Logan Temple

June 12, 2012

Sister Despain from the MTC.  She is serving in Malad, ID.

This p-day, I had the chance to go to the Logan temple.  It was super fun to be able to go up to Logan.  It is absolutely gorgeous up there!  I am glad I had a chance to see if before the mission split.  

From the temple parking lot

I was also lucky that my two friends Monica and Jessica were able to take us there.  (I know Monica and Jessica from BYU.)  They were able to pick us up, drive us to the temple, go through the session with us, and then go around Logan as we ran our various errands.  There were a few stories that all the missionaries talk about, and I am glad I got a chance to see them.  One of the stores is Levens.  It is a pretty cool store, and they give missionaries a discount.  They also give the missionaries' rides a discount, so that is pretty awesome too. 

This week we have been trying to meet with all the bishops.  We still have a few more to meet with, but I am surprised by how much it helps!  Not only do I get to know the faces and names of the bishops, I think it really helps them to trust Sister Loketi and I. They can see that we are working hard and that we are truly trying to build up the area.  We really are trying our best to find people to teach.

One weird highlight this week is that one of the ward mission leaders forgot to find dinners for us.  So for those three days, we were taken out to eat for dinner.  And for the first time, it wasn't Joy Luck or Chuck-A-Rama.  One night, we went to Sizzler.  I had never been there before.  The next night we had pizza, and the last night we went to Cafe Rio.   It is sometimes fun to go out to eat as a missionary, but three nights in a row was a lot.  I think I probably ate more then than I normally do at dinners.

On Saturday, we went up to Morgan for a baptism.  Sister Loketi used to serve in Morgan, and one of the women she taught there was getting baptized.  Morgan is a super cute, small town up in a canyon, and it was fun to get to see it before the mission split.  The town only has one grocery, two gas stations, and three restaurants.  It would definitely be different living in such a secluded place.

On Sunday I gave a talk on faith.  I can't believe how much easier it is for me to give a talk now.  I remember when it used to be next to impossible for me to speak for five minutes in sacrament meeting.  Now I have a hard time keeping it to just 5 minutes.  It is tricky to say all I want to say in such a short amount of time.  I appreciate the chance I get to speak and prepare and learn.  After sacrament meeting, Sister Loketi and I were sitting my the bishops' offices.  These three little kids walked out of the chapel, and one of them said, "Oh, grape juice!  We're lost!"  It was just the cutest thing!  I was trying so hard not to laugh.  It was way funny.  Then the boy's little sister started saying the same thing.  It was just cute.  (And they weren't really lost.  They just got turned around.)

On Monday, we had our last interviews with President Olson.  It is weird that he is finishing his mission, and that I am leaving that mission.  I don't know what my new mission president is like, but I know that he is called of God.  I know that there will be changes and adjustments, but I also know that it provides a chance for me to grow. 

Taken at the musical fireside up in Logan.  It was the Sunday before President and Sister Olson finished their mission.