Hi Mom!!!

  It sounds like you had a busy week. I'm glad you were able to see Aunt LaRae. Sister Allen's daughter is doing good. I am definitely going to see the Allens when they come visit Utah. They are going to be staying at Wolf Creek up the canyon. 

  This week was great!!! We went to contact some less actives with our ward mission leader this week. We found a couple people who still live in our boundaries and we found a couple that let us in and wanted to visit with us. This couple went inactive a long time ago. They were active before the church changed to the block schedule. They both have different reasons for leaving. We were able to share a message with them and we were able to find out they weren't interested in Home or Visiting teachers but they said they would be open to our ward mission leader and his wife stopping by.  Our ward mission leader is amazing!!!! He helps us all the time! 

  Yesterday one of the talks in church was about pure religion and how we need to live with charity and love. Sister Miner, who gave the talk, shared an experience about how she learned how to be more charitable the hard way. She was in her car once and saw someone with a sign asking for help and she had the thought to help him and she decided to ignore it. She came up with every excuse not to help this man. She said that as she drove away she saw someone in her rear view mirror give the man some money. She said that her heart sank. I could tell that it was powerful experience for her. It made me realize that Heavenly Father has asked us to love and serve our neighbors...everyone around us are our neighbors. 

  We met with Ann this week. She is really struggling seeing God's hand in her life. She is going through some hard things right now and she doesn't feel like the Gospel is helping her. We invited her to look for one thing she could be grateful for each day and she decided to do that. She came to church this week. We have tried showing her and testifying to her how the gospel helps us deal with challenges and doesn't always take our problems away. We are hoping that we can help her see the strength that the gospel has brought her. 

  In my studies this week I was studying the enabling power of the Atonement. I read Elder Bednar's talk from this last conference. It was so good!!!! As I was studying the talk I really thought about how the Lord doesn't take away our burdens but that He strengthens us enough to bear them. When I think of heavy loads that people have to carry I often think of Job. I began reading the book of Job and right from the beginning he had a lot of hard trials but he never gave up. He trusted the Lord. He was able to testify of the Lord too (Job 19:25). We all have to have strength in the Lord. I love you!!! Have a great week!!!!

  Love,

   Sister Griffin