Happy MLK day!

It was up to 70 here last week and over the weekend, but now the winter weather is back and it is down in the 50s :) It rained yesterday and is supposed to rain all this week, but it really doesn't look promising today. We went to the temple this morning with the other 2 sisters in our zone and then we went to Waffle House (yes there is one here! it is right across the street from my area). None of them had been there before and they were not disappointed at all.

The biggest thing for this week is that we got our new directors over the weekend. We had the farewell for the Burkes on Saturday but then the rest of the day was normal. It really didn't hit that they were leaving until Sunday. They were at the VC in the middle of the day with the Whites, to train them on a few things and then they left. It was so sad when they left, we said goodbye to them right when we got on shift. Everyone was crying for a little while after they left, but I think the Burkes were the ones crying the most. They were such an important part of our mission, but we were everything to their mission. I just briefly met the Whites on Sunday, but they left when the Burkes did because they weren't on shift. Monday morning we had a meeting where we all got to meet the Whites. They are really awesome. It is amazing how much the Lord know who needs to be serving where and at what time. On Sunday it didn't feel right for the Whites to be the new directors, and we missed the Burkes a lot. However, on Monday I felt like there is no one else who can be our directors right now. Elder White was in the Air Force, but he is not one bit a hardened military man. He was a mission president in Florida Orlando mission, but I can't remember when.They brought their daughter, Debbie, with them. I'm not sure how old she is but she has a mental disability. She is so cute. We already feel like they are our new grandparents here at the VC and I am excited to serve with them.

Other than that there is no big or exciting news from the area. The work is still going as usual. We are still working working working to find more hispanics in the area. The work with the ones that we have is going well, especially with some of our less-actives. One of the families we have been working with that is almost re-activated is this cute young couple with a 2-yr-old son. Their son is kind of wild but he has gotten so much better since we've starting working with them. Last week we went over and Edgar (the dad) had just spent the week with his biological uncle. America(the mom) did a lot of research to find him and they got back in contact. Edgar and his uncle were really close when Edgar was younger. His biological dad was a drug dealer in Mexico, so he didn't really know him and they left when he was 6. All the memories he has of his dad are bad ones and all the good memories he has of his childhood have to do with his uncle so it was a really great thing for him and his brother to be able to spend time with him. When we went over they told us that they were thinking about getting in touch with his biological dad too. We shared the scripture in Malachi and talked about how this may be a way for them to share the gospel with Edgar's dad (Edgar converted when he was a teenager) and when America read it she started crying. She is such a good mother and such a good support for their family. She has a lot of faith and really tries to learn all she can about the gospel. That is one of the biggest reasons their family is progressing, because of her love and patience. We haven't been able to teach them since last week however, so we don't know what has been going on with his family but as always we are praying for the better and working for the best.

Desde Mesa con amor,
Hermana Ladd