When the article about genealogy in Africa came out last Tuesday we had just under 900 oral genealogies from Ghana linked online. We ended the week just under 1,000 loaded. We are so excited about the success of this two week project and we know that members and non-members in Africa are very excited too. We have heard from a woman in South Africa who will be sending us some of the orals that she has been collecting. We also are preparing some from Nigeria. We are excited about these because they all have picture. There is a lot of work to be done and we are still so excited to be here and participating in this great work.
Our Missionary Branch Choir sang today in Sacrament meeting again. We had 32 people singing in the choir. It was so wonderful. Our little choir has grown these last few weeks. When I began in late December we had about 21 people singing regularly. I am so grateful that there are many who want to sing and share their love for beautiful music.
I am also excited because next week is our Stake Conference and it will be held in the Tabernacle. Tonight we had a rehearsal for the Stake Choir and it was amazing. We rehearsed in the chapel of the Stake Center because there are so many people. Lots of us want the opportunity to sing from the choir seats in the Tabernacle. It will be very fun and it sounds wonderful. There are so many talented people in the church, but more have come out of the woodwork to have the chance to sing in those seats!! ^_^
I heard a little story in prayer meeting last week that I would like to share and I hope that I remember in my life. Elder Conlin, the British Zone Leader told about years ago when he had a young family to support with nine children on a barley farm in Soda Springs, Idaho. This particular year there was an early snow which was devastating to his crop. The big machines can't cut the barley when the snow is heavy enough to pull the heads down to the ground and much of the grain is lost. On the morning of the snow he was walking down the road grumbling to himself and his neighbor and Stake President (who was also a barley farmer) drove by and stopped to talk. Elder Conlin said he was going on and on grumbling about the weather and the situation and how it would impact his large family, etc. Then the Stake President said something to him that has remained with him his entire life. He said, "Bart, if the only reason you came to the earth was to grow barley then you would have something to complain about."
I love this short, gentle reminder to look at life and all that we encounter from the perspective of eternity. I am so grateful to know that I am a daughter of heavenly parents who love me and want me to be successful in all that I strive to do in righteousness. I am so grateful to know that Jesus Christ paid the price for my sins so that I won't have to if I repent and come to Him. He did that for me, for all of us, because He loves me. I am grateful that I can meet each challenge of my life with confidence that I do not have to meet them alone. No one does. What a great life we have. I am very grateful to be here so that every morning when we leave our door we can see a physical reminder of eternity.
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