Last Sunday and Fast Sunday

So I wanted to write about last Sunday, as well as today (Fast Sunday). For those of you that don't know what "Fast Sunday" means... it's not shorter meetings :) It's the Sunday where church members fast (don't eat or drink).

LAST SUNDAY (Our first Sunday in Sycamore)

We knew about a week or two before we arrived, that we had callings in our new ward. I am responsible for teaching the 12, 13, 14, 15 year old boys. 

Boys? Umm... Ok I don't know if I had ever even met a 12 year old boy before (obviously an exaggeration but you can understand my willing admittance to knowing nothing about this particular species of human).

When Bishop Malley called us that two weeks prior, and offered us callings, I felt the Holy Ghost tell me that I was needed. There is a reason I'm called to be their teacher. I felt so strongly that this was the right path the Lord wanted us on, it nearly brought me to tears. So immediately my mind thought about this first lesson I'd be teaching. Heck, I didn't know when I was going to have time to plan it out. But it went, perfect.

When we arrived at church, we were called as new members and then sustained with our callings. I felt the sprit so strongly, like it was wrapping its arms around our family and trying to tell us "thank you for being here".

So after sacrament meeting, I met a few new people that welcomed us, then I made my way to my new classroom. Brother Binham, from the bishopric, came with me and basically told the boys they better behave.

So 1...2...3...4...5...6... (gulp)...7...8...9... boys. Yes. There were 9 boys in my class. Awesome! My attitude toward this calling is *fist pump* bring it on - let's do this, have fun and learn lots. I have always felt very ready, and honestly it didn't take much time (if any) for me to start loving these kids. They are fun, energetic, silly, weird, handsome, strong Aaronic Priesthood holders who have great testimonies.

I made sure I asked four get to know you questions to each of the boys, not only so I could remember their names but to learn something about them. I genuinely want to get to know them better.

After having fun with asking them questions, and letting them ask me any questions they wanted we got into the lesson.

Part of me wants to write lots of details about how the lesson went, but instead I think I'm going to share one very personal, and touching experience that happened that day.

My lesson was about what we can learn from the President of our church, Thomas S. Monson, about following the promoting of the Holy Ghost. I decided to show this very very touching and person experience that President Monson tells in this video (try this link if the video link doesn't work).

I turned the video on on my MacBook then turned off the lights. My laptop was on the table, and since there were nine boys, I thought they might be able to see easier if I held the laptop on my lap. So I quietly grabbed the laptop, put it on my lap and crouched down. I was not very comfortable, but I figured it was better to be slightly uncomfortable for 3 minutes than for the boys not to be able to see.

Then something amazing happened, as we all watched in silence, President Monson revealed his story of a very sad, depressed and suicidal friend who had become partially paralyzed due to an illness. As President Monson immediately followed the prompting that he needed to immediately visit his friend, it was that very moment he arrived that his friend was contemplating an alternative to life. (Honestly... just watch the video. It is an amazing story).

As I listened to the story, I noticed the boys around me leaning in to see, I noticed them watching and listening to the story and I felt the Holy Ghost in our classroom testify of what President Monson was saying.

At that moment when President Monson says, "Never, never, never postpone a prompting." I looked up and noticed the only light in the room, the rectangular window of white light among the dark classroom. President Monson's message to "Never, never, never postpost a prompting" sunk deep into my heart.

There's a bit more to the story that's a little personal, so I won't share it online. But I guess the takeaways' are this:

• I feel like the Lord is watching over us, and we are on the right path
• I am going to commit to never ever postponing a prompting

Fast Sunday (Today)

(Gee this post is long... I'll try to shorten it up). 

Well, in continuation of last Sunday's lesson, I decided to follow a few impressions I had. I got up and bore my testimony in church. I did so after a woman in our ward bore her testimony in Spanish (she is from Honduras, does not speak English) and I thought I'd tell her thank you for bearing her testimony in the little spanish I do know, "Yo no tengo mucho palabras, perro gracius para to testimonio. Que linda!". 

Well, after church the sister missionaries in our ward (las hermanas) came up to me asking if I'd be willing to go on visits with them. 

Um... of course I said YES! But I have no idea if that means I'll be needing to bust out any more Spanish or what. Whatever it is, I'm up for it. 

We'll keep today's story short and sweet (since it's also getting late for me). This summer is a summer of YES's. Lot's of adventures, and just living life. Experiencing new things. And getting outside of my comfort zone. 

Love you all, and thanks for reading. 

Natalee

Here's a picture from our weekend adventures... more to come!