During the month of March we were happy to see one of the military families at Fort Bragg become members of the church. The wife starting taking lessons just shortly before we arrived here in Fayetteville. She had become friends with some of the members in the neighborhood and the Bishops wife invited her to a church activity. She enjoyed it and started asking questions and soon was taking the missionary lessons. In late November we had Stake Conference with Elder Quentin L. Cook as the visiting authority. She got to meet him and shake his hand. She also got to visit with Elder
Alvin F. Meredith. We met her during the first set of Marriage Strengthening lessons. We were able to teach her two of the lessons along with 5 other wives from the Fort Bragg Ward. All of their husbands were deployed at the time and they learned from one another and we learned from all of them. This new member developed a very strong testimony and began telling her husband via texting and skyping etc. that he needed to "stop drinking" or needed to "start studying the Book of Mormon" or "could she start paying tithing even though she wasn't baptized yet". He soon began to notice the wonderful happiness she was exhibiting and did begin to read the Book of Mormon while in Kosovo. He came home in December for one week and while here he came to church. He loved everyone he met. When he returned to Kosovo he missionaries started teaching him via Facebook chats and he read the entire Book of Mormon in a short time. When his deployment came to an end in February he finished the missionary discussions and he and his wife were baptized in early March. Two weeks later he received the Melchizedek Priesthood and was able to baptize his son just before the transfer of one of the missionaries that taught them as a family. It was been a great experience for the entire ward and all the missionaries in this area. The Lord truly prepared them and they recognized the truth so readily. They continue to study the Book of Mormon and are VERY excited for General Conference this weekend. She is doing all she can to prepare the family to have a wonderful experience as they watch the Conference together. It has been a joy for us to see the happiness and growth and love in this family. Recently we gave them a Family Home Evening about the Family Proclamation and they already knew much about it because they study so much but we enjoyed the lesson with them and the children loved the Proclamation Banner. We are blessed to count them as our friends. In this military setting we see so many who have accepted the gospel while serving their country. It is wonderful to see.
