June 2

Hi everyone,

So..... I think I must be too hard on myself. Because this week was
not looking like a good one as we went from day to day and I just kept
feeling worse and worse about myself. Maybe I had some unrealistic
expectations, maybe the sun was just too hot on my head. But looking
back now at our week and taken altogether it was a great week in many
ways even though it was completely not what I thought and planned it
would be. But I am grateful for so many things (too bad I just wasn't
grateful sooner- could have saved myself from an emotional weekend).

In my letter today I just want to share with you what I am grateful
for this past week:

I am grateful for all the many kids in our ward who surprise us with
pictures they have drawn for us. This is the reason for my subject
line of the email. It seriously is a tender mercy from God to have
these kids give us a gift even when I can't tell if the drawing is a
house or a really fat pickle. ;) It helps give me hope too that I
might be a good role model for them, a little hero in their eyes who
is doing some sort of good.

I am also super grateful for a lesson we had with a less-active mother
and her two nonmember children. She hasn't been to church in a long
time and her kids never, although they read from a children's Bible
occasionally. We really were hoping that her nonmember husband would
join too but he vanished once our appointment rolled around, so she
let us teach the kids anyway. Bryson is 10 and Brooke is 7 (Brooke
might be my favorite because she reminds me of Cassie) and we taught
them the Restoration and about the Book of Mormon. They were so
focused in the lesson and engaged, soaking up everything we said. It
was really beautiful how the Spirit was there because they were so
teachable and humble...... this must be part of what Christ meant when
he told people to be as little children. I have never seen anyone so
hungry and eager to learn about God and His words as Bryson and
Brooke. As we left Brooke even came out to say "thanks for learning
about God with us!" And her mom told us the next day she tried taking
her Book of Mormon that we gave each of them to school and show it to
her friends.

I am grateful...
Garrett, Jodi, and baby are all out of the hospital now!

For the new investigator we found outside cleaning his car, who just
quietly listened as we answered his question about President Monson
being the prophet today and Joseph Smith restoring Christ's church
rather than founding just any church.

For a ward mission leader who loves and tells us we are doing good
even when all our investigators who promised they would be at church
didn't keep that word.

For the testimony of a recent convert who has slipped up but wants to
do better so he introduced his Baptist girlfriend to us because he
knows that the message of the gospel helps his life and he knows it
would make a difference in hers as well.

For the opportunity I had to partake of the Sacrament yesterday and to
remember my Savior. And how He always reminds us to be of good cheer
and to be of good courage - used synonymously and interchangeably. And
His ultimate sacrifice on behalf of me and on behalf of you, each of
you.

Ok well, I kinda really liked that saying what I was grateful for to
sum up my week. :) I might just have to try that with my journal too
each day. That is my weekly goal this week is to write in my journal
CONSISTENTLY, haha.

I sure do love you all! Thanks for all you do and your prayers.
Love,
Sister Rust