Well this week was another crazy one! I have decided that one of the worst things about being a Sister Missionary is being hit on by older men...It is simply the worst!
But on to the more interesting parts of the week....
Monday:
After the usual fun stuff associated with P-Day and preparing for the week, we deep cleaned the car because Zone Conference was the next day. It was sweet and smelled so nice! And it was super shiny until some very kind child of God decided to splash mud all over it! But that's okay.
I also had to pack for exchanges. Then we had a couple of appointments that were super awesome!
We contacted a referral from a young woman in our ward...she is so coool! and we will be putting her on date for baptism when we see her next! Yay!!
Then we went over for a Family Home Evening with the Molinars who are one of the coolest families ever! And they invited one of their friends who is investigating the Church but his parents aren't as cool with it....yet... ;) One of the daughters is leaving for a her mission in a couple of weeks so we taught her and the family and the young man who wants to learn more. After we finished, it was her turn to teach us. She did so well! She is already a fantastic missionary! After the lesson, Hermana Molinar made doughnuts...from scratch...and I came a little closer to heaven a little more each bite. We ended the lesson and an amazing day!
Tuesday:
I am convinced that every day has a moment that can change us and boy did this happen Tuesday! Joseph Smith once said. "I am like a huge, rough stone rolling down from a high mountain; and the only polishing I get is when some corner gets rubbed off by coming in contact with something else, striking with accelerated force...knocking off a corner here and a corner there. Thus I will become a smooth and polished shaft in the quiver of the Almighty." And I know that this is true. We woke up super early to go to Rifle for Zone Conference. I have not cried so much since I watched The Fault in Our Stars. I learned that we can never do anything that will keep the Savior from covering everything for us. He covers our weaknesses, faults, sins, mistakes and He truly knows how to help us because He has lived every moment of our lives. I wish I could share everything I learned and how much my testimony was strengthened but there would never be enough time.
Also at Zone Conference they had an amazing lunch that resembled everything I ever grew up with including funeral potatoes. And to make it even better, Sister Smock and I were in the final few with the best/ most clean car. She had never gotten it before now! Yay!
After Zone Conference, I stayed in Rifle for exchanges. It was so much fun!! One of the miracles that day was that we went to visit a remarkable lady who has been coming to church for over 10 years but wants to wait to be baptized until her husband reactivates and can baptize her. She is from Idaho Falls so we talked for a really long time about the area and restaurants and cool thing to do and of course the Idaho Spud candy bars. the best candy bar in the world. So she walks over to her freezer and pulls two out and gives them to me. I almost cried no joke. Then we started talking about how much of our family lives there and she might stop in on some of mine. I gave her Grandpa and Grandma's address and phone number so if you guys get s surprise visitor or call don't freak out. She took a picture of me and my exchange companion Sister Chandler so she has proof! She is amazing and I hope that withing the next year I get over there to Rifle! But not yet! I don't want to leave Eagle yet!
We went to see a couple more appointments but no one was home so we went back to their apartment. It was a very very long and spiritually and emotionally draining day. Sleep was very welcome.
Wednesday:
While in Rifle, we did service at a Thrift Store. Then we went to see a less active who is super funny! She is like 75 and she has the funniest outlooks on life! Sister Chandler and I were about to leave when Sister Smock and Sister Moody showed up at her house. Sister Smock loves this lady so it was great! After we left, Sister Smock and I headed home. It was a really pretty drive through so many canyons! It's beautiful here! I am so grateful not to be in the city area! I miss small town!
The rest of the night went so fast! And before I knew it it was Thursday!
Thursday:
I love miracles! And some totally happened today!
First we went back to visit a lady and her mom. They had been investigating the church for awhile but stopped and we didn't know why. Last week during weekly planning, Sister Smock and I were looking through our area book and thought we should talk to this lady and her mother. So we stopped by last week and she told us that she had been cleaning out a bunch of papers and found a card the missionaries had given them a while ago with their number on it. She was just thinking that she should call again when we knocked on her door. Now, I have heard of this happening but it was my first time experiencing it first hand...so I was blown away!
When we visited her on Thursday, she told us more about her life and how many times in the last few weeks she would think of the missionaries or the church and there would be a set of missionaries everywhere she went when she thought about it. It was really really cool. Sister Smock was like, "well I am not just saying this because I am a missionary but it seems like God is trying to tell you something." And the lady was like "I think so too" I love being a missionary and seeing how much the Lord prepares people...and I just got here so I can't even imagine what else is around the corner.
After we saw her, we went to visit one of my favorite people so far. Well I say that about everyone... Anyways.. This man is one of the strongest men I know. He has had a rough go the last couple of weeks and it breaks my heart every time he tells us about something else that happened that shook his faith. But he continues to work and grow from his trials and he is such an inspiration to me. Some people just have that parent personality that makes you love them to the point where they feel like another one of your parents and this is true with this amazing man. He is picking up where he left off when in went less active and he inspires me every single time we meet with him. The members we bring with us to see him are a testimony to me that the Lord sets up people so we can strengthen each other from our experiences.
With the time that was left in the day we did some finding and went to visit another less active who is originally form England. Wow she is amazing! And the fact that her last name is Hayes makes me love her even more! She has had a really rough last while but is coming back even stronger. I love how much each of these people strengthen my love for my Savior as I see His hand in their lives. It is truly remarkable.
Friday:
We had weekly planning and when we were finished we went to check on a few people to invite them to church. Then we went to dinner with a member who cooks amazing food! After dinner, we went to teach an investigator but he wasn't home but one of our less actives was so we started to teach her and then the member that we had just been eating with shows up out of the blue because she had been prompted by the Holy Ghost to stop by this lady's house. And it turns out that she had an experience and testimony that was exactly what this woman needed! It was amazing!
We went to teach a recent convert and I was shown again that the gift of tongues is real! I had no clue what was going on in a specific part of a section of scriptures he was reading with us but I was all of the sudden given the words to describe what was happening and how it related to his/ our lives..blew my mind!
Saturday:
Revelation is real! In Zone Conference, we learned that our mission is upping a whole bunch of the standards of excellence and one of those is that we are now committing everyone we teach an entire first lesson with to a baptismal date. Yikes! But it works! We taught the first lesson to someone and she accepted March 1st!!! Obedience is real!
Then we went to a dinner with a member and her son is leaving on a mission next week. While we were eating, he came home for a second with one of his childhood friends and we started talking to him and he wants to start meeting with us! Yay!
We went to go find some people and tracted into a lady who had had the missionaries over before but because of scheduling issues, they had to stop seeing her. She agreed to be baptized if she found out it was true. She wouldn't agree to a date but she is reading and praying to know. It was a really great day!
Sunday:
Sunday's are great! Super busy but great! After Church we went to the mission prep class that our ward mission leader is teaching with the missionaries who are leaving in the next couple of weeks. It was great to realize how much that class really does help!
We went to see a couple who are less active and that was one of the most...interesting.... visits so far....
We went to dinner with a member couple and then went to see a couple of investigating families.
One of them are a part member family and their oldest and youngest sons are members. The middle one and their parents are not. But this family is so amazing! They work their tails of for everything they have and they do it because they love each other and want to help support one another in all of their lives and they are a huge inspiration to me! I can't wait for the day at some point in the future where I pray that they will enter into the House of the Lord and be sealed together for time and all eternity.
All in all this week has been so amazing. I say that every week but that's because it is true. Each week I grow a firmer in my conviction that I know that this truly is the Church of Jesus Christ on the earth today. Everything He brought to His church 2000 years ago is found here. He invites all to come and to learn for ourselves if He truly has called a prophet today. And as a servant of the Lord and His prophet President Thomas S. Monson I testify that this is true. And the prophet stands in front of us to lead and guide us when we are willing to stand behind him and obey the things that he asks us to do from the Lord.
I know that Jesus is the Christ and that He lives. And though He may not move mountains for us, he gives us the strength to climb them. Sometimes we slide back down and have to start over but He is always waiting for us, to pick us back up and dust of off when we fall and help us continue climbing.
I pray that I get to stay in this amazing area for a long while with Sister Smock. I pray that it is at least until she goes home. Fingers crossed!
I love you all! May God continue to watch over and protect you is my constant prayer.
I leave these things with you in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen
Hermana Kylie D. Hansen
No comments:
Post a Comment