We live our days ahead of you, but Conference is delayed. . .

The Father and Son's Choir for Priesthood Session

We have only caught snippets of conference so far.  We did listen to the whole final session together in our flat on Monday morning.  It was wonderful.  We listened hungrily.  President Thatcher has already experienced Conference as a missionary on his early mission to Holland, so he knew how the words of the prophets have an added glow while you are serving a mission.  But I am experiencing it for the first time.  The talks seemed to sing the music we want our investigators to hear.  We ache to have them listen for themselves, and feel the power of the Spirit as if flows from the leaders of this church.

New Zealand members watch conference on the Saturday and Sunday after you all enjoy it at home.  To watch it live here they would have to assemble in the middle of the night.  So they broadcast it at the churches on the following Saturday and Sunday.  They will do this at the MTC for the missionaries.  And in our Clover Park Ward as well.  This Saturday at the MTC, they will watch the Saturday sessions and in the evening the Priesthood session for the Elders and the General Women's session for the Sisters.  We are anxious to see the Father and Son's choir from Cache Valley then, with  all the missionaries.  We will be so proud.

Yesterday we finally got the Priesthood session downloaded on our computer so we could see and hear the choir with Greg, Eric, Thatcher, Mark, James and Stephen who participated in it.  I spent a couple hours searching, rewinding, and taking pictures of them as they sang.  We recognized a lot of friends in the choir as well as our family members.  It was fun to see and wonderful to hear the beautiful music they performed.  Greg told us that Elder Stevenson came up into the choir after the session and said, 'You have done Cache Valley proud!'  We thought the same.

Thatcher, Stephen, James, and Eric outside the Conference Center, all looking sharp, if I do say so myself!

Eric, 'Put your shoulder to the wheel!'

Greg, who always does his, 'duty with a heart full of song'

Mark, (top center) 'We ever pray for thee, our Prophet dear'

James, 'May my heart, be turned to pray'

Thatcher and Stephen 'We all have work, let no one shirk!'

An extended family member we didn't know was singing, Garth Ferrin

We were happy to see the Paradise 3rd ward represented so well with our dear Brother Mat Weaver and his sons Joe and . . 

Jacob Weaver ( or is it Jacob and Spencer? Joe might be on his mission)

Gifford Baugh and son - such old good friends!

Even Sheryl Clawson (the man in glasses) 

Sheryl Clawson is an old friend from our Providence days.  Jeff and Aaron forever immortalized his name in our family by giving his name to one of the kittens in a litter.  They named each kitten after a famous person.  If memory serves, there was a George Wash-his-paws, a Simon Ball-of-fur, a Golda Mouser, but they struggled to name the last kitty.   I think if was Jeff, who with delight remembered our friend and ward member, who in Jeff's young mind, was as famous as any of the other people honored in such a distinguished way, I remember his exuberance as he shouted out the perfect name for the last kitten,  'Sheryl Claw-son'.

We also saw Brother Hutchins, and Doctor Graham and several others from our Hyrum Stake.  It made us feel not so far away and also that we, and those we love back home, are all a part of the same  great Latter-day work, bearing testimony by song as well as word and all 'putting our shoulder to the wheel.

Update on missionary work:

The Edmonds;  We love this family.  Keala, the mother is rare in these parts.  She calls us! She thanks us often and encourages the children to listen and learn.  Her younger brother Richie (in his 30's) has stolen our hearts.  He is the kindest and gentlest human and is such a help to this family.  We stopped by yesterday for a moment and he held sleeping little Waimarie in his arms with a big smile on his face and little Tiana holding onto his leg.  He always seems so happy to see us.

But our happiest news is that Teqwyn the 14 year old not only came to YW's last night but brought 2 friends with her.  She is our first investigator that we have gotten inside the church and she loved it!  Richie told us she was at the church so we dashed over and took this picture to send to the two Sister
missionaries who had made that sweet video for her.

Teqwyn in the pink sweater at the YW's activity

Corinne Ols, is the YW's first counselor and she has worked her magic with Teqwyn.  She has visited her and invited her to YW's.  We LOVE Corinne.

We haven't had as many contacts with the families this week due to school break and their being very busy, but Elder Thatcher thought we needed to go visit all three families last night and invite them all to Conference this weekend at the church.  He wrote out a 3/5 card for each family with an invitation to read the testimonies of the 3 and 8 witnesses of the Book of Mormon and to have family prayer.  We had 3 wonderful visits.

At the Singh's house, Ronak happily brought the Children Friend we had given him and showed me each article he had read and the games in it that he had played.  He said he was trying to remember to say his prayers.  They sounded excited to come to conference.

Antonina's little girls were also very excited about Conference.  We told them we could watch it with them this Saturday or Sunday and that we would make them coloring sheets for Conference.  They loved that.

I really like my inspired companion.  He is always praying for these families and seeking to know what to teach them and how to be more effective.  I love following by his side, as we 'go and do' what he has felt we should.

I am learning to recognize the Spirit as I have never understood before.  I feel the lightness in my heart and the warmth of the Spirit in my soul, on a much more regular basis than I ever have.  I am so grateful for this.  The teachings we hear at the MTC are clearer in my mind and my faith is being strengthened as our being led by the Spirit is escalating.  I hear President Howes testify to the missionaries that if they just ask, the Lord will guide them, the Spirit will tell them where to go and what to say, 'He will!' President Howes testifies, and it goes down into my heart as a certainty!

All the common things we say in the church and hear over and over again, have a new glow for me;  We are children of a loving Heavenly Father!  We have a Savior who wants to help us! Prayers are heard! The Book of Mormon has a power to change us and bring us closer to God! We are led by prophets today!  Instead of having the ring of sameness, all these statements shine with a newness of life for me.

I was trying to explain to Sister Howes this feeling last night and she told me this is because I am feeling the spirit of missionary work.  She said that so often when people leave the field they have an emptiness in their lives because the great spirit of this work is dormant.  She talked about Clayton Christensen's, book 'The Power Of Everyday Missionaries' and how he teaches that to become missionaries wherever you are will bring that spirit back into your lives and homes.

We have watched so many of you being missionaries in your wards and among your friends.  We have long admired your good missionary efforts.  We  are  thankful that you, and anyone who loves the Lord can share what they love with others and  can feel what we are feeling here.  We hope to be better 'everyday missionaries' for the rest of our lives.  We want the gospel to feel fresh and  alive in our hearts always. It is the Spirit that giveth, not only life, but a newness of life, even to words, thoughts, and doctrines we have always known.

Amy, Megan, Jeff at the Logan Temple

Congratulations to our dear Megan.  Our first Endowed Grandchild.  We are excited for you as you embark on this adventure of a mission.  We have a little glimpse of the things you will face and of the power that is about to come into your life.  We love you Megan.

Go Aggies! Alex and Lauren look happy at the big win against BYU

Sounds like a few of you got to watch the battle between BYU and the Aggies.  Many of you must be smiling and some a little dismayed.  President Briggs tells us it is a great year to be serving a mission with BYU so painful to watch.

Greg and Jett enjoying the fall weather

We get the sweetest reports of the grandchildren missing us.  Jett often tells his mother that he misses us.  He sends us emails asking when we will come home and saying he is sad because he didn't get to hug us goodbye.  We miss you too, Jett.  We miss all of our darling, sweet, wonderful grandchildren.  We would love to give each of you a big hug.  And we will in a few short months.

Murphy, Easton and Benson

Murphy sent us this picture of Conference time in Paradise.  It looks so beautiful there.  We feel very spoiled in that we have so much space in Paradise.  The homes here are close together and the lots small.  Our little neighbor children have a porch the size of our little bedroom at the top of the stairs at home, to play in.  They ride their big wheels up and down the sidewalk and we long for them to have room to explore.

Our darling neighbor, Deanna the mom, Roman the big sister, and Titus and Eli the little brothers

These children love to knock on our door because we give them suckers and other treats.  The missionaries who lived here before us gave the children cookies.  It was Amy's idea to be the Lollypop missionaries.  It has saved time and I think we are just as popular.  Sometimes we offer fruit.  Deanna likes that.  She is all for healthy treats but Titus and Eli will take the apple or banana and just stand there waiting for the lollypop as well.  We never can resist.  They will sing us songs as a thank you like 'Jesus Loves Me, this I Know', or 'Twinkle, twinkle, little star'.  We are teaching them, "I am a Child of God".

Jesus and the Children

 This painting hangs in the MTC.  One of the sister missionaries talked about it last Sunday.  She said that she loves to look at it.  The look on the Saviors face attracts her.  She said that if anyone ever looked at her like that it would fill her heart with joy.  She is beginning to believe that the Savior maybe loves her like that, and delights in her.  She is coming to know of her worth.

Elder Thatcher and I understand that look.  We feel delight in all of you.  We see your worth and are so thankful for each one of you.  As we teach the little ones here, we feel that love as well.  I think the Lord fills us with it.  I know he loves all of us but it is so easy to love the little ones.  They give such love back.

We love you, pray for you, and are so grateful to have you in our lives.  We can testify of family and the beauty of the plan of Salvation because we have felt that beauty in our own family.  We have you and that brings us such joy.  We can testify of friendships and love of neighbors and of the goodness we feel in this church, because we have experienced life among the saints of God, and have been molded by all we have known and loved.  We can testify of the beauty of the Doctrine of Christ because we have been blessed by it so profoundly.

Signing off for another week,

Mom and Dad,
Grandma and Grandpa
Elder and Sister Thatcher