Keeps getting lighter and lighter.....

Hi Friends and Family,

This past week has been such a great week, it has been so warm here in Anchorage. Well I guess for us it is warm as it got up to 40 the past week or so and we have been wearing our jackets. It is crazy as during the day it warms up and the snow melts and then at night it freezes up again, so basically it is just one continual wet mess.  Just looking forward to spring and summer that is for sure!  It is also crazy with the time change how it does not get dark until nine and that we gain 5 minutes of light a day. Of course i remember it from last year but I am not sure I could get used to it being light all the time.  I prefer having it get dark at night and so when the sun never goes down it is weird but it is fun at the same time.  

We had some great lessons this week with our investigators, Erica returned from her trip and we were able to teach her on Saturday. With her baptism being planned this upcoming Saturday and still having 2 lessons to teach her we felt we needed to cover the word of wisdom just to be sure she did not have any issues. After talking about it we found she was very willing to live the word of wisdom but she does have a smoking problem that she has to over come. She has overcome it in the past and has the desire to quit again but is not sure if she can do it in a week. We talked about the power of doing it with her heavenly fathers help and being able to know that she is doing it for the right reasons.  She is going to get a blessing to help her overcome the addiction and to prepare her for her baptism. We feel we may push her baptism back a week if she feels she is not ready by Saturday.

On Monday we set up a appointment with Ciara for Sunday to teach her the first lesson. We are excited to start teaching her again as she has been taught all the lessons before but was not sure if baptism is right. As we talked on Monday she said she is feeling more ready and would like to take the lessons again to see if she is ready for baptism. Her dad and sister are members and she hesitates as she wants to make sure that when she commits that she is doing it for the right reasons and that she truly desires it. We expressed to her that her desires are good and that she should realize that it is a big commitment but one that is just a step to eternal happiness. When we taught her the first lesson she told us she had never prayed for anything specifically she just believed that Joseph Smith saw God the father and his son. We asked her if she would be willing to pray and to ask for these things specifically. She committed to do so, one thing she said that really hit me was that she could feel the truth of the book of mormon. I love that she knows that power of that book and how reading it brings it to life. I am excited to continue to teach Kiara and be a part of her journey.

We also taught Terry on Saturday who said "I get why we need to be baptized, you sisters did a good job explaining it" I was so thankful to hear as it was the second lesson about baptism with Terry and he has taken all the discussions before. He committed to sincerely pray about being baptized and to make that commitment with his heavenly father.

I love sharing the gospel and I am so thankful to be here, I hope you are all doing well and know how much I love ya.

Love,

Sister Booth