Hello my family and friends,

A story told in President Monsons talk "Charity Never Faileth". 

A woman by the name of Mary Bartels had a home directly across the street from the entranceto a hospital clinic. Her family lived on the main floor and rented the upstairs rooms tooutpatients at the clinic.

One evening a truly awful-looking old man came to the door asking if there was room for him tostay the night. He was stooped and shriveled, and his face was lopsided from swelling—red andraw. He said he’d been hunting for a room since noon but with no success. “I guess it’s my face,”he said. “I know it looks terrible, but my doctor says it could possibly improve after moretreatments.” He indicated he’d be happy to sleep in the rocking chair on the porch. As she talkedwith him, Mary realized this little old man had an oversized heart crowded into that tiny body.Although her rooms were filled, she told him to wait in the chair and she’d find him a place tosleep.

At bedtime Mary’s husband set up a camp cot for the man. When she checked in the morning,the bed linens were neatly folded and he was out on the porch. He refused breakfast, but justbefore he left for his bus, he asked if he could return the next time he had a treatment. “I won’tput you out a bit,” he promised. “I can sleep fine in a chair.” Mary assured him he was welcometo come again.

In the several years he went for treatments and stayed in Mary’s home, the old man, who was afisherman by trade, always had gifts of seafood or vegetables from his garden. Other times hesent packages in the mail.

When Mary received these thoughtful gifts, she often thought of a comment her next-doorneighbor made after the disfigured, stooped old man had left Mary’s home that first morning.“Did you keep that awful-looking man last night? I turned him away. You can lose customers byputting up such people.”

Mary knew that maybe they had lost customers once or twice, but she thought, “Oh, if onlythey could have known him, perhaps their illnesses would have been easier to bear.”

After the man passed away, Mary was visiting with a friend who had a greenhouse. As shelooked at her friend’s flowers, she noticed a beautiful golden chrysanthemum but was puzzledthat it was growing in a dented, old, rusty bucket. Her friend explained, “I ran short of pots, andknowing how beautiful this one would be, I thought it wouldn’t mind starting in this old pail. It’sjust for a little while, until I can put it out in the garden.”

Mary smiled as she imagined just such a scene in heaven. “Here’s an especially beautiful one,”God might have said when He came to the soul of the little old man. “He won’t mind starting inthis small, misshapen body.” But that was long ago, and in God’s garden how tall this lovely soulmust stand! ³

This talk is so wonderful! I hope you all will take the time to read it sometime this week!! 

How are all of you? This week has been another really busy week!  So busy I cant remember a single thing that has happened. Ha ha just kidding.

I will start with the most exciting news. James was baptized and confirmed this week. It was wonderful. Saturday was also his birthday so it was a double special day for him! If there is anything that I have learned about baptism it is this... Satan always comes in without fail. Mostly I pray that he will spare our investigators and go for us.. This time he did just that. We got to the church to fill the font and we were already late getting started. When we inconveniently found out that the water heater wasn't working because the church ran out of propane. So for the next two hours we are filling bowls of water on the church stove and pouring it into the font to mix it with the ice cold water it was being filled with. It was stressful. When James came back out of the water his face was one of "this water is so cold I'm about to die." So lucky for him when he hadn't gone all the way under and got to do it again:) Ha  I felt bad that all the hard work to get the water warmer had been in vain. It was still Ice cold. We probably could have gone to the river and it would have been warmer.

We ended up having a ton of members there though, so many that they all didnt fit in the room so that was unfortunate, but it was a blessing for James to have family there. Especially since James didnt have any family or friends there. Afterwards we had Refreshments, our wonderful members had made lots of treats and a birthday cake. It was a great day!

Friday was new missionary training at OSU. It was fun. I havent had the chance to go since I was a new missionary. We had training by our AP's and President and Sister Daines. President Daines said my name wrong and told me that I had to correct him if he did it again. So of course I did. Now I am known as sister zWAHlen. With emphasis on the Walh part ha ha It is funny. I really love the Daines! They are perfect mission presidents for me. I am really greatful I get to spend my last 6 months with them.

Thursday Sister Bassett and I did the ice bucket challenge. Not because I wanted to. I was being held against my will. Our District leader challenge us and told us that if we didnt do it then we wouldnt have district unity. Nicely played pulling the "guilt" card. How did he know that was the only way to get me to dump cold water over my head? anyways it ended up being fun! Our bishops wife emailed it to my mom so if you really want to see if you will have to ask her. 

I know that there was more that happened this week but I dont remember. I hope you all have a  great week!! Love you.

Sister Zwahlen