July 21, 2014

Hey! 

Have a great Pioneer Day! I wish that they did more for Pioneer Day here! 

We have 2 investigators that are set for baptism! 

Sadly this week is not quite as exciting as last week. It was a pretty usual week, as far as being a missionary goes. We had our interviews with President Weston. That was really good. He is really hilarious when you get to know him!

We met a lot of new people this week. We had to walk a lot because we were trying to save miles because we were pretty much out. Thankfully, it was super nice this week like in the 70's and 80's and like no humidity so it was really nice walking. However, even though we had gotten rides and everything from members, we ended up going over our miles by 4 miles total!  Sister Simmons had miscalculated how many we had gone total accident but we still went over. So I now have my driving privileges taken away for the next 2 transfers. But I actually won't be able to drive the rest of my mission, because I only have 3 more transfers (I cant believe that!!!) and 99% of the time they don't let you drive your last transfer, so you don't do anything crazy to the car haha. Honestly I think it is a blessing in disguise. It will help Sister Simmons learn the area faster and I have driven pretty much every transfer but my first. It will be nice to have a break. 

One thing that is super cool that has been happening a lot lately is that we are finding a ton more investigators. I think now we have had more than I have had almost my whole mission! It's cool because most of them are part of a part-member family, so someone in the family is less-active. It's so cool because it is helping reactivate them as well. And President Weston has promised that for every member that returns to activity there will be a baptism to follow. 

Thanks, love you guys!

July 14, 2014

Hey! 

The time that we have been in Shenandoah has been super crazy! Not even going to lie, it's been probably the most insane part of my mission thus far, but in a good way. We have had so many miracles that I almost can't believe it, and I am living it. There is so much happening!

This week was absolutely amazing. We saw Amanda and Dan, who have the 4 kids, and we had the first lesson about the restoration. Dan had been super excited for it, and Amanda's WHOLE family was there: her sister, Jessica who is a member, Jessica's 2 kids, and her boyfriend. Amanda and Jessica's mom who is/was a member. But everyone was really receptive. Amanda and Jessica were really into the lesson, trying to see what they remembered, and Dan just took it all in, and the best part he accepted baptism! It's a couple months away and they will have to get married but Dan went to the baptism service of another in our ward a couple days after the lesson, and loved it! It was amazing!

We also met Sarah. It's a super long story but we have been trying to get a hold of Sarah for about a month and the Lord has literally pushed us to her like 3 or 4 times. But she would move and no one knew where she had gone. And we could just never get a hold of her. Anyway, we went to see this member (Regina) and Sarah comes across the street. She is now living with Regina! We talked to her. She had been to church a lot when she was little with her parents but never got baptized. We talked  about the Book of Mormon, and read Moroni's promise Moroni 10:3-5 and she started crying. We told her that it was the Holy Ghost and that it was okay. The Spirit was so strong and she is so amazing and prepared! She also accepted baptism!! She had some questions but said "Whatever you tell me I will do. I want to do what's right"! It is so amazing! 

We also saw Marissa. Her mom has been sitting in on the lessons, she had had them before too, and she is super supportive. It's so cool. There are so many people that are so prepared. I know that we are supposed to be in Shenandoah!

We also got to go to the temple this week, to top off all the miracles! 

July 7, 2014

Hey!

The weather here has actually been great all the month of June and really until yesterday. Even on the 4th it was in the 70's, but yesterday the heat and humidity started. We even had a heat advisory, so naturally we had no idea about it and were walking the whole day yesterday. But some members picked us up and had us come to her family's house, after sufficiently chewing us out for walking when it was so hot. But we honestly had no idea! But while we were walking, we also found a snapping turtle on the road! Super random! 
Other than that, we had a really good week! We found 3 new investigators this week!  It is amazing how much potential Shenandoah has! Thursday was our miracle day! We literally went from one miracle to another! There is a less-active sister who actually just came back to church. She is 22 and has 4 kids (crazy I know) but her boyfriend is super interested in taking the lessons and her sister just moved in with her. And her sister is also LDS and inactive. But the whole lesson everyone was just saying "We want to learn more, we want to come to church"! It was such a miracle, and doesn't really happen a ton lol.

Then we had a lesson with a woman that had been referred to us by a member, but she had moved. The elders had the address but when we got there she had moved from that house too. Her neighbors were out and came up to us (they thought we were doctors, that was one I never heard before) and gave us her new address, and we went to the new address and she was home, and really wanted to learn more!

We also found a woman from doing service. She is the roommate to the woman we were moving and she asked us to pray with her. After the prayer, she was in tears and asked us to come back and read the scriptures with her. She took a copy of the Book of Mormon and we have another appointment with her tonight.

We have been able to come in contact with a ton of people this week!  Building the relationship is the first step!

June 30, 2014

Hey!

This week has been pretty exciting! We had transfers. I am still in Red Oak/Shenandoah, who knows anymore what the area is really called lol. Sister Harris actually went with her old companion in her companion's area that she has been in since she left Red Oak. 

I am with Sister Simmons now. She has a super cute personality. She has been out for 7 1/2 months and was in her greenie area the whole time, so this is only her second area too. She is an amazing missionary and I really think that this transfer will be amazing. She has already jump-started a lot of things in the area. 

With transfers, this week was a little crazy. All day Thursday we cleaned packed and Sister Harris said her goodbyes. I was put into another area (Glenwood) for the day on Friday. A sister in that area was transferring too to make everything easier with transfers. And we didn't get back into Shenandoah until about 7:30 pm Friday, in just enough time to make it to a miracle appointment!!

We had an appointment with a former investigator, Stacy. We originally met her a week before, as well as her daughter Marissa. Marissa had just gotten back from attending Girl's Camp with a member of our ward, who is her best friend, and Marissa had been talking to her friend about joining the Church. We had no idea! It was a total coincidence. So we went to the appointment and they both are super open to taking the lessons. Marissa and I totally clicked. Marissa is a lifeguard and is super into the swim team and Stacy helps out with the meets. Poor Sister Simmons had to suffer through our swim talk for a little while. But it really was such a miracle! 

We have been getting a ton of referrals from the elders and the members in the Shenandoah area. It has been a miracle! 

Then today we were helping the elders' investigator's family move from an assisted living center to an apartment and we got talking to the woman's roommate, Terry. When we were leaving, Terry really opened up to us about some struggles she is having with her family. She asked us to pray with her. By the end of the prayer, she was in tears and asked us to come back. We bore our testimonies about how we are all children of our Heavenly Father, who loves us, and sang "I am a Child of God" and we made a return appointment! The miracles that come from service! 

Love you all!