Lots has happened this week... But the most important and sacred for me was Family Home Evening with Sister Marquardt, the Holbrooks, the Longeneckers, and Sister Reese.
On Friday Sister Marquardt was admitted to the hospital again but because the tumor are too big, they couldn't giver her a feeding tube. She came home on Saturday and was very upset. We saw her then. I asked her if I could videotape her testimony and story. She said that she wanted to wait til Monday when she didn't have drugs coursing through her body. She made it into a very special family home evening. I love her so much. I'm trying to figure out how to send it to you all but i'm not having a lot of luck. i'll keep trying.
She talked about how we're here to experience hard things so we could learn to love God. How when we put a smile on someone's face, it's putting a smile on Jesus. She said that she's looking forward to being in a perfect place without sickness. She has such amazing faith in the Plan of Salvation.
I can hardly believe how far they have all come and that I was blessed with knowing them. As she was sharing her testimony the Spirit pointed out to me the things that I have taught. And how I really was instrumental in helping their entire family, not just the people that we helped to get baptized.
I'm going to miss Sister Marquardt so much that I'm crying in the library while I think about it. But she has changed me forever. And just like she was telling Joe last night, she will always be with us.
It's amazing to me that in the middle of sin city, in a little apartment filled with the smell of smoke, a very sacred experience took place.
The Lord loves each of us so much. He is in the details of our lives. He is mindful of each of us. Sometimes He takes the burden away and sometimes He gives us the strength to get through. The Lord has truly given Sister Marquardt the strength to not just face death but to have the faith to look beyond and see the happiness that she will have with God because of her faithfulness.
I know the gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored to the earth and that He chose Joseph Smith to be the first modern day prophet. And that through the Gospel of Jesus Christ, we will have happiness that can not be found anywhere else.
I love all of you. It was so so so so so good talk and see you on Mother's day. I could have talked for several more hours telling you all about the people that I've met here and the things that I have learned. Know that I love you immensely. I'm so grateful for our family.
Love,
Sister Cornelsen
In the picture, fromleft to right. Alissa Longenecker, Sister Akemon, Jaden Longenecker, Sister Cornelsen, Tiffany Longenecker, Ryan Longenecker, Elizabeth Holbrook, Sister Peggy Reese, Chris Holbrook. Sister Carol Marquardt in the front with Joe Holbrook on her lap. :D We called it a family picture. Aren't they wonderful ? :D
oh! we also went hiking for pday. it was AWESOME! Sister akemon has some neck pain so we'd have to stop to let her neck rest. but it was so wonderful to be out in nature
