Let the Spirit Guide.

G'day!

It sounds like you have all had a awesome busy weekend!  Josh way to start the game off with a goal!  That's always a good step of motivation for the rest of your team.  A 50 in swimming is just the beginning.  You'll be doing the half Ironman with dad in no time!  Ben good job with your 5 assists and your goal!  Way to go bro! I'm also excited to see how your baseball skills are coming along.  David I'm glad that you got to play your game and get to Mandy's baptism.  You are next little bro!  Your baptism is just around the corner!  I'm so excited for you :)  Soph, I can't believe you are already going in to your 5th year of girls camp.   That makes me feel really old.  I hope you have a blast!

This week has been pretty slow for us.  I have 2 awesome stories to share though.  The first one is about a man named Kevin Jones.  Sister Bailey and I met him last Saturday while we were biking.  He invited us back to chat.  On Tuesday we went back with a member to share a message with him.  He said he was going to call us and cancel but he didn't.  He had surgery on his foot back in December and it hasn't fully healed.  He has had a couple of re-surgery since then.  They've had to amputate half of his left foot.  He has a vacuum on it to keep it from getting infected.  He said that he was in a lot of pain and was going to call and reschedule but he fell asleep and then a couple of hours later we came.  We asked him if he would like a blessing.  We explained all about it and the member testified more powerfully about the miracles that come from priesthood blessings than I could have ever imagined.  It was a beautiful lesson.  We went back on Saturday with Brother Christy and he gave him a blessing.  Brother Christy was the perfect man to call.  We had called 5+ people before we called him.  No one else was available and now we know that they weren't able to come because Brother Christy needed to be the one to come and give that blessing.  He and Kevin got along really well and Brother Christy was able to answer some of his questions and really just build an instant friendship with him.  It was pretty amazing.

The other story is about the Northam family.  Tanith is a single mum with three kids.  Shanae is 15, Cody is 13, and Ryan is 11.  They haven't been active for a while and we have been trying to get in to their home to share a message for a while.  Well two weeks ago we got in!  We watched the Restoration DVD and talked about how the gospel blesses us when we live it.  We went back this week and Tanith instantly opened up to us about the trials that she is going through.  She was talking to a friend and she friend said, "Tanith, God doesn't punish.  He is waiting for you to put your trust in Him.  He keeps giving you things like trials because you haven't put your trust in Him yet."  I automatically opened up to my favourite scripture Alma 38:5 and read it to her like this, "And now my daughter, Tanith, I would that ye should remember, that as much as ye shall put your trust in God even so much ye shall be delivered out of your trials, and your troubles, and your afflictions, and ye shall be lifted up at the last day."  Then without a second thought I felt the Spirit direct me to a different scripture.  I quickly flipped to 3 Nephi 13 while I was testifying about putting our trust in God.  Then we shared these verses, "31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?  32 For your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.  33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you."  Sister Northam was in tears as I read those simple verses.  I love the scriptures.  They always say exactly what people need to hear.  Sister Murray and I testified that God was so very aware of what she is going through and that her friend was right.  We promised her that all the dramas and trials that she is going through in life will be easier to handle if she puts God first.  The Spirit was so strong in their living room.  I'm so grateful for the Holy Ghost.  I'm grateful for those times that I literally feel like I am just an instruments in God's hands.  Those are moments that I will treasure forever. 

I read the talk "Only a Teacher" by President Monson this week in preparation for General Conference.  It is a long talk but it applies to ever single one of us in one way or another.  I got half way through the talk and started over and read it to Sister Murray.  There were so many things that stood out to me.  I'm grateful for great teachers in my life.  I'm grateful for wonderful parents, encouraging church leaders, patient school teachers, and persistent coaches.  Every person in our lives is there for a reason.   This week I suggest that you pray and look for ways that you can be a blessing in someone else life.  I love you all and miss you heaps!  

Much love,
Sister Shayne

Pic #1 Last Monday we had a Sisters p-day down at the Foreshore :)  It was peaceful.

Pic #2 Beautiful sunset after we left the Northams home.  Such a fantastic sight every time.