Tuesday evening Caden met with the stake president for his exit interview and Thursday night we went with him to report to the high council. He was there with Aubrey from our ward who also just returned. Aubrey and Blake had attended prom together a few years ago. She is an amazing girl. She went first and shared some experiences and then Caden went. They had opened the meeting by seeing Have I Done any Good In the World Today. Caden said that song was inspired because he was going to talk about that song. He mentioned how before his mission he would have days go by that maybe he hadn't made any one's day better or helped any one in need, but on his mission he did that daily. He talked about a single mom and how her house was in pretty bad shape and how the walls were damaged. They got together with the elders quorum and painted it. She mentioned how no one had ever done anything like that for her before and how much it meant to her. He talked about how the little things we do can really lift others. He then talked about how in Washington they had been teaching a lady that the missionaries referred to an evergator or something like that. She had been investigating the church for ever but would never commit to getting baptized. Caden said he prayed and prayed for a solution and he said I thought I would take the brother of Jared approach and bring a solution to the Lord. He told the Lord that if they met with her again, they would ask her to open her scriptures to anywhere and they would read that chapter and that that chapter would witness to her and help her commit. So they met with her again and they did this. She opened to the exact place in Ether about the brother of Jared and his taking the stones to the Lord. Caden said that he witnessed to her of what happened with his prayer and how she turned to the exact place. He said she did not at that time commit to baptism, but it was a witness to Caden that God heard his prayer and let him know He did. Caden then said, powerful answers require powerful prayers. I loved that. Anyway he shared his testimony in Spanish and he just was so strong. I told him it sure does make me so happy as his mom to witness his testimony and the power he brings when he shares it. I sure love him and we have had such fun with him home. We are excited for him to start school, but we are not going to love seeing him leave! He brings a special feeling into our home.
Last night the Sigerson's invited us over with the missionaries for dinner. It was a lovely meal and we had a good time visiting. Then we headed over to watch the 12 orphans. It was a movie about a true story in Texas. There was a school in the Dallas area that housed orphans and a husband and wife moved there to teach school and coach a football team. It showed how these kids who believed they were worthless and no one wanted were taught to believe in themselves. They ended up going to the state championships in football and didn't win that game but what they had inspired in the nation during the depression was so amazing. At the end of the movie the told what happened to each of those twelve boys and they all became something and were successful. The doctor on the show worked at that orphanage for free for years. 47 of those boys over the years became doctors. It mentioned a few times about family and how we has humans want and earn for belonging to a family. How these boys and girls were lost and longed for a family and how they made one within the orphanage. It just reminded me of our Heavenly Fathers plan and how central family is to it and how we each are born with that desire for family.
Today Rick had to work so not sure what Caden and I will do, but tomorrow is stake conference and then we are having the missionaries over for dinner. Maybe skull king round! Played with Rick and Caden and I lost big time! Monday will be getting Caden's stuff packed and organized and then Tuesday morning, Rick and Caden will take off for their road trip to Utah! I think they are a little excited about it. I will stay with the pups and I think Grey will have a sleepover for a couple days while Kayla takes her sister to the coast for a graduation get away. I put together a gift basket for Kensley for her graduation but to mainly thank her for being the best aunt ever and taking such great care of Grey!
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