A bible from 1838
Friends from Inde 3rd coming to visit.
Squishie break with our cute teamup.
A torture device.
Flower Power
Making pear sauce with the Kings. They are ward missionaries, just like you Mom and Dad! AND she makes dilly beans just like you! So good. I was home again.
I asked Sister Power what I should put as a clever subject line and she said "You know you're a missionary when you get more excited to look at new.lds.org than to email your family." Then I had to confess that I had actually explored the website BEFORE I began typing this. It's true!! Waaaaa! I'm such a geeky missionary. I'll have you know it's way more user-friendly and the Search is incredible!
We can listen to EFY CDs! Woohoo! We are so happy! It's been Benton Paul, Mindy Gledhill and Peter Brienholt all week. The first song I listened to was "Child of Light". Man. it's just 17 months a little late, President. I'm glad, though.
A member in our ward, Sis C. invited her friend A*** to come to a relief society activity last month. Sis Nelson and I were talking to her and someone next to her leaned back and mouthed the words: she's not a member. Oh! Well suddenly, it was "getting to really know you" time. We found out her mother is dying of cancer in her blood. She's a single mom and has overcome lots of scary addictions. She is recently getting into the whole "church thang" and attends a protestant church called "Celebration and Praise!!" (awesome, I am sure). She took our number, but wasn't comfortable giving hers to us. So last week, I was thinking about her. I called up Sis C. and asked if I could have A***'s address. We stopped by a few times, and Tuesday, she was finally home! She talked with us out on the porch. It ended up being so special. She opened right up and told us of all her current struggles and how it's so hard that her father is turning against God instead of toward Him in this difficult time. We taught her about the Atonement and helped her to feel God's love for her and her family. We could tell she was touched. She said we could come visit again. We invited her boys to come join us in a prayer. She asked me to say it, which was so neat. I think it's something like a priesthood holder must feel when he lays his hands on your head for a blessing. I could just feel what to say. I could feel the love of our Father in Heaven so strongly. They are such a special family and they have gone through so much.
So on Saturday, Sis C. invited A*** over for a dessert/movie night. We decided on Together Forever, which was perfect. As we sat there and sipped our hot cider, we all felt so comfortable. When people describe the Holy Ghost as being a big snugly blanket--it was exactly that. At the end, we discussed how hard things are part of a bigger Plan. It reminded me of a quote I got from Sis Wathen: "I may not know what my future holds, but I know Who holds it." She is starting to see the big picture and now she is open to hearing more Truth. I can see how the Lord has prepared her for the message of the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. I have come to know firsthand that the Atonement of the Savior can heal all wounds. Conflict, pain, loneliness, aching in the pit of your stomach, guilt, fear---it can all disappear because He already suffered for it. Man! I love the Gospel! So we shall see what happens with A***. She still is kind of freaked out by the rumors she has heard about the Mormons, ya know. :) Don't worry, we told her we hide our horns during the day.
Oh yeah, as of this week, WE CAN TEXT! It's revolutionary! I can't even tell you. It's so so so so much more convenient. The church is finally grasping these great technologies and putting them to good work. We have had SO many miracles of people who have NEVER answered our phone calls, but they will respond to texts and we have gotten in several homes where before it literally would have been impossible,. I never thought I'd love texting so much. If you remember me before my mission, you'll be able to picture how stupid I thought it was. Well, it still is, but now I see some good in it. I have a testimony of texting. :)
I got to go on exchanges with Sis Nelson! So fun! We visited all of her favorite people in the ward. She's my last companion, PS. This ward is her greenie ward. I used to forget all the time that she was new because she was just born to be a missionary. Anyway, we took our perfect teamup member friend over to teach M***. We got to the house and chaos erupted, as always. I stopped the lesson and said, "Can we go to the Jail?" M*** laughed and said, "Oh, I've spent enough time there." It was hilarious. It worked. We got their teenager to babysit the girlies and we stole M*** away for the evening. He walked into the door at the jail and immediately took his hat off. He whispered, "Whoa." It was so special. I am going to miss this so bad. I hope the hermanas need me like every day. Then I will need to find some sisters in Logan...hmmm....back to M***. The lesson was bomb-rockin'. He agreed to start taking this more seriously. He wants the formal lessons and wants to be baptized! Good thing the message we teach is true. I liked what our teamup, Bro J. said when he invited him to church, "Please don't think we're trying to manipulate you or trick you into this. Do you feel good right now? Then it must be right." So simple. It's been such a miracle to watch Mark and his son make changes and find more purpose in their lives.
We keep having dinners cancel the last few weeks. It's been kind of a secret blessing, because then we can call people we want to get to know. We can also call up less active families or our investigators to have them see us in a more casual situation. So that's been fun. We went to the K***'s last night. You should look up his art. We got to see his Hallmark cards from last Christmas. First name M***. Beautiful talent.
Umm, new area books have been so amazing! I don't know if I already wrote about this, but Sis Nelson had circled some names of former investigators she felt we needed to visit. I got over my phone fear and called them. The very first one I call says, "I'm so glad you called! I've been thinking about my sister missionaries lately. I've moved and have been trying to find out which ward I am in." Assuming she has been baptized (wouldn't you?) I asked her if she had. "No, I wasn't ready at the time, but I've prayed about it and I'm ready now. Thanks for asking! Send over the missionaries!" Oh my word. It was seriously awesome. Heavenly Father knows exactly what he is doing.
While weekly planning, we decided to pamper ourselves since it can be sometimes very torturous. We soaked our feet in the bathtub while making phone calls and updating the area book. So fun. Best last companion ever. Sis Power said she's going to change her first name to Magical. Get it? Man, she is funny. To bad she's from CA.
Lots of miracles going on these days. Just last night, we got into one of those "careful contacting this family" homes. By the time we left, the Dad (not a member of the Church) said "I like them. They can come back." Also they are the most darling family.
Oh yeah- we don't have to wear nylons anymore. What is the world coming to? Ha ha
Love you all. The church is true. Jesus is the Christ. And....He loves you lots and lots and so do I.
Now go do something productive instead of sitting at a computer. Oh, shout out to Jessyka who shut down her Facebook account. That takes courage.
Luff you,
Hermanita Rooey
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