Dear Ali, Marisa, Ben, Jaden, Grant, Makenna, Hyrum, Hannah, Nate the Great, Cristine, Brooklyn, Tanner Man, Sierra, and Miles:

Grandpa and I would like to share a busy two days with you. They include another baptism in our ward! I will tell you a little more about it in a minute.

Friday: went pretty smoothly in the office. President Robbins and his wife just left for Washington DC for a conference with other mission presidents. They are going to be instructed by one of the twelve apostles. President Robbins asked Grandpa and me to handle emergencies while they are gone for 4 days.

We planned on getting a jump on the crowd at the stores by getting our groceries right after work but the sister missionaries needed us to go with them to teach a family. The mother was supposed to still be in the hospital so the sisters wouldn’t be able to keep their appointment without us since just the dad and children would be there, so we went along.

As it happened the mom had just got out of the hospital and was there for the lesson. Both parents wanted to learn so badly. The mom read much in the New Testament while in the hospital. The dad had been reading his Book of Mormon. We had a good lesson and the dad asked lots of great questions. Asking questions is a good thing! That is how we all learn. One of his good questions was,” If Lehi was a prophet and God talked to him and gave him instructions for his family, why did God also give him a Liahona?” Pretty good question, huh?

Afterwards we ran to the store and got our errands done. We spent Friday night doing laundry, scrubbing our apartment down, and cooking because we wanted to go hiking on Saturday.

Saturday: morning we got up early, studied our scriptures, and got ready for the day. At 10:00 the office elders showed up and we all went down by the Ohio River and hiked the rolling hills in a Nature Preserve. (I think they were preserving all the poison oak and ivy for the east coast).

Grampa said it was a Hard Hike!




We had a great time looking at all the interesting plants and trees dressed in their autumn colors. We found tons of wild mushrooms/fungus looking things on trees. We took lots of pictures for you. Grandpa and I stayed out of the water and obeyed the mission rules. We are trying to be good.

We then drove to a city up north to find some baptismal clothes for a lady who was getting baptized that night. Saturday evening we attended Linda’s baptism. She is the blind lady the elders have been teaching. She was so happy and couldn’t thank everyone enough for caring about her. Here in Ohio there are more grownups getting baptized than 8 year-old kids.

We had Eugene and Trisia’s family at the baptism and also the new family we had taught with the sisters. Another set of missionaries brought their investigators along too. All of the investigators wanted to witness a baptism because there are going to be baptized soon. The spirit was very strong and I am sure they felt it.

We headed home and changed into our comfortable clothes to settle down for the night and just relax and read. We no sooner had changed than the phone rang and the assistants (the elders that work directly with the mission president) called and said, “Do you remember, you are going out with us tonight?” NOPE! So we said, “O-Ya! We will be right there!” So we threw on our church clothes and met them at a recent convert’s home.

Stephanie has been a member for about 4 months and is struggling with being the only member of her family. Her kids hate going to church and her husband just leaves her for weeks at a time without saying a word. Crazy!

The elders’ lesson was on being consistent with reading your scriptures and praying everyday for God’s help in your life. The elders wanted us to be there to share our testimony of never giving up. As we talked to Stephanie it reminded me of sitting down with one of my daughters and just listening. Listening to her concerns and just saying, “You are doing just fine! You can do this!” Then giving her a hug and a few suggestions on parenting.

How we love these people! We are all the same everywhere. We need to be taught of God and his plan for us, practice living the commandments, stub our toe trying, have someone pick us up and give us a hug and say, “Try, try again. You can do this.” Then cheer for us when we do well because we need friends that care in this life.

Grandpa and I love you all so much. We miss playing with you and getting your great hugs, but Heavenly Father needs us to help little families here that are struggling and don’t have a knowledge of God in their lives or parents or grandparents in their children’s lives. Heavenly Father needs us here for a season. Always remember you are the best grand children and your mom and dad are the best children in the world. We are proud of all the good choices you make and the incredible youth are becoming.

Love each other and look for ways to obey Heavenly Father and your parents and give service to your brothers and sisters and especially your mom and dad.

Love you all,

Grandma April and Grandpa Scott

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