Yay for Mother's Day!

May 12, 2008

Dear family and friends—
This past week has been good—we finally have a new investigator! Her name is Donna and she and her husband have 3 children, 4, 6, and 8, 2 of which are autistic. We met the family on their driveway a couple weeks ago, after our teaching appointment a door or two up the street wasn’t home (or didn’t answer the door, which now seems more likely). This family didn’t seem interested, especially the dad. When we told them the name of our church, etc., the dad replied with a slightly arrogant tone, “We are the church of Jesus Christ of the early day saints.” So we gave them a pass-a-long card and left. But my very-in-tune companion kept thinking about them the next couple days or so, so we went back and just the mom was home (Donna) and we gave her the DVD “Together Forever” and asked if we could come back in a few days to see how she liked it and talk. She was friendly and said yes, so then this past Tuesday we went and she and her husband hadn’t been able to watch the movie cuz their DVD players weren’t working, but she let us come in and we taught her the first lesson about the Restoration and Joseph Smith and the BOM and she loved it. The spirit was so strong and she readily accepted the commitments to pray about Joseph Smith and the BOM (after reading some of it). Then at the end we all three knelt down to pray and I said a prayer, then Sis. Arnell, then Donna, and she totally asked if JS really saw God and Christ, and if the BOM is true or if it is just something made up. It was the most sincere, amazing prayer. So since then we have seen or talked to her every day and she is really progressing. We took the elders with us on Saturday to give her kids and her blessings (her two daughters have problems with their legs, besides autism, and the young one may have to have surgery soon to have them broken and reset so they aren’t bent in (she’s kind of pidgeon-toed). Anyway, that was a neat experience for Donna, and THEN she and her 2 youngest kids came to church yesterday! It was amazing! See, almost every week we have someone that we hope will come, but for a while, no one actually shows up, so we were so happy when Donna drove up in her mini-van! We are going to set a baptismal date with her tomorrow (tues) for May 31, that’s the plan. So she will be one of our goal of 2 baptisms for this Transfer of Perfection! Her husband we met again on Saturday with the blessings, and he is a little different, an interesting guy, nice, but different. He is not so interested himself, but he has no problem if his wife is, which is such a blessing. We’re of course hoping he softens soon and will be more interested. A cool thing about Donna is that it has always frustrated her that her family wouldn’t let her learn about other religions, and she has always wanted to. Our church has interested her the most, she says, and she even did a report on Joseph Smith in college. She is very ready and we are so thankful.
The other 2 highlights of the week were that I got to call mom yesterday for mother’s day, which was such a blessing, more than words can say. It was great to talk to Dad and Grandma for a second too! Then last night, we actually got to go to a concert/fireside by the Nashville Tribute Band—it’s a band of a few guys put together, they’re all members of the Church, the keyboarder is Dan Truman, who’s the keyboarder for Diamond Rio, then there’s Jason Deere, who is a big songwriter here in Nashville—he’s written songs for SheDaisy (FYI: our bishop’s son is seriously dating one of the SheDaisy girls, who actually lives in Brentwood, in our mission pres’s ward:)), Jessica Simpson, and other big names; Then 2 other guys that are big in the music business. Then they had SheDaisy’s younger sister help them out with a song (great voice), and this other guy, and Dan Truman’s wife, who is big in music herself I guess. Anyway, their first CD is a tribute to the Prophet Joseph Smith, and now their 2nd CD, which was featured last night, is called TREK, and it highlights and honors the pioneers and their trek across the plains. Both albums are phenomenal, they’re both at Deseret Book and other places I’m sure, but go get them, they’re amazing! Mom, remember when they played at the Women’s Conference we went to together last summer? That’s them, they were here last night! They are so good! Anyway, that was a lot of fun. For all the missionaries, our ticket in was a nonmember, so for the past few weeks we have been contacting with flyers for it, giving out “tickets” (it was free), and telling lots of people about it.
Anyway, I love you all, thank you so so much for your support and prayers, it really means a LOT to me.
Love, Sister Gurr
PS—Sally and Joe—Nancy and Jim Harris are in our ward, I was talking to Nancy yesterday in RS and she mentioned they were from San Antonio and I threw out the name Davidson, and she said, “like Ross and Jolene?” Small world! I told her my sister married Joe—crazy huh?! Joe, do you know who I am talking about? Anyway, their youngest son is now in the MTC…
PPS—Happy Birthday Simon! I love you and I miss you so much! Have a fun day! You are such a big boy! :)
PPPS--Christina, thank you SOO much for Anna's address!! Have fun in...shoot, whatever country you are going to! :)
PPPPS--Cheryl--where are you now? Are you in Germany yet? I love you!