Week 35 - Families can be together forever! :)

(She has been serving 8 months as of today!)

Salem!
So this week, I got to go to Jamba Juice! (the only one in the mission.  It was really good.)
We played volleyball and I didn't hurt myself.

Also, the missionaries of our mission receive Family History Training every week, and this training for the missionaries here in Katy used to take place in Houston, about forty five minutes away from here.  This last week, President gave my companion permission to have me teach my own class to the missionaries here in Katy.  It started off pretty well I think.  I discovered Elder Jones, my district leader, is a descendant of the guy who translated the Book of Mormon into Spanish.  And although Elder Galante told me that we wouldn't find anything because 'he's from Argentina' one hour later we had 22 new family names.  :]   We were all so excited.  And are still excited.  President announced last week that the missionaries will have the opportunity to go to the temple ONLY if we can find a family name for ourselves and our companion- there is a lot of work to be done, but now all the missionaries are going on a family history craze and I have been blessed to help several of them in the last week or so.

This week we also got to go to the temple with Alicia to do baptisms for her mother and her grandmother who never had the opportunity to be baptized.   On the way there the car wouldn't start because the battery was dead and we had no way of getting there.  I remembered something very wise that my sister did once, and we decided to pray.  We said a prayer that the car would be able to work, and that all would be well, and sure enough the car started.  I know that God really does hear and answer our prayers, all we have to do is ask.

I am convinced that I get to serve in the best mission in the world.  Not only do we get to help our friends here and the people that we find follow Jesus Christ and be baptized, but we also get to help hundreds of their ancestors.  It has become one of my finer joys in life watching people save and draw closer to their families, in both phases of life.  I know that our families live on in the next life and that God wants them to be forever.  I know that they love us, and that they are cheering us on and trying for our successes.  I know that God gave us temples so that we can help those that we love receive all the joy and happiness that we have in this life.  I am so excited to help my own family in this way, and in a not so distant day enjoy a temple in my own Connecticut.

FAMILIES ARE FOREVER.  THE GOSPEL IS SO TRUE.

And if anyone has any questions about all that stuff, please ask.  I know that was kind of confusing.
Always,
Hna McCurdy

ps. Awkward photos of my district. L-O-V-E them.

This picture came from the mission blog!  I love to see the temple!

(I'm guessing this is Alicia)