Steve:This past week has been very interesting.  The first half went by very slowly and then when we hit the second half that raced through at lightning speed.  I think the speedy portion was because we were busier.  We also had a small snow storm that brought some colder days, but overall it was a great week.

We worked Friday night, and we had expected to be a very slow evening based on the previous nights during the week.  However, we were busy most of the night.  Lorene had some very positive experiences helping some guests.  One guest was a non-member; however, they were able to find some records that she was able to take home, and based on Lorene's suggestion she will probably seek out a Family History Center near her home in Denver.  I helped a guest with the cataloge and sent her on to the International Floor to try and find records of her Great-Grandmother who was a prisoner in the Dachua Concentration Camp during World War II.  Our other Missionaires were also very busy during the evening too, and we all came away feeling like it was a successful evening.

On Saturday we went to the Mount Timpanogos Temple to do work for my great-great grandparents.  It was nice to have that opportunity.  We met our sister-in-law, Cheryl, there and it was nice to visit with her over lunch afterwards.  We have now visited all the Temples within our Mission Temple Zone.  While they may not look the same on the outside, each has the same special feeling on the inside.  While some may think we spend too much on these buildings, because of their importance to us and our desire to please the One whose Gospel it is, I don't believe that they are too lavish.

The highlight of the week for also came towards the end of the week.  I think all of us had at least one teacher who was our favorite.  For some, the teacher could be while we were in elementery school, for some it was a middle or high school teacher, and for others it could have been a college instructor.  For me it was Doris Samuelsen at Eugene Field Elementery School in Pasadena, California. Mrs. Samuelsen was an older teacher, but one who was so very kind and loving.  I kind of felt during my time in her classroom that I was someone who she truly cared about.  She was one of those teachers who cared about you not only in the classroom, but also outside the classroom.  On Fridays after school, I would wait on the curb waiting for my father to pick me up and take me to my real home after a week in my foster home.  If I was still waiting on the curb when she left for the evening, Mrs. Samuelsen would pull up on the curb next to where I was waiting and ask if I was alright.  On more than one occassion, she would drive me to my foster home to wait for my father.

As I have said, Mrs. Samuelsen was the most favorite teacher of all the teachers I have had through the years.  In fact, as my thoughts have turned to herover the years I have warmed by them.  This week was very special in this regard, for a felt a nudge to try to reach out to her family and share my thoughts about her. The computer and the internet can be such a positive tool at times.  Not knowing whether she had any survivors, I searched for any any children and ulimatley found a son on line that worked for the University of California system at one time, but I could not find any contact information for him.  Being saddened by this search I did some more searching on line and found another son and there was some contact information.  Ultimately, I was able to make contact with Scott via email and then we were also able to talk on the phone.  It was a joy to be able to share my memories with Scott and tell him how much his mother meant to me.  Because eternal families are so important to me and to each of us,  I got enough courage to ask Scott if I could extend those same blessings to his parents.  Being prompted to ask to do this and Scott being touched by my feelings for his mom and my desire to bring them these blessings, I received approval from him, so now Lorene and I will have the opportunity to do the Temple Work for his parents. 

Lorene:  This has been a special week for me also as I have come to understand some things that have been troubling me over the last few months. It's been hard for me to understand why I have had so many health issues and trouble sleeping.  I didn't expect to miraculously be healed while on this mission, but I thought that I would be better than I have been.  As I've struggled with the "why" of this, I've realized a couple of things: (1) If this mission had be "easy" for me, I wouldn't have grown as much a I have spiritually, and (2) I've learned how to trust in the Lord and His will and His timing.  I've also learned how to more fully depend on Him for strength.  I'm still trying to accept His will and align mine to His, but I'm feeling much more at peace.  I know that He loves us and that things happen, or don't happen, for reasons that we sometimes don't understand, but will be for our good in the long-run as long as we strive to keep His commandments.

I know He lives, and I have a testimony of this great work and am glad to be a small part of it.
We love you all and hope you are doing well.