family night first

before i recap on the weekend i have to mention FHE tonight:

a generous and capable family in the ward invited us to their house in waterloo. they have two daughters one of which is my age. they speak superb english. their house is utterly perfect. they served us our first belgian french fries-yum. we were so grateful for the invitation, grateful mainly for what people are doing for us here because it is instilling in me a deep aim to be generous and capable and invite as many people in my home that may be in need.

for the lesson we talked about faithful friends. while living overseas my gratitude for the church has reached a whole new level. i've more fully appreciated that, as a whole in this church, we have opportunity to be a friend for Him. it seems like devin and i are witnessing people being His friend for us more than ever, and our hearts are full. essentially, i will let Elder Eyring say what i've been trying to:

"We become His friends as we serve others for Him. He is the perfect example of the kind of friend we are to become. He wants only what is best for His Heavenly Father’s children. Their happiness is His happiness. He feels their sorrow as His own because He has paid the price of all their sins, taken upon Himself all their infirmities, borne all their troubles, and felt all their longings. His motives are pure. He seeks no recognition for Himself but to give all glory to His Heavenly Father. The perfect friend, Jesus Christ, is completely selfless in offering happiness to others.

In the next few days you will have many opportunities to be a friend for Him. It may be as you walk on a dusty road. It may be as you sit down in a railroad car. It may be as you look for a place to sit in a Church congregation. If you are watching, you will see someone carrying a heavy burden. It may be a burden of sorrow or loneliness or resentment. It may be visible to you only if you have prayed for the Spirit to give you eyes to see into hearts and have promised to lift up the hands that hang down.

The answer to your prayer may be the face of an old friend, one you have not seen in years but whose needs suddenly come into your mind and heart and feel as if they are your own. I’ve had that happen to me. Old friends have reached out to me across the miles and the years to offer encouragement when only God could have told them of my burden."

awful picture i know. i was too scared to snap a pic of their dream house, so this is the neighbors:)