Since I didn’t get to email last week, here is a little bit of an update:
Last Monday night we had an amazing lesson with O! Every time we go over and we ask her about her reading she’s like “of course I’ve been reading! Right now I’m studying...and I love that because...” and then continues to apply the scriptures to herself. Prepared people like her just amaze me and it helps me to remember that the Lord is the one guiding this work.
After O we went to a bday party for C (a recent convert in KC1). We were only there for about 15 to 20 minutes just to drop in and wish him a happy birthday and then we rushed off to get to FHE for the YSA. We didn’t get to join in on the activity cause we were late but they carved pumpkins while we mingled haha it was seriously the best though cause Sis B took one half of the gym and I took the other and we just went to town talking to everyone. We had some prayers and concerns answered while talking to some of them too so it was seriously so great.
We did yoga with sister Webster again last Tuesday morning! I really appreciate her taking the time out of her busy schedule to do that with us. Especially because her kids got in a car accident while we were there so her husband ran off to deal with that (everyone was okay and the car wasn’t damaged bad) but she stayed home to keep teaching us. She’s awesome
We taught T finally but it was a way different lesson than we were expecting to teach haha we get there and we’re talking to him and everything and all of a sudden he starts asking us questions that pertain to the law of chastity so that was the very first lesson we taught him lol but he was way excited about all it. We have decided that somehow we are going to set him up with our other investigator O because they are literally a perfect match for each other. We’ll keep working on that and keep you posted!
Did I ever tell you guys that we are getting smart phones?? Well our mission is one of 12 that are trying out this new initiative where we all get smart phones and facebook and Skype and such. We get the phones sometime in the first week of November so that’ll be fun! Not sure exactly what I’m going to do since I never had a Facebook...I don’t really want to create an account this late in the game. We’ll see though :)
We FINALLY got in contact with C!! It was rough for a little cause work was crazy and kept switching her hours and then she is in the process of moving and everything but we just stopped by and got to talk with them while helping them pack. Literally the cutest family in the world. The kids cry every time we leave and beg for us to spend the night or at the least come over the next morning hahah
On Wednesday we had district meeting and that was really good. We talked about having the faith while making goals and plans to actually see those things come true and see miracles in our area. We had a lesson with J where we read in Mosiah 24 about how the Lord will ease the burdens that are placed on our shoulders that even we cannot feel them. I think it was an especially good reminder for me.
We had a lesson with Y and D that went way good! A huge improvement from the last lesson. We read in 2 Nephi 31 with them and referred to scriptures in the Bible to help her understand more about receiving the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands and why we don’t have the gift of the Holy Ghost until after baptism. I think it helped all of us understand it a little better!
We had the Fall Festival on Friday and that was way fun!! C and her kids, O and her kids, Y and D, C, T and her sister, and some less actives all came!
It’s so hard though when they literally all find a way to come to the fall festival but then say that they they cant go to church on Sunday. So like nobody came to church, but oh well.
THIS WEEK:
WAS SUCH A GOOD WEEK!!! Fall has officially hit Missouri and Kansas (since we drive in and out of both everyday). It’s so beautiful to look across the sea of trees while driving down the freeway and see all of the colors you can think of! Also, I’ve had more hot cider this past month than I have had in my whole life lol AND to top off our fall celebrations, sister bench and I decided to finally carve our pumpkin and of course, we had to do something missionary related (see attached picture).
Some of you might’ve already noticed, but we got smartphones and facebook this past week - it literally was so weird to get on but I did it...i posted for the first time in my life haha. Aside from the fact that it’s going to take a lot of getting used to, this is seriously going to help the work move forward so much!!!
For Halloween night, our mission president said that we would just have to weekly plan in the apartment unless we had appointments...but guess who has the best recent converts?!? The Smith’s wanted to pass out baked goods and Book of Mormons and pass along cards and invite people to donate to different charities! And they invited us to join them. Literally THE BEST. There weren’t too many trick or treaters cause it was pretty cold, but basically everyone that did come by took one of everything. :’)
O is still on date for baptism November 18th!!:))) She came to church and when we went through the baptismal interview questions, she took it all like a champ. Last sunday, this guy named J showed up to church in the YSA and is a rockstar. Some sisters in another area met him at a park and within the past 2 weeks, he’s already read the Book of Mormon, knows that this is true and just wants to do what the Lord wants.
The other night, we had a lesson with a recent convert in the YSA named R :) She is literally the cutest. Our lesson didn’t quite go as we had planned, but that’s ok, that’s when you just roll with the punches and man, is the spirit so cool. If you “Neither take ye thought beforehand what ye shall say; but treasure up in your minds continually the words of life, and it shall be given you in the very hour that portion that shall be meted unto every man” (D&C 84:85). Towards the end of the lesson, we weren’t quite sure what to share but then a video came to mind that literally was MADE for R - and I didn’t even realize that until the moment that I was prefacing it to her. Every bit of the video hit on points she had brought up!
That same night, we went to McDonald’s to get some wifi and report on some lessons - and there was THE cutest family sitting there eating dinner. We both knew that we just had to talk to them...and they speak spanish! The Lord had placed us in the right place at the right time. I talked to the parents while Sis Bench talked to the kids haha but we exchanged numbers and now they want us to come by and share our message with them!
A quote that has stood out to me is on charity, by Marvin J Ashton. SO POWERFUL and has completely changed my perspective of what charity really means.
“Charity is, perhaps, in many ways a misunderstood word. We often equate charity with visiting the sick, taking in casseroles to those in need, or sharing our excess with those who are less fortunate. But really, true charity is much, much more.
“Real charity is not something you give away; it is something that you acquire and make a part of yourself. And when the virtue of charity becomes implanted in your heart, you are never the same again. It makes the thought of [putting others down] repulsive.
“Perhaps the greatest charity comes when we are kind to each other, when we don’t judge or categorize someone else, when we simply give each other the benefit of the doubt or remain quiet. Charity is accepting someone’s differences, weaknesses, and shortcomings; having patience with someone who has let us down; or resisting the impulse to become offended when someone doesn’t handle something the way we might have hoped. Charity is refusing to take advantage of another’s weakness and being willing to forgive someone who has hurt us. Charity is expecting the best of each other” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1992, 24; or Ensign, May 1992, 18–19).
I just loved that. and I hope you do too :)
