Dearest Mommy,

Well Mom you didn't send me any questions so i guess ill just elaborate on this week haha. This week was so awesome and a answer to prayer let me tell you. We had so many miracles happen this week. It all began with the Delacruz family, they are so awesome i don't know if i have talked about them before but i will talk about them again! The Delacruz family Elder Barnes and Elder Tubbs on the street one day, Peter (the dad) was out doing something and they stopped to talk to him and he accepted a book of Mormon and asked them to come back, and then Elder Barnes and i went back and started to teach them. now Peter's wife Sister Delacruz (i haven't found out her name we aren't really supposed to know) anyways she is very strong in her church, but we have been teaching them and slowly but surly she has come to accept our message and they both are now reading the book of Mormon and praying to know if it is true. They are so close and They made the comment that they are really considering it deeply and want to truly know, so basically they will be baptized in the next two months haha. and we have had so many of our Potentials schedule actual appointments with us to come back and to teach its been so awesome! I think the Lord might be having pity on us because it has been about 5-10 degrees all week here and one day it was -20 with the wind chill, i literally put on my sweat pants underneath my dress pants and had like 4 layers on under my white shirt and then a sweater and then a coat, it was so cold. But the true miracle was the Steffler Family, i will continue to elaborate, The Steffler family is a part member family, there is Travis (dad) Michelle (mom) Heather (daughter age: 24) Kevin (son age: 16) Kaity (daughter age: 14) Jasmine (daughter age: 14) they are two separate family's now one Brother Stefflers children are Kevin and Kaity and Sister Stefflers children are Heather and Jasmine. Sister Steffler and Heather are members but less active and the others aren't member's. This family has taken the lessons for like 5 years and nothing has ever happened, but elder Barnes and i decided to go and start teaching them. They are the coolest family and we have been teaching them for about three months. Brother Steffler says that he hasn't joined because he hasn't had the spirit tell him to yet but we taught them all the lessons and about two weeks ago he started to say "i cant stop thinking about baptism" and so this week we went in and were talking then we got into the lesson. Then Brother Steffler looked at me and said "I've been reading and praying, and ive come to a decision that i want to be baptized, so lets work towards that, whatever it takes." I litreally wanted to jump up and down for joy!!!!!!!!!! The spirit was so strong and then the two girls Kaity and Jasmine said that they wanted to be baptized also! How great is the lords joy right now! It was so awesome and so now they are on date for the 22nd of February it is so awesome and every since Brother Steffler committed he says that he cant stop smiling and not have a great feeling. I know i cant stop smiling and being so happy that they have made this choice it has been an awesome week. Oh and stake conference was this weekend and so President Ware was there and so he got to meet the Stefflers and Bonnie (we brought them with us to stake conference it was so awesome!) and so that was a great experience they felt the spirit so strongly, they told me that they felt like every single talk was centered towards them it was so cool. I LOVE THIS WORK!!!!!!!!!! and I LOVE YOU EVEN MORE!!!!!! :) anyways questions haha now because you just sent them.

1.  Is it still going good with Elder LaFond? (BTW I emailed his mom....seems he comes from a really musical home)

       A. I LOVE THIS ELDER!!!!!!!!! he is so awesome we get along swimmingly and we have so much fun and work so hard its awesome.

2.  Is it getting warmer up there?

       A. (see email above and.........no)

3.  So what is the most popular meal the members feed you? (Like do you have the same thing several times a week or what have you been fed the most?)

       A. we get a variety but i honestly can say that the most common though is pizza which no complaints here i love it haha.

4.  Is there very many tourist sites in Moses Lake?

       A. No not really just no not really haha

5.  What is a personal story that you like to share with investigators?  Members?

       A. Cute Joanie and Tate its awesome and the one about me in high school and alma 38 :)

6.  Are you still teaching Gospel Principles?

       A. yes for now but we should be getting a teacher here in a little bit so ya

7.  Is the baptism still scheduled for next weekend?

       A. (See email above and........yes)

8.  How are the other investigators coming along?

       A. great everyone is progressing alot its so awesome. I love it

9.  What is a touching thought or scripture that you have used or read this week?

          Moms are awesome....... yeah

      A. 47 Now they never had fought, yet they did not fear death; and they did think more upon the ^aliberty of their ^bfathers than they did upon their lives; yea, they had been taught by their ^cmothers, that if they did not doubt, God would deliver them.

 48 And they rehearsed unto me the words of their ^amothers, saying: We ^bdo not doubt our mothers knew it.

Hi JoAnna,

It was nice to get your email.  I had asked Jesse (Elder LaFond) to tell me about his companion, and when he wrote, he didn't mention anything about him or the family they are living with!  So, it's nice to hear about him through you! 

My name is Erin and Jesse is number 3 in our family of 4 children.  My oldest is Naomi, who is 25. She has a BA in theater and is pursuing a career in improv and sketch comedy. She also loves dance and has been a Children's Theater teacher as well as a Jazzercise instructor. My second daughter, Meridith, 23, was married in the Nauvoo temple a couple of summers ago to a sweet, sweet man, Donnie Howell. Donnie joined the church about a year before they married. When they were kids, his best friend was a Mormon, and he went to youth conferences and stake dances and hung out with all the LDS youth. He initiated taking the missionary discussions around the time he and Meridith started dating, and although one might worry that he would join the church for the wrong reasons, there is no doubt that Donnie has a strong and true testimony! I'm so pleased that they waited that year to be able to be married in the Temple!  Donnie is pre-med focusing on psychiatry. Meridith is our artist. She has quite a talent in all kinds of mediums, but her favorite is chalk pastels.  Brice is 16, and a Junior in high school. He loves music. He plays guitar and drums, a little piano and loves to sing.  All of the kids have been involved in competitive Show Choir which is pretty big here in their school and around the Mid-West.  I was most shocked when Jesse joined Show Choir, because although he is a great singer, he was never one to want to perform. He really got involved in choir, and it made a huge impact on his life for good. All my kids have an ear for music, so there was always a lot of singing in harmony in our home. Jesse truly has the kind and giving heart of a server. He is also no stranger to hard work.  He is ready to be on his mission and I can tell he has an open attitude of seeing God's hand in his life. He says your son has only been on his mission a short time, but is already training. He is very happy to be serving with him!

  

I guess my children come by the art bug honestly, as I am a HS drama teacher here in Columbia.  I was a stay-at-home mom for 16 years, (which I loved ) and in 2003 I finished up the degree in Theater, which I had started back in the 80's, and I got my teaching certification. I have been a single mom now since 2006, but I am doing very well and believe that is all because I am completely committed to hanging on to the iron rod! We had a temple marriage, which was why I believe I hung in so long, but the best I can say is that the spirit has confirmed to me over and over that this was the right thing. Sometimes the answers to prayer come in very unexpected ways.  

I also love the outdoors and swimming, biking and exercising.  I love warm weather and can only stand Winter when it snows! I've been to 4 corners with my family when I was young and I remember it well. It was cool!  This past year, I've been getting up at 5am and walking with my dear friend, Tania, who suffered a massive heart attack the week after the birth of her 7th child. She is truly an inspiration and a miracle!  I have such a crazy schedule, it's been my only real exercise this school year. Jesse's father is a carpenter by trade, but has had a wallpaper business for years.  He loves to hunt, is into body building and also is very artistic and a lover of music. 

I also served a mission.  I served in the Hartford, CT mission from Fall 85-Spring 86. It was one of the best experiences of my life and I have many happy memories of being a missionary. I still keep in touch with many of my companions through facebook, and two of them are some of my favorite people on the earth!  I am so thrilled and excited for all the important insights and lessons these young missionaries will gain by serving the Lord full-time. God is wise and good to take the weak things of the world to confound the wise. It really is a great thing for both the missionary and those searching for the truth!   

It was really nice to hear from you.  Thanks for sharing with us about Elder Bethea and your family.  It's wonderful that he is such a great example to your younger boys! I have heard of Missionarymoms, but don't know that I will be able to take the time to join it.  My schedule is rather harsh.  

Nice to have met!  

Keep in touch,

Erin

 

Missionary Ninjas or -20 with wind chill.....maybe both!!!!!

 

SNOW!!!!

Bonnie....Baptism Date February 22nd!