It has been beautiful here! Sunny and cold but no wind. We are able to get out and enjoy ourselves for a few hours each day. Trent took Friday off so we had a 3-day weekend with him and went to town and got some Idaho Falls culture. Fun!
Yesterday I officially received my first Book of Mormon. One of the gals on my Soul Soup team who has lived in Idaho Falls said I would receive several of these while living here, complete with highlights and notes. Yep, she was right. Trent and I have discussed stacking them by the front door table to display them so people can see how many we have received. Or maybe not . . . . .
It was one of our adorable next door neighbors who brought it over. However, on hearing we were Baptist during our last visit they did contact some of their friends who are Baptist and got us their names and phone numbers and which church they attend. While simultaneously inviting us to a Mormon service. She mentioned she has attended an interdenominational Bible Study before with Baptists in attendance and she said she learned a lot (I bet!). It was CS Lewis who said 'There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devil. One is to disbelieve in their existence. The other is to believe, and to feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in them. They themselves are equally pleased by both errors and hail a materialist or a magician with the same delight.' It's how I feel about the Book of Mormon--I should give a read and look-through but I don't really want to study it at all. I should know what it says that I don't agree with and I should also have memorized concretely (and believe in my heart) what I believe.
Sunday #3 was much better. We braced ourselves for the Maranatha Singers Worship Band and prayed about the experience (and for those involved in the service) before we arrived. The music was bad as anticipated but focusing on the sermon we did much better. The message is spot-on and delivered well. Jesus was the very focus of all of it and we were edified by it. Fantastic. I think they might be at one of those break-points that the size of the church is such (300 or so) that if they don't make some critical changes they won't grow anymore. The point isn't to get big but I think they have the potential to bring many more seekers and disciples into their fold. They're primary focus is outward: very missional, and small groups are part of it although not at the very center of what they do.
Anyhow, this week went much better in general. We are definitely getting into a groove. I am doing preschool at home with the kids to give us some familiarity and a schedule. I'm pretty horrible at it and we usually end up outside planting bulbs or dancing but it's fun! Next month we are going to do Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace Jr. and that excites me.
We learn things about little Iona each week that we love. I told Trent that if we meet some friends, I might really like this place! But, we still miss everyone . . . .
Ha, you sound like an AWESOME homeschool teacher! :) I'm glad to hear this Sunday went so much better, and that the sermon was rich with Jesus. It's a little crazy that you already received a Book of Mormon. I've never read it, but would also be curious about what it contains. Keep the posts coming!
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