SMALL AND SIMPLE THINGS

Following are a few of the small and simple things we did this week.
Monday - Elder Berry drove a member, who doesn't have a car, to the hospital for a procedure and stayed with him and drove him home.
Tuesday - Drove a sister and her grandchildren to school. The children had been sick and hadn't attended school for a few days so the grandmother had to take the children back along with a note from the doctor,
drove another sister to Augusta Housing Authority to get her lease renewed, and made a visit to the hospital along with other visits.
Wednesday - Drove a brother to donate plasma, visited an older sister who's heart was heavy and just needed to be reassured that we can be forgiven of our sins, and drove a brother to pick up a car that his sister gave him.
Thursday - Baked cookies and delivered a plate of cookies and baby gifts to two families in the ward with new babies, visited an older brother who was in the process of installing a new DVD player and needed assistance, and in the evening drove a sister to an addiction recovery class who is trying to stop smoking.
Friday - Inspected Elders apartments in Aiken, SC,  second one in North Augusta, SC, and the third one in Stevens Creek, Georgia, visited some less active members and about seven in the evening we got a call from two of our Elders so off to the rescue. Elder Tippetts had an extremely bad headache and just couldn't go anymore. When we arrived he was sitting on the sidewalk, so Elder Berry and Elder Olsen loaded up the bikes and we drove them to their apartment so Elder Berry and I decided it was time to go home too.
Saturday - drove a sister to a college class in the morning and picked her up in the afternoon and drove her home, spent the rest of the day hunting and finding less active members, some homes people were inside but chose not to answer, then we got a phone call from a sister who just needed comfort.
Sunday - We had missionary correlation meeting on Sunday morning, all the people we pick up for church were sick and weren't able to come to church so this was the first Sunday since we have lived there that we didn't pick anyone up so we made two visits before church but found no one home. My sister Patti cooked dinner for all our missionaries and guest (7) plus Elder Berry and me and her family. They even brought the food to our apartment and ate with us. Delicious!!!!!!!

SUNDAY DINNER

Sunday dinner guest

Liz a beautiful investigator who is in graduate school here in Augusta

My sister Patti, grandchildren and husband sitting on couch, Holly sitting on chair 

We had two special experiences this week with our district. The first was at District Development Meeting on Tuesday morning. Elder Meyer our new district leader conducted his first meeting and challenged us to be a more unified district so miracles will happen. He talked about the small and simple things we need to do to invites the spirit and that leads to complete obedience. It was very humbling to be taught truths by our young district leader and the spirit bore witness the things he taught and promised are true. He asked us will you and we answered him we will. The second experience was at Book of Mormon class Wednesday night. As mentioned before we have a Book of Mormon class for recent converts, investigators, and less active members. A chapter is read each week as everyone takes tunes reading, then what is read is discussed, then we talk about how it applies to our lives today. The spirit was strong. In the introduction to the Book of Mormon Joseph Smith said, "a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book. This is true! Reading the Book of Mormon is such a simple thing but a necessary thing.

As we visit we meet so many wonderful people, some people are happy and continent and others are struggling with health, finances and are weighed down with the cares of the world. Those who actively participate in the church and serve are much more content and happy. We visited three different people this week who have three different stories and three different ways of handling their situation in life. One lady was upbeat and happy, continuely learning although she was up in years, another lady was confused and burdened with past sins, and one man had no family, poor health and was bitter. Our week is filled with small and simple acts but we hope the small and simple things we say and do as we visit will help others overcome some of their trials and give them hope in Jesus Christ and his atonement.

The dinner my sister Patti brought over was no small and simple thing and we all enjoyed it! Thanks Patti and Dan for all your hard work and supporting the missionaries.

Alma 37:6 ".....that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass:"