First Time to Church in Ali

I was able to go to church today and it was awesome. We had a sacrament meeting and Sunday school. They alternate each week. One week we will have Sunday school and the next we will have Priesthood and Relief Society. On Mondays they have family home evening and on Thursdays they have scripture study. It felt really good to partake of the sacrament and renew my covenants, it has been over a month since I have been able to do so. The spirit was very strong there. It is awesome to see the church is the same everywhere, even here in Iraq. It  was just military and DOD employees from here on the base. There was about 25 people there. They mentioned that they/we were just made an official branch here in Iraq and before they were attached to a branch in a different country. I can't remember which country. So this is the first time since Daniel that the priesthood has been established here in Iraq. I thought that was pretty sweet. Our Father in heaven has a plan and things happen for a reason, maybe one day we will be able to understand why everything has happened the way it has. We are here trying to help the people of Iraq reestablish. The priesthood being here to help guide us as we do that is one giant leap in the right direction.  Anyway I really enjoyed going to church today and was asked to say the closing prayer in sacrament.