Gray Skies, Light and Warmth

 It is late, and I am sitting here staring at this blank page....not because there is nothing to tell, but because it has been a lovely day, and I am trying to decide what to focus on.  

Perhaps the sweetest thing to happen today was when the doorbell rang.  We expected it to be the sisters bringing back the car which they had borrowed.  Instead, it was two of our young adults.  They had gone for a Sunday afternoon walk and decided to stop and visit.  We put on our coats and ran down to meet them outside.  We stood out there visiting for nearly an hour!  

Kristina is our young adult rep and a math major.  She is working on her thesis and should be done by summer's end.  We love her.  She is engaged, but not telling anyone about it.  She is so steadfast about attending everything.  She is a lovely young woman and quite in love with Cameron.  We love him almost as much as she does!

Sid is working feverishly on her doctorate.  She has two months left to go and she will be working all day every day at her computer until it is done.  She is feeling just a little panicked.  She is amazing, and has a marvelous testimony.  I love to hear her talk about her love of the Savior and the gospel.  She is a member of the Relief Society Presidency and is somehow managing to stay involved with that.

While we were talking her boyfriend texted and she told him to come and see us.  We love him too.  He is a keeper.  He is French.  I think she is American, or at least lived in America long enough to sound it.  

Somehow they started talking about carrot cake, and talking especially about the little ones I delivered at Christmas.  I didn't realize they liked it so much!  I resolved to make each of them one this week.  But then SK announced I was toying with the idea of making cinnamon rolls this week.  Their eyes grew wide and they exclaimed "OOOOH!"  So I am sitting here wondering which to make tomorrow.

We had a bunch of zoom meetings today, including Sunday School, Missionary Come Follow Me, Stake Relief Society, and the regular Sacrament Meeting without the Sacrament.  Angie spoke, as well as another woman.  Those talks were incredible.  I don't have any more superlatives to use, but Angie was amazing.  She told about her conversion process.

Her mother, a very active Catholic throughout her life kept Angie in the Catholic faith throughout her childhood....even though at 13, she found much to be discontented with.  Her mother passed away when Angie was in her teens, and then she just quit all organized religions.  Her father told her that she must believe in something because it makes life better.  Angie said she thought "Why?  I believe in God and Jesus Christ, and I don't need religion."

Two years ago, her sister Leticia moved to England, up north, and began attending our church.  Angie went up to visit because she thought she had better make sure somebody wasn't taking advantage of her sister.  It was a long story but Angie started out with a very healthy cynicism and eventually found such joy in the gospel.  When Leticia moved back to D.R. last June because her visa wasn't renewed, Angie - when praying one day, realized that she wanted to be baptized.  She had studied and met with the missionaries, and so she called and said, "I want to be baptized - this coming Saturday!"

From that day, she said that she has felt such joy and such light in her life....more than she can describe.  She has mentioned to us a few times that we have never not had it, and so we don't quite understand how dark life without the gospel was.  Her testimony truly is amazing.  She understands the Bible, The Book of Mormon and the Doctrine and Covenants better than nearly everyone I know.

We feel that it is such a privilege to be here and serving in any small way with these beautiful young people.  They have certainly brought light into our lives on this beautiful gray day in Oxford.