25 August 2011

On Sunday, Sister Ma did the special music and OH!, it was the most beautiful and heavenly praise I’ve ever heard.  She is a trained opera singer, but she doesn’t push it.  She can hit and hold the notes with ease but it’s not at all overbearing.  And when she’s in a group, she doesn’t stand out, unlike some other singers.    She sang a medley of sorts – the first verse of The Spirit of God and all of Battle Hymn of the Republic.  It was amazing.

I saw something about a new Relief Society book being sent out.  It sounds really cool.  You’ll have to tell me about “Daughters in My Kingdom” if you get it.  We say it a lot and it mostly comes from me – “I can’t wait to read Church books”.  I am going to have to make time for a lot of Church reading.  Jesus The Christ being first.

I love when people give me letters with ideas to look at during personal study time.  And can I just say about our Kiwi – my goodness, I love her!  It rocks to have the same P-day as the roomies.  We sat on my bed for almost an hour looking at pictures today, after she sang for me.  And I just did some practicing with the poi she made.  Arm exercises disguised as Poly dancing.  My Kiwi’s gonna get me in shape!  And I’m joining Sister So and Sister F for Poly dancing tomorrow.  Sister M from American Samoa and NZ teaches it.  Should be interesting.  We’ll see if I can actually dance at all.

PresidentH talked about taking our problems and "whatevers" from the past and saying “so what?”, then turning “so what” to “now what”.  My brain went straight to “what’s next?”.  That’s my motto this transfer.  What’s Next?  Time to let past be past and think just about the future.  What am I going to do now to change?  It just reminded me of an old favorite scripture: 3Nephi 12:47 “Old things are done away, and all things have become new.”  I look at it like sins, mistakes, grievances, etc., even though Christ is talking about the old/new law.

I am getting an amazing genealogical/bloodlline lesson from my pure Mannassah Kiwi here.  It’s incredible.  I am going to love sorting out my Dad’s line.  Even if it kills me!  But it is time to wrap up now.  Hopefully next week I’ll be able to tell you about my Transfer Conference report.  And taking Sister So to In-N-Out.  She's never been and I can't believe there is one here in SLC.  A little bit of home right here!  So happy.

Love

Sister Clayton