Joy

We have family members visiting us this week from Utah, Cathy's daughter Courtney, husband Emanuel, and their four small children. It's the first time we've had more than two other people in our apartment, so it's been quite an adjustment for us -- but of course something we are very happy to do. We're so happy to have several of our precious grandchildren with us for an entire week! 

Our grandchildren Everly (9), Ezra (5), Emberlin (4) and Edith (16 mo.)

Last Sunday we were invited to speak during Sacrament Meeting at the Kahaluu ward. We were asked to speak about "glad tidings of great joy" and Elder Mundell talked about how glad tidings really means "good news" in the Bible and the Book of Mormon, and is called the gospel of Jesus Christ. He said the gospel is really basic, we shouldn't try to make it overly complicated. It is simply Come Unto Christ and have faith in Him and His Atonement. Because of that faith, it inspires us to repent of our sins and make covenants to always remember Him and obey his commandments through baptism and receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. After baptism, we endure in faith to the end by exercising faith in Christ, repent daily and honor our covenants with God by keeping his commandments. 

Sister Mundell spoke about how "great joy" means happiness and pleasure, and described some of the things that bring her happiness and pleasure, such as serving a full-time mission and teaching early morning seminary. The two things that she loves more than anything else are her grandchildren and the beach. So this week was an extraordinary experience for her family to enjoy the beach together and witness for ourselves what true, complete and total joy is in her life! It was a blissful feeling for me to see her laughing and playing with those kids in the ocean, a day I will never forget!

We feel so blessed to serve our Heavenly Father and enjoy having our family visit us while we are on a mission. It's the best possible way to spend our retirement years together. We love it!

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