All I can say is it has been a slam dunk of a week. We went so hard.
First off we got to go to the temple this week and let me just tell you-
Best Thing Ever! The DC temple is SOO beautiful and big and just the best.
It was a much needed visit to the temple. The peace and spirit felt there
is priceless.
This week we have really just been trying to find new investigators and new
people to teach and guess what.. we got 8 new investigators this week!
BOOYEAH.
We had a restoration lesson with a lady we work with at the thrift shop,
Jill, who is such a cute little ditz. I love her so much. and her boyfriend
Chris who has had a rough past and recently just got out of jail and rehab.
It was the most amazing lesson and the spirit was so strong. Chris was sooo
fascinated by prophets and apostles and the priesthood authority and when
we invited him to be baptized he said "Well yeah... you'd have to be!!"
Couldn't have asked for a better response. We still have a lot to teach
them and a long way to go but he really is so prepared.
The other day we had a cool experience- so there is this former
investigator named Sheila. We have been trying to meet with her since I got
here and just no luck. So I've never met this woman but I found myself
thinking about her all the time. The last time we had talked to her on the
phone a few weeks ago she said she was just too busy and stressed out to
meet with us. So the other day we decided to just go heart attack her door
with lots of hearts with scriptures and little love you notes and as we
were sticking them on her door(we didn't think she was home) she opened the
door and invited us in. We sat down with her for a minute and she just
broke down. She was so lonely and having the hardest day. Turns out her
sister had just died not too long ago and she was really struggling. We
said a prayer with her and just were there to comfort her. Heavenly Father
sure put us in the right place at the right time.
Then last night was quite the adventure. After dinner we had an appointment
with a new investigator Tiffany, and her daughter Natalie who is 10. They
live up in boonies so its always an adventure getting there. They live in
this little house on like a platform on wood.. it's pretty sketchy to say
the least. They weren't there so we kept driving up the road/off roading up
the hill where we see a few beat up trailers and a bunch of people. We get
out, not knowing anyone there and basically just asked all of them if we
can teach them about the gospel. So there we were, up in the woods,
surrounded with all sorts of people from all different backgrounds-
teaching the gospel. I wish I could describe this better but just know
this- I loved every minute of it. I was getting eaten alive by mosquitoes
and there were half naked, dirty little kids running around, but there is
nothing quite like telling people how much God loves them. It was such a
cool experience.
And this week instead of handing out a Book of Mormon, I just made a lady
keep her Book of Mormon. That was fun. We were getting ready to leave this
neighborhood so I was backing up sister lawrence and this lady walks up to
me and asks me what church I'm from and I tell her and she goes "oh so the
mormons? well listen I got a mormon bible, the book of mormon I think its
called and I am trying to get rid of it because I just can't bring myself
to throw out a bible and no one will take it. Will you please take it?" I
asked her if she's read it and she goes.. "well.. no.." so I told her there
must be a reason no one will take it and she can't throw it out and told
her that's probably a sign she should read it. She rolled her eyes, gave me
a smirk.. and said "ah fine"
This e-mail is all over the place.. I'm sorry.. but not that sorry. I
tried.
There is so much that happens in one week and my poor fingers can't move
that fast but just know I had an awesome week and met so many awesome
people. I love Mt. Airy. I love being a missionary. I love Jesus Christ.
and I love YOU.