Stand Ye In Holy Places

Listened to a little Ace of Base on the way to church today. Not exactly "Sounds for Sunday" (my fellow Cache Vallians!) However, I am impressed the taxsi drivers listen to American music! It was a great start to another awesome day!!

Church didn't start until 2:00 so we enjoyed breakfast and a low-key Sunday morning. Again, we had a translator so we were able to understand most of what was said. A senior couple new to the mission spoke today along with an elderly lady (she reminded me of Ellen Clark!). She shared her testimony of prayer with us. She admitted that she read the Book of Mormon twice and was not impressed. How many of us would have kept going? She believed she was doing what she was suppose to be but she didn't understand what the big deal was about the book until she fervently prayed and then read! The senior couple left a newly returned missionary and a business they built to answer the call to serve. They had been asked a few times over the past year and just kept saying no. Their youngest returned from his mission 3 weeks before they left!! I asked her how that transition went and she said they had one normal day with him. One. And the cupboards were bare (she said laughing!!). They are making a huge sacrifice (been here 4 weeks) and are a great asset to the members here. They are in charge of the seminary, institute, and young singe adults.

On Friday we met most of the missionaries serving here. Elder Marshall is from Smithfield so we had an immediate connection. He is a great missionary and I can't wait to meet his mom when I get home!! He translated Sunday school for us today. What a hard job! I can't imagine learning another language, not to mention, thinking in one-speaking in another so quickly! So here is what I learned from Sunday School . . . water cannot run under a rock. I love the way they can speak so simply but so profound.
Matti and Kael went to Primary together during Sunday School and the missionaries translated for them. Then Kael went to Primary by himself. One of the sisters was amazed by how well mannered he was and asked how I taught them that. Good Job Kael for making your momma look good for a few minutes :) He said they spoke English during that part of Primary and had a Lithuanian translator. The Primary President and her husband are there working for the Embassy. Her husband is from Inkom!
Now for my favorite part!! Matti and I went to Young Women's. Since I am working on my Personal Progress with my girls I decided for one of my projects I would make some PP journal covers to give to the girls here. The president asked me to take a few minutes at the beginning to talk to the girls about what we do different in Young Womens in America. Guess what? We do nothing different!! I shared the covers with the girls and then bore my testimony. What a great experience for Matti and I. The president is also the Branch YW President and works at the MTC in Spain. She is a busy girl but knows how to give a great lesson and invite the Spirit!!

We then headed for dinner. Hate to break the Sabbath but feel like I have been fasting much of the week. It was a great time for Matt and I to visit about the weeks events. A bit of marriage counseling if you will. I will spare you some of the details. I always knew he loved his mission and was a great missionary but this trip has been a true testimony of missionary work all over the world. How much one of us can impact the lives of others. It was interesting to watch how each missionary clung to different members. Each of us are different. And that is the way it is suppose to be. Only I can touch certain people. Only you can touch certain people. Although I can't share everything that is in my heart or on my mind, I hope I can live it. I pray that we can look back on this trip in a few years and say we did what we were sent to do! Amazing how The Lord works. The Spirit (and the church) is the same thousands of miles across the ocean!! I Love You ALL!

Picture recap:
#1 Matti and I with the Vilnius, Lithuanian Young Women!!
#2 Matti and Marta, her new friend!
#3 Matt and I at the park downtown.
#4 The mission home when Matt served here. A little run-down he says. It is now in Riga.
#5 A view of downtown.
#6 Elder Marshall and a member.
#7 PP journals
#8 Best buds!! It has been fun to watch these two this week. Kael is a comedian and Matti is his happy-always-giggling sidekick!!