St. Francis "Branch"

It's happening again. The northernmost members of the Anoka Ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints are hereby invited to attend Sacrament meeting and Gospel Essentials class at our home! This probably seems like an odd invitation and I'm here to tell you that it wasn't that Monte and I took it upon ourselves to have services at home so we wouldn't have to drive into Anoka. This is something that our bishop decided last February might be a good experiment. It was fairly successful so we have been asked to do this again. It was great fun last year. We moved the furniture in the basement and set up about 20 chairs, Monte built a fire in the wood burning stove, and we set up music and all the other props. We called on the members who attended to contribute with prayers, testimonies, talks, and of course the appropriate ordinances performed.

We are all ready to do it again (well, I wouldn't say ALL ready) but I get to teach the Gospel Essentials class (I think that's what Monte called it - I get confused because I keep hearing it referred to Principles, Essentials, Basics ...) Whatever, I get to do it and I'm excited about that too. I don't exactly remember from last year whether the week we started was also conference week but that is what is happening at my house. I will work from 8 am to approximately 8 PM 4 days in the next week. Add to that that the middle schools are holding meetings to "transition" 5th grade special ed students to 6th grade which is middle school here, and this all means late nights, LOTS of paperwork, and some stressfull (even tearful) meetings. Middle school is as hard on the parents as it is on the kids. On Tuesday I went to bed grumping at my poor husband about how I'm NEVER going to be able to make our house presentable. By Thursday I had come to the conclusion that the Lord planned it this way. We'll do what we can and the rest is up to Him. This way I HAVE to prioritize and make it about His message not my pride. The best part about the whole thing is that a Sacrament meeting in the intimate setting of a person's home strengthens those feelings of love and welcome. That is what is the most important part of it to me. The Gospel is about people not places. I'm grateful we have a home that can accommodate such an experience and I pray everyone will feel welcome and loved. See you there!