Wendy, Jamie, and Jeanette

This week Glen and I finished our reading of the Book of Mormon again, this time underlining every reference to Deity ("The Father, the Son or any of His titles, and the Holy Ghost), and every time He was said something directly (Thus saith the Lord". . . )  I have read the Book of Mormon before just underlining the references to Jesus Christ, but never all of Deity.  It was a wonderful reading, as we read aloud to each other, and we learned a lot.  Every time I read the Book of Mormon I am more in awe of its teachings and its majesty and its truthfulness.  A couple of weeks ago I shared with Elder Findlay and Elder West the composition of the greatest chiasmus in the Book of Mormon, Alma 36, where the center of the chiasmus is in vs. 17 and 18 with "Jesus Christ, a son of God (vs. 17)  and Jesus, son of God (vs. 18)".  This chiamus is so beautiful and truly represents how the Book of Mormon testifies that Christ should be the center of our lives.  We were talking about it on Tuesday, when the zone leaders come in, and I was amazed at how many of them had never heard of chiasmus.  They all loved it and were marking their copies of the Book of Mormon. The Book of Mormon really is the greatest evidence that Joseph Smith was a prophet, because there is no way he could have written even just Alma 36 on his own.  It's so beautiful!

Transfers are now just two weeks away, and I have been preparing all of their folders and notebooks, as well as preparing the departure folders and travel for the ten missionaries who are leaving.  This will be Glen's busiest time as he now finalizes the homes and apartments that the missionaries will be living in.  It looks like this will be the last transfer in the mission that several new places will have to be opened, as our July transfer looks relatively small at this point (only twelve missionaries so far) since we are getting a new mission president.  Hurray!

Here is our week in a nutshell:

On Monday night it was our Senior FHE at the Blacks.  We had a yummy dinner and then played games and then chatted.  It was such a wonderful evening!

We still eat lunch with the Trumans on most Thursdays and as we were eating lunch one day, we decided to go to the show "Mystere" which was being shown at Treasure Island.  So on Tuesday, we left straight from the office and had dinner and went to the show with the Trumans.  The show was simply amazing, showing both talent and humor, and it was completely clean!  We loved it.

On Wednesday night, we went with Elder Vieira and Elder Mavromatis (from Brazil) to teach Wendy and Jamie.  The week before, Jamie had accepted to be baptized on May 25, and Wendy, the elders, and we were all so excited!  It was a beautiful lesson filled with hope and happiness.  But on this Wednesday, the elders found some challenges to Jamie making the May 25 date, and we left their house with heavy hearts.  We'll see what happens, with prayer, fasting, and faith.  On Friday night we went back to Wendy and Jaime's, not to teach again, but to support Lisa, Wendy's niece and Brenda's oldest daughter, in her graduation from pharmacy tech school.  Nearly all of Jeanette's family was there and it was good to be with them all.  They really wanted to celebrate this graduation!

Jeanette and me.  Jeanette and her family came from Laughlin to attend the graduation.  To keep her family straight, we took these pictures:

Jeanette's oldest is Wendy.  Here are Wendy, Jamie, and Wendy's kids, from left, (the one on the very left is not Wendy's), Mystic, Carly, Christian, and Shylo with her son,Johnny.  

Her next oldest is Max, who couldn't be here.  He and his wife Shadow were married in the Las Vegas temple about 1 1/2 years ago.  The only temple marriage in Jeanette's family.

The next one is Krysta, her granddaughter Emma, and Jeanette.

The next one is Tami (in the center) and her daughter on the left, Chandra,and her boyfriend Oscar, and son Oscar, and her daughter on the right,Andrea, and Tami's son David.

 The youngest is Brenda, who is on the right with her daughter Harley.  Her other three daughters are, from the right, Ashley, Sabrina, Lisa Dawn, (the graduate) and her daughter Deanna.  Brenda pulled me aside and told me how much she appreciates how David and Juliann has reached out to her.  It was tender.  I'm so sad that this picture turned out so blurry!

We will be meeting again tomorrow night with Wendy and Jamie and  Elder Vieira and Elder Mavromatis.  Please pray for us!

Today in the Buffalo ward our dear Bishop Larkin was released after being the bishop or in a bishopric for 25 years.  We have just loved him and his wife Melanie. When  President Parker released him in sacrament meeting, he gave the highest tribute to him, expressing what a great man he is, and also what a great woman Sis. Larkin is.  He said that Sis. Larkin made a double sacrifice because she not only was alone during all those years, but she continued to serve with all of her heart in her callings, which were many.  It was an incredible meeting as the members of the released bishopric and Melanie bore their testimonies, and the new bishopric and the new bishop's wife bore their testimonies.  The new bishop is West Allen, and Dave Robison (our good friend) and Gary Chambers are the new counselors.  We will really miss Bishop Larkin and his counselors, Eric Johnson and Bert Lott.