D&C 135:3

This week was a roller coaster to say the least.

Something I think I should share that everyone would enjoy is a good "dog" story. I may have mentioned this before but dogs are extremely common around here. EVERYONE and their dog have a dog. (Why? I don't know. I've never figured out the logic behind... "We live in a tiny apartment that requires us to have our TV on our kitchen table and our bathroom also serves as space for Christmas Decoration storage...So we should probably get a dog." :) Whatever! Everyone's got one, regardless of how little sense it makes.)  Thus, we're used to getting attacked by various kinds of dogs of all sizes when we come to people's apartments...This week, however we had a fantastic encounter with a pet RABBIT.

We were looking up a less-active member in our ward when we found a MASSIVE pet bunny at the top of the stairs. It was bigger than a lot of the dogs and cats that I've seen in people's houses. He freaked us out pretty good. Haha. I don't know how many of y'all have had a rabbit, the size of a small child, charge you, but man it's scary. I think he thought he was a dog. After he realized we came in peace he just kind of hopped around us and pretty sure he would have wagged his tail if rabbits did that.  We named it Thumper. Never did figure out its real name because the member who owns it wasn't home. Better luck next week.

Another interesting thing that happened to us was that I was stopped by a gentleman who asked me to keep "my religion" out of his life and away from his family. He told us that his sister was a lesbian and was happily married to a woman in California. He also expressed his disgust with "my religion" for their support of Proposition 8. He told me he could never believe in a church where the men are called Elders and the women are not. It was probably only a 30 second conversation. It makes me sad that people misunderstand. This was one of those times where you feel pretty helpless...and by defending yourself you would only make the situation worse. So we had to just walk away. I truly feel bad that his family may have been hurt by discrimination or hateful propaganda geared toward homosexuality or sexism. But that's not "my religion".  My religion doesn't promote discrimination or hate. My religion isn't about exclusion. It's about inclusion. The good news of the gospel of Christ is for EVERYBODY.

Also, saw my second street fight this week. No knives this time. Haha. (Sorry mom, maybe I shouldn't tell you these things till after I come home.)

Had Mangu for the first time!! So good. For those of you who don't know. It's a Dominican dish...mashed plantains with onions and all kinds of good stuff in it.

My favorite highlight of this week was that the youth in my ward went to youth conference. They got to go upstate to The Sacred Grove and see Palmyra and all the Church History sites along the way. (So jealous of them...) Many youth who attended haven't come to church in years and Ashlynn our beautiful, wonderful 12-year-old investigator went as well. They all came back just glowing. ALL of the young women and young men got up and bore their testimonies of the Prophet Joseph Smith during sacrament meeting. Several of them went into the Palmyra Temple and got to do baptisms for the dead for the first time ever. Hearing about their experiences just brought tears to my eyes and joy to my heart.

They all got me thinking about my personal testimony of the Restoration and of Joseph Smith. I remember talking with my district a little while ago about when we all knew the church was true. Most of us said it was just a knowledge that came over time based on countless experiences. But one experience that really stands out and that I'll never forget was when I visited Carthage Jail with my family about 7 years ago. I remember putting my hands up on the window from which Joseph fell and I felt an overwhelming feeling. I remember feeling like God truly knew me, and loved me. I knew in that moment that Joseph Smith was a prophet and that he was called by God to restore the gospel. 

Joseph Smith was given a divine mission to bring God's true church to the earth once again. I am so grateful that Joseph Smith completed his mission so that I could be here today serving mine. D&C 135:3 says "Joseph Smith the prophet and seer of the Lord, has done more, save Jesus only, for the salvation of men in this world, than any other man that ever lived in it." I feel nothing but indescribable gratitude for the many blessings the restored gospel has brought to my life and to my family.  Joseph Smith himself said, "Now what do we hear in the gospel which we have received? A voice of gladness! A voice of mercy from heaven; a voice of truth from the earth; glad tidings from the dead; glad tidings for the living; glad tidings of great joy."

I love being a missionary!

Hope you all have a great week! A shout out to my Aunt Kylee and Uncle Scott and Cousin Ross... Congratulations on your new baby girl! She's GORGEOUS!

Love,

Sister Tara Franklin

        Thumper -- Killer Rabbit