July 11, 2016

SO! On Monday the 4th of July we met this woman named Alice and I think I mentioned her in my last email. Well, she is a member who hasn't been to church in 17 years and after meeting her on her porch, she invited us back for dinner.  On Saturday they had us back over and we had an awesome time! They have amazingly behaved kids who are so involved in the discussion even though the 2 boys are 9 and 13 and the 2 girls are 15 and 18. Like whose kids are that into Jesus at that young of an age?! They are so great and we can tell that Alice really needs us, but we haven't found what that need is yet. She really needs help in raising her kids (even though she is doing an awesome job so far) she says. She says that they are individually and collectively in a place of crossroads so they want some direction from God. Alice is awesome; she still has a strong testimony of the gospel and it is funny because we didn't even really do much to find this miracle. 

What a testimony that God knows each of us individually and knows where we are and what we need. God knew Alice was there and so he sent a couple of clueless yet diligent missionaries to go find his lost sheep. What a humbling and awesome experience to be a part of it :) And then Serena (15 year old) came to church; the rest were out of town or at work sadly. But we are going to help them come this next week :)

This week was awesome, we saw miracles and we had interviews with the new mission president. We also had a leadership council and soooo many meetings but we ended up still fitting everything else in. God makes it happen; it is awesome! My testimony is growing so much and one thing that stuck out to me in church this week was "Go the long way home." We were talking about service and it is nice to think about each of us going just a little out of the way to go help some one :)

Love you!

Elder Howland

The caption that came with this picture was, "Scripture Power."

Dinner at a member's house, with their family.