addition to me playing the organ for Sac Mtg and the piano for Relief Society and Dad teaching Priesthood occasionally....fun stuff...I LOVE our little Branch. We have 2 investigators attending church regularly now. Dad pretty much told you the rest of the week's happenings but I am sending the pics!!! Just as I was writing the last part there, Brother Nishimoto, first counselor in the branch presidency, called and asked us to speak. It is going to be a busy week....talks and lessons to prepare....oh....and working at the temple for 35 hours!! I LOVE our mission!!!
Well, dear ones, we had a wonderful, busy week!! We are tired but happy! Now, I need to get to bed so that we can start another amazing week. I love you all and think of you often...well, as often as I can with everything going on. You sweet grandchildren....I look at your pictures each night and each morning and you are in my prayers....I pray often that you will continue to always make good choices so that Heavenly Father can bless you. Have a wonderful week!!!
Love you so much!!
Grandma/Mom/Sandy oxoxoxoxoxox
There are a LOT of pictures....hope you enjoy them!
These are pictures that I took along our walk on Tuesday....can you believe the beauty of our Hill Cumorah!?!
The next set is along Lake Ontario on our way to Fort Niagara
These are at Old Fort Niagara
The Castle at Old Fort Niagara
Our Guide showing us the oven that could bake 40 loaves of bread at a time!!
All the men slept here
The Commandant's quarters - next two pictures
His bedroom
The chapel
A cannon demonstration - I loved this tree so I included it!!
Across the Niagara River from Old Fort Niagara is Fort George...in Canada!
This is the Devil's Whirlpool - the Largest Whirlpool in the world. At the top of the picture, the water is actually going upstream against the current. The next picture is the Niagara river up stream from this. The US is on the left and Canada is on the right.
The rest of the Pictures are at Niagara Falls...enjoy!!
Horseshoe Falls (Canadian Falls)
American Falls
The Maid of the Mist
50-mile an hour winds combined with the speed of the boat gave us an interesting adventure....I was SOAKED even with the rain poncho!!
American Falls
Approaching the Horseshoe Falls
Underneath the Falls....this was the last picture we could get without drenching the phone also.
From the observation deck after the boat ride...truly amazing!
This is our group of amazing missionaries....how I LOVE them!
I can't believe that we have been away from home for 5 weeks and in our beautiful little Temple for 4 weeks!! What a joy it is to be serving a mission. I just can't believe that I am so blessed to be here serving my Heavenly Father. My favorite thing to do in the temple is to work with the sweet patrons who come....they are few in number at this time of year!! I got to help two sisters who were receiving their own endowment and as I helped them with a portion of it, the Spirit was so strong that we all were touched. Another day, a sweet girl came in to do some work for her own family and was worried about inconveniencing us!! What a sweetie!!! I assured her that we were there to serve her!! Then, there is a sister who comes often who is either suffering from a bit of dementia or has a few special needs. She fills my heart with so much joy and love!! I have been reflecting on what we do in the temple and I am reminded once again of the account in 3rd Nephi of when the Savior comes to the Nephites and he let them come, ONE by ONE, to feel his wounds and he blessed the children, ONE by ONE. So it is with each of us. We are individually important to our Savior and our Heavenly Father, each ONE, and we are known by him. We had an experience today with a sweet sister we were asked to Home Teach. She lives in an assisted living apartment that she moved into in January. The ward knew where she had gone but not that her telephone number had changed. At one point during her visit, she told us that she had thought she had been forgotten because no one has visited her since January. She hadn't answered the bell when we rang her apartment after we found that her phone number was incorrect but both of us felt that we should still try to get in. An aide said she would go up to the apartment. How grateful I am!!! Toward the end of our visit, I felt impressed to tell her that she was known and loved dearly by her Heavenly Father and that He would never forget her. We will probably visit her every Sunday. Hopefully, we will be able to persuade her to come to church with us....but if not.... We also have another sister to Home Teach but her phone is disconnected also and she didn't answer her door....work to do there! Dad also told you that we would be teaching the youth Sunday School class and that we will be the Family History Consultants....in addition to me playing the organ for Sac Mtg and the piano for Relief Society and Dad teaching Priesthood occasionally....fun stuff...I LOVE our little Branch. We have 2 investigators attending church regularly now. Dad pretty much told you the rest of the week's happenings but I am sending the pics!!! Just as I was writing the last part there, Brother Nishimoto, first counselor in the branch presidency, called and asked us to speak. It is going to be a busy week....talks and lessons to prepare....oh....and working at the temple for 35 hours!! I LOVE our mission!!!
Well, dear ones, we had a wonderful, busy week!! We are tired but happy! Now, I need to get to bed so that we can start another amazing week. I love you all and think of you often...well, as often as I can with everything going on. You sweet grandchildren....I look at your pictures each night and each morning and you are in my prayers....I pray often that you will continue to always make good choices so that Heavenly Father can bless you. Have a wonderful week!!!
Love you so much!!
Grandma/Mom/Sandy oxoxoxoxoxox
There are a LOT of pictures....hope you enjoy them!
These are pictures that I took along our walk on Tuesday....can you believe the beauty of our Hill Cumorah!?!
The next set is along Lake Ontario on our way to Fort Niagara
These are at Old Fort Niagara
The Castle at Old Fort Niagara
A cannon demonstration - I loved this tree so I included it!!
Across the Niagara River from Old Fort Niagara is Fort George...in Canada!
This is the Devil's Whirlpool - the Largest Whirlpool in the world. At the top of the picture, the water is actually going upstream against the current. The next picture is the Niagara river up stream from this. The US is on the left and Canada is on the right.
The rest of the Pictures are at Niagara Falls...enjoy!!
The Maid of the Mist
Fun trip, thank you for the pics. Love, the Hicken's!
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