August 12, 2009

Make sure you read the last letter. I posted it late, so it was up only last night. Sorry! -Andrea


Spelling out I c-a-n d-o i-t was always the little motto (ditty?) that kept me running when I did track in high school. It's been such an incredible few days! First of all, we achieved our mission goal of 200 investigators at church! The average before was about 160 (or maybe that was the record, I can't remember). the night before, we got a call from our zone leaders saying it was 197. "Ahh! It's totally our fault. We had three who promised to come, but didn't show!" Then the next morning, we had combined sports with the Elders and they announced that we had 202! They had called all the district leaders to double check and it was the senior couples (and a few mistakes of elders) who pulled through and forgot to give their numbers. Booya! Go seniors! They're the best kind of missionaries!

We have this one girl we are teaching that I think I mentioned before, who is Community of Christ. We taught her yesterday and finally something clicked! She is coming to church on Sunday. AND we have a less active in the ward who hasn't been in forever and she used to be CC as well. She agreed to come to church and sit by our investigator! We're totally gonna reactivate her and baptize our investigator. I love this work!

We've been trying to contact a referral that we received from Salt Lake: a woman who ordered a BoM over the phone. We finally taught her! She is a rockstar. Her parents are members, so she's grown up going to church sometimes. She feels really lost right now and is looking for fulfillment in her life. Cha-ching! Insert the Gospel of Jesus Christ here _______. The problem is that she is super busy with two jobs and is never able to call us back. We really clicked and were able to laugh with her. We invited her to church, she realizes she needs to, but needs a friend. I'm so excited to watch her story unfold.

We had our interviews with Pres and Sis VK this week. Umm, can I just say Sis Van Komen is such a doll? She just looks at me with these puppy dog eyes and goes "Being a new missionary is hard, huh?" I was doing fine until I realized that it really IS hard.

We challenged a family to live the Word of Wisdom and begin attending the stake's addiction recovery class. So great! She was so excited. "I was actually just talking to one of my kid's counselors about how I need to go to a support group to stop doing this...today, actually. You are an answer to prayer." It was incredible.

Reading a BoM scripture with each lesson and each tour is going great! Yesterday, I had an elder come through with his family. He was on his way home from his mission in TX. At the end, I invited him to come up and share the first vision. The room was so heavy with the Spirit. He got up and told Joseph's story and then bore a powerful testimony of its truthfulness. We all teared up (there were like 10 people on the tour). I want my testimony to feel like that to people. I want to make the room heavy with the Spirit, but I don't know how.

Other than that, I can't think of anything to report on. I love to hear how all of you are doing. I can't believe lil Soapy is almost a year old! this is flying by and I already just feel like my mission is slipping away. It's so weird! Sis Moody seems to think we will be together again this transfer. Hmm, we'll see. I still have another follow up trainer, I just don't know if I'll have her next week or in 6 more. The end of the transfer is Aug 20th, I think. Weird! I feel so old!

It's all about service. We've taken the time to really get to know some members in our ward this week and do service for them. I wish more people would let us! We need the members so badly and sometimes it feels like they hate us. Any advice would be great :)

Don't forget that adversity just makes you stronger. I am reminded of that daily when I get to teach about the early Saints in Missouri. Don't give up! Did any of you look up Fellowship of the Unashamed? It's solid. Do it.

OK, fine. I'm done. Thanks for your prayers. I really feel like I'm being carried sometimes. The Savior is real. He really does pick us up.

Love your favorite VC Sister