Happy Birthday to Me!

Hey All!

What an amazing birthday I had!  Thank you so much for everything you sent me!  I woke up that morning and got on my knees to pray as usual, and in my prayer I just asked Heavenly Father to make it a nice warm, sunny day, and I would be satisfied with that for my whole birthday.  As I walked out of my room I almost ran into a sign hanging across the hallway that said "Happy Birthday" on it.  Then going into the bathroom there was another sign!  Above my desk, another sign!  In the kitchen yet another sign!  And to my surprise I found my roommates in the kitchen making breakfast for me!  They made stuffed french toast that was to die for.  They were so sneaky!  Of course, it helps that I'm the least observant.  Although I did wonder for a moment why Sister Dimick was not in our room when I work up.  Haha.

Happy Birthday Signs Everywhere!

After our studies, I got a call from the mission office saying I had some packages and boxes.  To get them to the car, Sister Dimick and I both had to carry large stacks of boxes.  When we got to our apartment, Sister Van Geenan opened the door for us and awkwardly wouldn't allow us through for a couple of seconds.  The roommates had me sit on the sofa and open all of my boxes while they watched (I think they were more excited than I was).  Then they took a couple of pictures of me on the sofa with all my gifts.  Then they started singing "Happy Birthday" when all of a sudden Sister Schank comes out with a cherry chocolate flower shaped cake!  I was so surprised!  And now the dots connected to why Sister Schank had chocolate on her mouth and why the kitchen hinted of the aroma of baking chocolate.

Wow! All My Birthday Gifts!  So Thankful!

Sister with Flower Chocolate Cherry Birthday Cake

Metallic Gold Sprinkled Chocolate Birthday Cake with Supplies from Mom

That evening we all had dinner at the Relief Society President's house and had Family Home Evening with her family.  Sister Dimick and I taught an awesome lesson to Rob with the Elders who we happily gave cake to since Sister Van Geenan made more chocolate cake with the ingredients and baking supplies Mom sent me.  I am officially caked out!  It was a wonderful day!  And the wonderful part was that it was sunny and 72 degrees out!  :)  It had been raining up to that morning and it rained the next couple of days.  People,  Heavenly Father answers prayers!  He loves us so much to even answer a prayer for having a sunny, warm day for a birthday.

Oh My Goodness!  Birthday Letters from my Home Ward Primary Kids!  So Sweet!  Love You Guys!

We had a great lesson with our investigator, Angela, this week.  She is coming to know truth and getting a lot of answers to her prayers.  She has been reading and praying daily, and she really wants to know.

It's been really difficult to see Chris and Charlene because of his schedule and pursuit of music.  But they continue to read and pray too.

Rob has been reading a lot too.  He really loves Moroni, and keeps reading it over and over again.

Rebecca had the big news for this week.  She went to the temple for the first time this week and did baptisms.  Right before they had her go into the font, they told the story about Joseph Smith losing his brother, Alvin, and because they didn't have the knowledge of the full Gospel, people told their family that because Alvin had not been baptized, he was lost forever and there was nothing they could do about it.  And, of course, the knowledge of the truth was revealed to Joseph years later about those who would have the opportunity to accept the Gospel after death and the reason we do baptisms in the temple (D & C 137). As they told Rebecca this story, she tried so hard not to cry.  Then she stepped into the font to baptize some of her ancestors by proxy, she just sobbed.  She was so happy to be in the temple.  She waited what seemed like forever to do so and she finally made it in.  She can't wait to receive her endowments and be sealed to her husband.  She is so happy!  The Elders and Sister Dimick and I who have worked with both Rebecca and Brian are so happy for them.

At the Book of Mormon Publication Site, we had two families come in for tours who had family members who ran the Boston Marathon.  The wife of one family had crossed the finish like an hour before and was in the family section.  The husband of the other family crossed the finish line and got his medal right before the horrible events unfolded.  His wife who was at the finish line waiting for him had a strong prompting to leave the area and she followed the prompting.  And right as soon as she was barely out of reach of the disaster, the first bomb went off.  Her story strengthened my testimony of listening to the promptings of the Holy Ghost.  It truly is a gift that we as members of the Church have.  As we live worthy of it in our lives, he will protect us and guide us.

I LOVE this Gospel!

Well that's all for now!  I love and miss you all!

Love,
Sister Killen