September 19, 2026

Sept. 19, 2026

It has been almost two weeks since we arrived here in Pratt. We are getting settled in and attended the Pratt Branch for the first time and the members made us feel right at home. They were very welcoming. The building is smaller but nice. It was enjoyable meeting some of the members. To our surprise we found out that a number of the youth in our ward were performing in the high school musical “Shrek.” They have a phenonimal choir director. They have about 300 high school students and out of this 200 participate in the High School Choir. The director has musical tryouts in May and the practices go throughout the summer. The performance is at the beginning of the school year before the sports programs start allowing students to participate in both. They have a nice auditorium and the performance was excellent.

We are working with the branch leadership to be able to visit families and also invite them to the Witchita Temple Open House. It has also been fun getting to meet some members of the community. Everyone we have met is friendly.

We know that everyone is a Child of God. Each has a story. A sister was asked to share in Sacrament Meeting.  We admired her because she was so nervous but she did it!  She has a couple of children, her oldest is a Young Man about 15 years old. 

Her story went back to about six years ago.  She was in an emotional & abusive marriage relationship.  It had finally got to a point where she couldn’t take it anymore.  Her decision was to leave that night.   The youngest daughter decided that she would sleep with her father in his room. 

This mother didn’t know what to do.  She decided to pray.  Following the prayer it wasn’t too long & her little daughter came and joined in her bedroom, a tender mercy. At midnight that night this brave mother quietly took her children and left the house with the clothes on their backs and drove to Pratt Kansas, where she had grown up.  We know that it takes a lot of courage for individuals to get out of abusive relationships.

Last summer the missionaries found her and taught her the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  She knew it was true but was nervous about having to be up in front of everyone at her baptism. She didn’t expect many to be there. It surprised her that many branch members showed up. A sister in the ward stayed with her the entire time & everyone was so kind. She felt the love of the branch. They are strong in their faith in the Gospel.

It was good to have the missionaries call us three times while teaching individuals and inviting us to share our testimony of how Jesus Christ has helped us throughout our lives and what He means to us.

We enjoy our morning walks in the park and seeing the squirrels busily gathering things for winter.