A few updates from Susquehanna

This is a bit of a different post.  Sis. Larsen (inadvertently, I'm sure) did not send a group email this week, but she did send Scott and I each a letter.  Here is some of what she wrote there, plus some pictures she sent:

How are you?  How has your week gone?  I'm so good! So happy to be here in Susquehanna. This week we met Bishop Causse... And he is SO nice!! I think he shook my hand 3 different times and told me I played the violin beautifully. It’s not everyday the Presiding Bishop tells you that!!  (Note from Alicia:  I guess we’ll hear the story behind that next week...)

Bishop Causse - talking with the missionaries

In response to a question I asked about what a normal day looks like, now that she is full time (no proselyting) at the Visitor’s Center:  Typical day? Normal exercise, then get ready. Then studies from 8-8:30. Then we drive the VC van to pick up another set of sisters on Washington Street, then to the PRS by 8:45 for our recitation. Tours, online stuff, quick lunch, back to work, quick dinner (occasionally dinner after 9:00 when we go home because we're busy), song practice from 8-9, drop off Washington sisters, then home. Read from the white handbook and plan goals for our upcoming day. Prep lunch and dinner for the next day to eat at the VC.  Get ready for bed and nighty-night! And we wake up for more. It's really weird not having actual studies in the morning, but we really try to read while we sit out front waiting for guests. During the summer that won't even happen though! 

I told her I’d been asked to teach a lesson on “Why We Need the Book of Mormon”, and asked for her perspective, because of her experiences serving at the location where much of it was translated:  That's such a fun lesson topic you get to teach!! But there are a million reasons why we need the Book of Mormon... Something neat I've learned is that without the Book of Mormon we wouldn't have priesthood authority. It was while translating and reading about the authority to baptize that Joseph wondered about that authority and went out into the grove of sugar maple trees here at the site and prayed. John the Baptist came, gave them that authority... And fast forward to today and think about all the blessings we can receive because of priesthood power... Everything!! And all because of the Book of Mormon. And because one person acted on what they read. 

And a few pictures... more to come next week:

All 12 PRS sisters

Hooray!  Backyard Ice Cream is open again
L-R:  Sisters Harvey, Brown, Larsen, Francis