This has been quite a crazy awesome and dramatic week. As things get closer and closer to the new transfer in February, the pace is picking up. We had Rachel's baptism, Will passed his interview, we had a worldwide training with the apostles, double dinner with investigators, Facebook lessons and partying with members. There are times when missionary work is tough, like so hard that you just want to sit in a corner and cry and sometimes that happens. But, you just let it out and the Lord strengthens you, gives you a miracle and then your fine for another month or two. But then there are certain days where everything just goes right and everyone is so happy and you just sit back and revel in it! Those days make a mission worth it!
But, I will start from the beginning! Monday started off sweet! We had tons of appointments so we woke up early and tried to get everything done as fast as possible. We did however, make it to the Ward Zumba night. It was so much fun! I didn't know how much I truly love dancing until I haven been able to do it. These hips don't lie :) We got everything done, just to have our appointments fall through, so what did we decide to do, buy Syracuse pajamas and sleep in the living room and eat chips for 2 hours. It was fantastic. We then continued to teach Rachel and Jon/Crystal over Facebook and we saw Jim. We taught Brenton, who managed a Barnes and Noble store, and he read the whole Book of Mormon and Pearl of Great Price and he loved it. But he does not want to pray about it or become affiliated with organized religion. I am so confused with people like that... Grrr. They like the knowledge, but not the lifestyle change. Judgement day is going to be interesting for many. We dropped him as an investigator afterwards.
Jim-- THE MAN IS COMING BACK! We made a real effort to bring members this week and review the lessons. It was really good and we kept hammering the commitment of coming back to Church since he hasn't been in 3 weeks. Well, he came this week and personally approached the Bishop and said, "So I am done waiting! I want the priesthood... I want to keep walking the path!" ha ha Jim doesn't mince words. He also said the closing prayer Sunday Night and was so happy that he was able to go back and to feel loved by the Ward and by Heavenly Father. FIST PUMP! With him, I learned that people really do need space and experience opposition sometimes. Unlike like helicopter parents... you can't be a helicopter missionary. If you always protect them and try to control every situation, they are not going to truly grow. Prayer and trusting in the Lord, is all we can do, that and be patient. It was so hard, but he is in a much better place now.
Jon/Crystal: They are a sweet new progressing couple. They have jobs and remind me of really geeky Mormons that just aren't baptized yet. We OYM'd/tracted into them 1 month ago and with patience, they are opening up and keeping commitments. She is a very nonactive Baptist, and he was recently Presbyterian. But, everyone there was in their 70's, so he left. They are engaged and want religion in their lives. I actually like them a lot. They have some things to work on, but very good hearts. They took us out to Ruby Tuesdays on Thursday and we just go to know each other better and gave them the materials for future lessons. They live with the Dad to save money and he does not like us... so we talk over Facebook. Jon always has to update me on football scores too. He feels like it is his duty or something. Thankfully football seasons is coming to a close, so we can get them to church.
Tuesday: We saw some not progressing investigators. Yeah, those are always hard. If people aren't in to what we have to say, the Spirit really isn't present for lessons. We have had quite a few of those lately. Our investigator pool is dropping. It's okay, many of them I knew weren't too interested anyways. I may have to do a lot more finding next month. #findingFebruary. We did a tiny bit of tracting this week. Nothing really came of it. We saw Will and Brian and they are so awesome.
William - AKA Bill: The man is going to be a great Mormon. Because of his diabetes, his brain isn't 100%, but his heart is... and because his heart is, the man says really inspired things sometimes. He came to Rachel's baptism to support and aced his interview this week! He is also so giving. He made Sister Gass Gluten free bread, because of her recent allergy and gave me yogurt. He also gave us apples because we are 'his teachers' and always tries to give us things.. ha ha, just like Jim. He did have a recent blood sugar scare and if we could all just keep him in our prayers this week that would be great. Satan's only way to really mess with him is his health... and Satan is a tool... so he doesn't like to play by the rules. Grr... but Heavenly Father is stronger.
Brian: He knows the Relief Society President and is a great step Dad to the family that we are teaching. Unlike the wife, who has no religious background, he has a ton! And he understands everything we teach him. Unfortunately, the family is all workaholics due to crazy medical bills for the son, so they are never available. He is committed to baptism in April. !!! Yayy!
Wednesday was the missionary broadcast.. and that was pretty good. They haven't done one of these for like a decade. They want us to be bold, teach the gospel of Jesus Christ more, be bold with repentance and work with members. Elder Bednar went hard on these missionaries in the Ogden Mission. Makes me feel better, to know that i am not the only missionary with struggles. They messed up a ton, and Elder Bednar brings in the bold hammer of "umm duh! Why aren't you doing this to have the Spirit!" It was actually hilarious. I then got to practice that boldness on a convert of a year, that never really had a testimony, just joined because his wife wanted him too. Well, all he would do is nick pick and whine, and even distort things in the past, and it was probably the boldest I have ever been on my mission. But, he kinda needed it! We will see what happens. I went to a Book of Mormon Class and missionary Coordination. The usual.
Thursday, we were running around, teaching lessons and saw the usual's. We did pick up a new investigator named Jennifer. The inactive Baptist with anxiety problems. But, she also has a good heart! We had two dinners, thankfully I had the salad bar to help me from not throwing up... and life went on!
Friday we planned, we set goals to be better listeners, and help the Spirit to be in the teaching environment more. We got to practice on Will and then Brian and his family. Those are some of the best lessons this month, we taught the basics of prayer and the Godhead to the family and they asked questions... we waited and let them testify to each other then we answered with scriptures. It was great. Later that night, we got grilled by this Christian kid named Kylie, who is really struggling with his faith. He is intense, so many questions and I feel like I am be interrogated by the FBI, but he always feels the Spirit and commits to do the little things at the end, when at the beginning he doesn't.
Saturday was the best! We woke up and brought some shoes for Rachel (she doesn't have any because she's never dressed up for Church!) Then we went to the baptism of her and Chip. It was the most packed baptism every. I think we had like 40 people there. Great member support and Will and James came. Everyone was happy and the family that Rachel is marrying into, was just crying and so grateful for us teaching her and bringing her into their family with the gospel and they were just beaming to have this new, intelligent, spiritual daughter in law... when many of their 5 sons have given them a lot of grief due to not living gospel standards. We then got taken out to eat with some members, but then we went to another celebration with the member family and Rachel and had pizza. It was really good though. We planned for Primary and then went to another baptism for an 8 year old in the Ward. They are a prestigious family, so they invited like 100 nonmembers and it was a very big showing. So, we talked to the nonmembers. Some were cool, some avoided us like the plague. But, Saturday was a happy day!
Rachel - Man I just love Rachel. She is the most Dry Mormon ever. She is begging for a calling, and already does her family history... and asks questions about the temple, but when we tell her that we can't tell her everything, because it is sacred and H doesn't want the whole world to know, she just sits back and says, "Wow, that makes so much sense.! So do they have preparation classes?" Ah, yup! We pretty much don't teacher her. She teachers herself and we just found her and answer her questions. She is a cutie and really out of the converts I have been blessed to have, Rachel and Will (who is next week) are kinda my favorite... not that I should have favorites, but it still kinda happens. They are the most humble and spiritually prepared people I have taught on my mission. I am just so grateful for them. Her blessing for the confirmation was beautiful. It promised the future of temple blessings, and many callings and service and helping people in the Church. It promised of being a pioneer and helping her family find the church too. So awesome!
Sunday was super funny! James came just to see and we put Will and Jim together and they got along great! We were so proud, we would watch from behind and it is like sending your kids off to school for the first time. They just do so great, and you feel this whole 'proud parent' thing... yep, that's what it was like. We also taught a sharing time in Primary and the kids behaved really well. I was impressed!
Now, I am off to Ithaca for the next two days while Sister Gass goes to Palmyra for the temple trip for departing missionaries. Poor thing freaks out sometimes. I wonder if that will happen to me.
Love you all! The Church is True!!!
Love Sister Kylie Williams
