Good luck with your Pokemon hunting-Be safe

Subject line: We've been hearing a lot about this Pokemon game. It sounds a like a less than valuable way to spend time...but I won't judge anyone who plays it. :D It was funny, however, to see it made such an impact as to be on a marquee sign. I believe this one was outside the Red Cross house rather than a church...but it was too funny to pass up.

I'll switch things up and start off with a funny story this week.

Last Monday during our grocery shopping at Walmart, a Georgia storm hit. When it gets to full on storming here, it's quite the experience. You walk outside for literally 3 seconds and you will be soaked from head to foot. So, while we were shopping, ginormous cracks of thunder made the building vibrate and drowned out the music. People were waiting all around the front of the store for the rain to hopefully clear up enough so their groceries wouldn't go bad. All of a sudden, a huge strike of lightning lit up the already bright entry way, followed by a crack of thunder, and the entire super-center lost power. One of the cashiers started yelling at all the other cashiers to go to doors seeing as how their entire security system was now down. It was a little frantic at first, but then from right behind us we heard this lady (a Walmart worker). She was doing a little dance clapping her hands (we weren't sure if she was frightened or just amazed), and then said, "Oh snap, there is a God! There is a God!" It made us smile. A few people continued to try to check out with their lights on their phones. We were stuck in there for a little while until they finally started letting people leave if you had a receipt. I'm not sure how long it stayed dark, but it was quite the experience.

Baby Abner (from the Davis family)!! She will
be officially 3 weeks old tomorrow.

One of my favorite lessons this week would have to be our lesson with the Davis family on keeping the Sabbath day holy. We brought ice cream, good toppings, and gross (pickles, salad dressing, etc) toppings. The good toppings were wholesome things we could do on the Sabbath and the "gross" things were those activities which were good...but not good to do on the Sabbath. While we were making the first 'Sunday' for the youngest boy, we were asking him if he liked all these things. When we got to "Sporting events, shopping, video games, etc" he said yes, he liked them...so onto the ice cream they went. The boys were so grossed out. It was hilarious! It truly drove the point home that the Sabbath is a special day. It is a day we give to God, thereby showing our true commitment and love for Him. They all got good Sundays at the end. :) 

Friday we were able to attend a funeral for a man in the 2nd ward (we serve in the 1st). Lots of his family, however, is in our ward. It was amazing to see the whole family in the chapel together. I was praying the whole time that they would feel the peace and power flowing through that meeting. Simply being in the chapel can remind us of our covenants and the purpose we go to church. I hope they will make their way back to activity in the church. Many of them I haven't seen come once in the 3 months I have been here. Seeing them all together was absolutely amazing. If there is someone you have missed seeing at church recently, show them you love them by inviting them to come sit with you. Being in the chapel together fills your soul with the incomparable feelings of the Holy spirit.

Saturday we had a wonderful service opportunity for an elderly couple. Saturdays aren't very productive for us (which is backwards from most places), so it was wonderful to feel that we were doing good, quality work. We cleaned up their yard (which was quite large) and relocated some lilies that had started growing wild in their grass. Sister Anderson and I both had to take our lunch hour to re-shower because this Georgia heat will really get to you :D It was amazing to know that the sweet wife could now look out her front window and have something beautiful to see rather than 3 foot tall weeds. It's the simple things in life we often take for granted.

Love y'all!

S. Brown