Sister Lyndsay Wygant: A wonderful week

Good morning, Mama!

I'm sorry I forgot to tell you last week that we'd be having a preparation day this week! Transfers are, and we always have p-days to get ready. The great transfer news is that Sister Bell and I are staying together in Kent!!! YAY!! I love Sister Bell SO much, and I'm so excited to serve with her for another transfer. It will be strange in a way, though--I haven't served with a companion for more than one transfer since my trainer, Sister Ellsworth! This will be great. :) I'm so grateful that we'll get to keep teaching Dan and Brenda and everyone else. I'm excited for more miracles to happen in Kent. :)

Oh! We have some exciting news that I forgot to tell you last week. Elder Bowen of the Seventy is coming to visit our mission next month!!! He spoke in the October 2012 General Conference, and gave a wonderful talk about the Atonement. I remember loving his talk, and receiving so much help and comfort from it as a new, homesick missionary. I'm so excited that he's coming to our mission! And it's interesting that you mentioned Abraham in your letter...last week, we all studied the Abrahamic Covenant as part of our preparation for Elder Bowen's tour of our mission. Coincidence? I think not. I loved that study--I learned so much! This week we're studying the House of Israel (assigned at Elder Bowen's request). My first thought--from Savior of the World: "I pray thy merciful blessings upon me, my dear wife...and upon all thy children, the House of Israel!" :)

In other news, we had a wonderful week. We had a busy few days at Kirtland--including a great youth tour that included some kids from Syracuse, NY who know Ben Hale! Tender mercies. :) We also had Stake Conference this weekend, which was amazing. Our Stake President's name is James Kirk...really. :) President Kirk is a wonderfully kind, spiritually powerful man. He used to do a lot of road biking, and he shared an analogy that I really liked. Being diligent and obedient means pedaling hard and staying on the road. Simple as that! Also, the Youngstown Stake Center reminds me of the chapel in...Pacific Grove? The one surrounded by lots of trees. It was cloudy, so I pretended it was fog. :)

We had a great lesson with Dan this week. He was having a really hard day, and I know that he felt the spirit during our lesson. We just need to help him accept it! But we're working on that. I know it will come. :) He came and took a tour at Kirtland a few days later, and he told us that our lesson/message really helped him that day. Yay. :)

We also had a wonderful lesson with Brenda. She is the sweetest lady. I love her so much! We talked about the Book of Mormon and church attendance, and I think she really wants to come...she's just not sure about it yet. But she gave the closing prayer, and it was so sweet and sincere. She prayed that God would help her accept that that Book of Mormon is true! We didn't even ask her to ask that...she did it on her own. It was amazing!

We had a few minutes left at the end of the day, so we decided to go contacting at a park...and the first person we met was so prepared! We told him about the Book of Mormon and were going to leave it at that, but he asked to know more, so we ended up sharing almost all of the Restoration with him. It was so neat. We're hoping to meet with him again this week to start officially teaching him!

This week, I realized just how much I love studying the gospel--and how many, many experiences and events in my life have led up to this point and contributed to my understanding of the gospel. It's amazing to me how many choir songs I recognize as I study the scriptures. They're everywhere! I'm so grateful for Coach, and for the sacred texts and songs that he introduced us to in all my years in choir. I'm grateful to have learned so much about the gospel through music. :)

Mmm, blackberry jam. I was just telling Sister Bell about your famous blackberry jam this past week! Could we beg another jar? :) :) :) We've decided that we're not going to eat treats this next transfer...but we had the idea to try mixing blackberry jam with greek yogurt and freezing it. Healthy-style ice cream, anyone? Yum. :)

We have a new branch mission leader, Zane, and also a new member of the YSA Branch named Anna. She just moved here to start at Kent State. She loves marching band and DCI, and plays the flute. Not a coincidence. :) We got to help her move in to her dorm--it was such a blast from the past! Seems forever ago that I did that. :) We also passed the Kent State Marching Band's band camp on our way--aww. :) Speaking of, how are my band kids doing? What about Leslie and Sam? I love them all and miss them a lot. I didn't realize til that I hadn't been at band camp yet this summer--so strange! Ha ha. :)

Well, we're about out of time...I love you all so much! Thank you for your prayers and support, especially your prayers for our investigators. I am so grateful to have the opportunity to teach so many wonderful people here. Dan, Brenda, Cyndi, David, Mark...they're all some of my favorite people in the world. :) I love serving in the Ohio, and I love being a missionary! We represent the Savior Jesus Christ--how great is our calling! :) Au revoir until next week!

Love,

Sister Wygant