Is This Real Life?

I don't think I could have asked for a better start to the week. To rewind a little bit, we have been working with Ken for a while on getting a baptismal date set for him. We told him last Saturday that he could be baptized as early as November 7, but he told us that he would pray and think about it. He said that January was still sounding good. Fast forward to Monday, Sister Willis and I just got home from emailing our families when we heard our phone beep. It was a text from Ken that said "November 7?". We freaked out a little bit. We asked him if that meant he wanted to be baptized on that day and he told us "Yes. I want to work towards that goal." It was such a miracle! We are so incredibly happy for him and can't wait to see him take this step of faith.

After that happened, we knew that we needed to call President Gardner to tell him the good news. When we told him what had happened, he told us "That is so wonderful! Sister Slater, would you like to have another tender mercy? I was on a phone call when you called in and I would like to transfer them over." It soon found out that it was my grandma! She had called President Gardner to get permission to stop by and see me on the way to her mission in Washington D.C., so I got to talk with her for a few minutes. I cannot believe all of the tender mercies that I have seen out here on my mission and it helps me know that my Heavenly Father really is so aware of me and loves me.

We had dinner with a family in the ward this week and while we were eating, one of the little boys brought his Book of Mormon to show it to us. He was eating his food while looking through it and his mom asked him "Do you know what that book is? Those are words from our Heavenly Father and having those words get dirty with food is probably not very respectful. Do you think we should be respectful to the words that our Heavenly Father has given to us as a gift?" The little boy looked at his Book of Mormon for a second and said, "Yes! I'm going to go put it in a very safe place!" After hearing that, it made me realize how sacred the Book of Mormon really is and how lucky and blessed we are to have it. It made me think about how I am treating my Book of Mormon and how I should maybe be treating it like the gift it really is from our Heavenly Father.

I hope the rest of you had a great week! Love you!  

 October 21, 2015. Official "Back To the Future Day". We thought the best way to celebrate was to wear our clothes inside out.

You know your Mission President's wife is cool when she agrees to take selfies with you.