Update On Our Family and Missionary Moments~

March was a very busy month for us. Our Grandson, Elder Jackson Williams came home from his mission on March 25th. He just completed a two year mission in Omaha, Nebraska. It was so fun to see him again. He has grown so much spiritually and socially. It felt so good to hug this boy of mine.

Here are some pictures from the airport - Upper Left Jackson coming down the escalator; Upper Middle, Jackson and his two brothers, Joshua and Jeff; Upper Right, Jackson and his niece, Jadyn. 

Middle Left, Jackson and Grandma; Middle Center, Dana,Jackson, his brother Jacob and Nephew Sagan; Jacob, Jackson's Mom, Mary, Jackson and Dana, his sister in law. Lower left, Joshua, Jeff, Jacob and Mary; Lower Center; back row, Jacob, Mary, Jackson, his Dad, Sean, and Dana; Front Row, Jeffery, Joshua and Jadyn and Sagan. Lower Right, Grandpa, Jackson and Grandma

On Easter Sunday, Jackson gave  a marvelous message on the Atonement in his home ward Sacrament Meeting. This is often referred to as a homecoming report.  Afterwards, there was luncheon and Easter Egg hunt for the kids. 

Left Photo Back Row, Elder Williams, Sister Williams, Jed, Jessica with Myah, Joseph, Sean, Mary, Jackson, Dana and Sagan, Jacob, Jonathan, Gillian. Front Row, Lilly, Jadyn, Joshua and Jeffery. 

 This is a family photo of our Son Sean and Daughter in law Mary and their family with us. Here's another photo of Jackson with us. 

                       

My husband and I have been enjoying our missionary work. Here are some photos of the meetings that we attend with the younger Sisters, Elders and MLS couples.We have a Zone meeting once a month. We meet once a week for District Meetings.We have a weekly planning meeting with the Elders that we serve with. Quarterly, we have MLS Couple meeting for our entire mission. There are other firesides, and mission conferences as scheduled. We enjoy very much attending these various meetings. We learn so much and there is always a sweet spirit there that lifts our souls. 

Here is photo of our Zone meeting. 

Here is a photo of one of our weekly Planning meetings with the Elders we serve with. 

Our week usually is packed with studying and visits. On Mondays we typically have what we call a Preparation day. This is a day to catch up with our housework, errands, and couple planning. We can also plan a fun activity on this day. 

The rest of the week we make visits to various families and or individuals that we are seeing to help strengthen them in their testimonies through messages that we give. We also do team teaching with the Elders to those who are non members of our faith and are receiving missionary lessons. We are having wonderful spiritual experiences in the meetings that we have. We know that Heavenly Father is hastening His work of Salvation. We have many small miracles on almost a daily basis. Our testimonies of this work has been strengthened so much. We know that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is true. We have powerful testimonies of The Book of Mormon. We know that the church has been restored in these latter days by the Prophet Joseph Smith. We know that we have a Living Prophet, President Thomas S. Monson that leads and guides our Church. There are two wonderful men that are his counselors; President Henry B. Eyring.  and  President Dieter F. Uchtdorf.  He is a living Prophet to the World. There are 12 Apostles who serve with him. These men go throughout the world lifting and caring for the members of the church and reaching out to those of other faiths. They are special witnesses of Jesus Christ. There are many other men who are called to serve in the Quorum of Seventy who also serve throughout the world. 

All of the younger missionaries that serve are suppose to give several hours of service each week to those with needs. We also look for opportunities to do various types of service.  

Our Church is very much involved in caring for the poor and needy. This is one of the most important things that our church does throughout the world. Whenever there is a disaster and or a need for humanitarian service our Church is there.

With the recent Earthquakes the missionaries serving in those areas will be helping with the clean-up and other services as needed. Our Church will immediately respond and send help in the form of food, supplies and etc. Also, many members volunteer to go to these areas to help with whatever they are qualified to do. 

 I will be posting next week on a large service project for Refugees and other organizations that our Stake Relief Society just completed on Saturday 

Recently, my dear husband was diagnosed with a 20 in. Blood Clot in his leg. He is back on the medication that he was on last year for the blood clots he had in his lung. You can read that experience here. His recovery then was a miracle and we have had a miracle again. 

He rested for a few days and then we are back to work. He had a Priesthood Blessing and again his recovery has been miraculous. We know that our prayers have been answered and we are graterful for all of the prayers offered in his behalf. 

Due to all that has been going on I have not had the time to do blogging. I am missing all of you. I plan to get caught up with the reading of your blog posts within the next few days. You are dear friends and I do want to know how you are doing. If you are on Facebook you can find me on my Living Water's Facebook page. I try to do short updates each night. 

I am sending out lots of love and hug to you all! 

Feelings Of The Heart~

We woke up to a beautiful spring day. It is also the beginning of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saint's General Conference as found here. We have been looking forward to watching each of the sessions of conference that are broadcast over this Saturday and Sunday weekend. Here we listen to the voices of our beloved Prophet, President Thomas S. Monson and our Apostles along with many other leaders of the Quorum of Seventy and the Auxiliaries of the church. We always enjoy the music that is provided by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and other Choirs over these two days. 

 Before the conference began my mind went back to 49 years ago on the Saturday we were engaged. My beloved husband had just returned from his Mission in Northern California on  March 22nd of 1967. We had dated our Junior and Senior year of High School, attended the University of Utah together for a few months and he then left for his mission. I had waited for him for two years while going through Nursing school. Two long years where our communications were through weekly letters. When he came home our feelings for each other had not changed. I will never forget that precious General Conference weekend that we were engaged.We attended the next day the Sunday Session at the Salt Lake Tabernacle on Temple Square. The one fun moment was when one of his converts in the mission called us and told us that she saw us on TV at the conference.
From that day forward being able to attend and or watch General Conference in April and October of each year has been a highlight of our life together with our growing family.
 Now we have the privilege and blessing of being full time missionaries for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Conference is a special time to continue to build our testimony of the work. We know that our Heavenly Father and our Savior Jesus Christ love us all. They want all to return to live with them someday. This is the true Church of Jesus Christ. It has been restored to the earth by our beloved Prophet Joseph Smith. On April 6th of 1830 the Church was organized.  Since that time we have always had a living Prophet on the Earth to guide and direct us. President Thomas S. Monson is a Prophet just as real and true as the Prophets of old. The ancient prophets Adam, Noah, Abraham, Isaac,Jacob, Moses and etc. were prophets for their day and they wrote prophetic writings that are found in the Old Testament and the New Testament. Along with all those prophets are the prophets found in the The Book of Mormon. Here you will find the teachings for their day. The best part of the Book of Mormon is the visit to the Americas  of the Lord Jesus Christ to those people after his resurrection. This is found in the Book of Mormon; 3 Nephi chapters 8-28. He spent days with them teaching, healing and loving these people.
 We love teaching from the pages of The Book of Mormon. It is a 2nd testament of Jesus Christ as a companion book to the Holy Bible.  We invite all to read The Book of Mormon and pray and ask if it is true. Through sincere prayer you will know that The Church of Jesus Christ and The precious Book of Mormon are true. 
I would invite each of you to take a moment and watch our General Conference. You will hear messages of hope, love and healing. As you pray about what you hear, you feel the spirit and you will know that their testimonies are true. We live in difficult times and there is much turmoil in the world today but we have a Prophet who lives and guides us through these struggling  times. Come listen to a Prophet's voice and feel the Spirit testify of truth. 
Today I have had deep and poignant feelings within my heart of love for all of God's Children. These feelings are real and I know that we are all beloved spirit children of Heavenly parents. These feelings come from the depths of my soul. I love my Savior Jesus Christ and I know He walks with us during our difficult moments. I am so graterful for the Gift of the Holy Ghost that bares witness to me of truth. I love visiting, caring for and teaching others of the truths that I know to be true. I know all of this through sincere prayer to my loving Heavenly Father. I can not deny the feeling that come to me of truth through the Holy Ghost. I believe that God the Father is a resurrected and exalted being. I know that Jesus Christ gave his life through the Atonement for all his spirit brothers and sisters. He was resurrected and through this atoning act we will be resurrected. I know that through the ordinances and covenants of the gospel of Jesus Christ and if I remain true; I will return to live in the presence of my Heavenly Father and Savior Jesus Christ with my eternal companion and family. 

You can read about the Prophet Joseph Smith and the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ here.
You can learn more about our faith here.  
You can receive a free copy of the Book of Mormon here.