First Sunday of Our New Branch!

We had a pretty good week besides all the driving. Tuesday we had to drive all the way up to Freeport about a 60 mile drive one way so I could interview someone to be baptized and then Wednesday we had to drive 25 miles to go to a funeral for a part member less active family.   The 20 year old mom who was the member lost her youngest of 3, who was only 6
months old. It was rough. But I love our plan of salvation. So many sweet truths we know because of revelations that the church has had on the subject. Sadly I enjoy funerals not because of the bitter tears and all but because, oh much death brings us closer to God.  It's such a blessing.
Thursday we had  had to drive down to a town called Sandwich another 60 mile drive, so we could go to the dentist. And finally our last long  trip of the week, on  Friday  we had to drive 80 miles one way to
Schaumburg for an 8 hour zone conference meeting:) Oh the joys of a missionary. Saturday I went on exchanges for the day in Dixon, Illinois. So we didn't get a lot of proselyting in but we had 8 lessons
with investigators which isn't to bad!
The Gem of the week though was the opening of our new branch for its first
sacrament meeting. And, speaking of Sunday, what a Sunday this was! It was the first sacrament
meeting for our new branch! We had 53 attend, 10 being less actives and 7
being nonmembers and 5 being investigators! The less active family who lost
their child even came and the parents of the less active who were also less
actives in my first area even came. I say it was prettying great to see
this happen. And we'll have enough people here pretty soon that we will
have a branch building built out here. The service was pretty interesting
though. No microphones., so it was a little hard for people to hear and the
weird thing was we had a higher than average amount  of little children in the meeting and
almost each one of them cried as one point is the service. The only
person who could attempt at playing the piano was  the branch president's
daughter.  It was hard to listen to because almost every cord struck had
at least one wrong note in it. Everyone just was overwhelmed on how much
this girl was trying that it brought the spirit of love through compassion
even though it was a pretty hymn.
Oh and I have been recently studying about keeping your focus on Christ in
our lives and I found this verse that really touched me. It's found in
Mathew 6:22.  This is the key to spiritual strength. Figure it out for
 Yourself.
Love Elder Herdt