Hello Everyone,
What a week it has been. Haha. God likes to give us lots of opportunities to grow and learn and be stronger. Most of the time, when He wants to do that, He gives you something difficult. Well, the last 3 months have been a little bit easier, (or they have seemed to me). So, Heavenly Father decided to ratchet up the furnace and give me reasons to grow. His time is growing short in order to get me to where He wants me to be by June! This week was pretty intense. Definitely opposition, but that isn't going to stop us!
Monday was pretty fun though. It started off great. We began with a new tradion of Monday Zumba and Scatterball at the Church. It is super fun. We then had plenty of time to get everything else done. We had pizza at a members house that has been struggling to come to Church and we brought Him over. He loves pizza and we needed another male with us so that the Elders could come in and eat too. After eating some Domino's we took Jim over to the members that are his neighbors (who are actually members) and borrowed a computer so that he could do some family history work. We are trying to get his 4 generations done so that he can go to the temple. He had lots of fun and worked for 3 straight hours! That is actually a lot since he has never worked on a computer before. Jim also got a calling. He is the 'bell ringer' at Church so that the classes get done on time. It is so perfect for him and he loves it. We then went over to Don's and taught him a super spiritual plan of salvation lesson. He unfortunately left for Virginia for 2 weeks, but I know that he is going to progress and with help, get baptized. I really like Don, he is so humble and loves to learn. He has got potential or in New York language "Hes gots potential. New Yorker's add an S on to everything. We also saw Rachel and she is doing great. She is going to get her patriarchal blessing next month. She is really excited for it and it will be great!
Tuesday was awful... with awful weather. It was raining, snowing and the rain was freezing at the same time so it turned to ice. Ice was everywhere. We had tried a few people, but they are kinda flaky so nothing came of it. We then had District Meeting. Those are always interesting. With the weather, we just struggled to get in contact with people and also to find new people. We are totally in the finding mode. We have found a lot lately in the last few weeks. Most people are spiritually lazy and don't want to find the time or don't have a need or desire to have God or the gospel fill the empty void in lives. Many don't even realize that they have a void. We tried knocking on a few doors, and people would say, "it is cold!" Go home and warm up!" Unfortunately, we can't really do that. We did see a few of our steady recent converts so we didn't freeze to death. Will was feeling much better so we could see him too. Finally, I felt impressed that we shouldn't just sit in the apartment, but to at least go and serve. We grabbed shovels and shoveled people's driveways. I felt impressed to target a specific house. We shoveled and nobody was home. So, we left a card... little did I know that the husband would get home, find our card and come looking for us. We were talking to someone on another street outside at the time. He thanked us and asked if we wanted money. I said "No, just an opportunity to talk with your family." We are going tonight to hopefully teach them the 1st discussion. I really like the kids, and the Dad. They currently aren't going anywhere for church, but I am not sure that the wife liked us. We will have to work on that. Little service = big tender mercy!
Wednesday was also intense. We has a very intense lesson with Megan. She is the first person I know who did not like the Proclamation on the Family. She didn't agree with the whole "homosexuality" thing. She then started nit-picking the prophets and the bible/Book of Mormon and actually got kinda angry. The Spirit left and I was very surprised. We brought it all back to the Book of Mormon being true and it being evidence that if it is true, so is everything else. Upon reflection, I realized that the anger came from not truly understanding the scriptures. When most people don't understand something, they get angry and confused. We need to learn patience and learn line upon line. Thankfully, we talked it over and she is still sincere in her search, she is just going through struggles. That's how testimonies are built.. We tried to find others, but nothing worked out. Everyone we planned to see had some kind of crisis or wasn't home. We did some tracting while it was nice for about an hour or two. Nobody was interested at all. I learned a lot about Lent during that time. If only Protestants realized how Catholic they are... oh well. However I saw someone from high School .... Yup, Prairie View! I had to go to the bathroom at the grocery store and as I walked in, a lady walked out and we both stopped and awkwardly starred at each other and in my head, I was like "Whoa, I know you." Well, she was weirded out and ran out and went to her car. It took me 10 minutes before it hit me. She was my substitute teacher from my English class in High School. I was so made that I didn't recognize her and that I didn't run out and talk to her. But it took me 10 minutes before I could pinpoint how I knew her. From Brighton CO to Horseheads NY... what are the odds??? She is here somewhere. Now I just need to tract into her again. :)
Thursday we had a blitz exchange from the Cortland Sisters. I worked the day with Sister Baxter. It was sweet because I have been wanting to serve with her for almost my whole mission. We had a ton of fun.... finding, teaching crazy unprepared people, and saw some recent converts. It was awesome. We finally taught Caroline (Nadine's Landlord).. haha. She is an English drummer turned Mom and is very Episcopalian. She got really mad when I started by saying "God is your Loving Heavenly Father" She shot back, "Nope, nope, Nope! God does not have a gender, nor a body. That's a traditional view". Let's just say that we couldn't do very much teaching with her. However, her reasoning is super false because Episcopalians are basically Catholic with a King Henry the VIII twist. They believe in the trinity, and even within the trinity God is Christ, and Christ was a male. Yet God has no gender or body?? Most people don't even really know what they believe these days. Pick and choose.. "everything goes." I feel bad for the next generation of missionaries. I've had a few people not let us in because they can't trust anyone in their house, because the world is crazy and if people think upstate New York is bad... I don't even want to think about the bigger, busier areas. We taught this really cute Christian girl that works with a member at a puppy place. We got a few potentials. We worked super hard all day. I was exhausted by the end. The other sisters saw some less actives. The Enrights have been diligently reading and should be at Church this coming week! Oh I hope so! Unfortunately, one of the sisters from Cortland, has had medical problems with her back. Nothing was working. She actually was told that she was being sent home. Sister Seader was a trooper and tried to cheer her up. But that was tough. I slept very well that night.
Friday, we planned and tried to take a breather. We also saw Will. He got the priesthood this week. Yayy! Despite Satan telling him not to go to Church.... he always has to mess with our people. It is so annoying. Satan has millions of people. Can't he just leave our 10 investigators alone?? It was another cold day and nothing worked out with our flakey new tracted into investigators. So, we were kinda bummed. We did get let in by the kindest Hindu family ever and we taught them the restoration. They love learning and know some members and said that they would read everything we gave them. They also fed us and it was like being served at a 5 star hotel... slightly weird, but a very fun experience.
Saturday was a good day. Heavenly Father was kind to us. We did service for three hours at the food bank, we taught Brian and he says he knows the Book of Mormon is true and he has a testimony!! Yayy! He is totally going to be baptized! He also as of March, said that he will take off work to come to Church! YES!! Taught this younger guy named Dan, and he was open and he said we could teach him on Saturdays and he was really nice. We picked up this cool potential family named Beth and RJ. I hope we can get in with them again, super open and nice! We also taught Jon/Crystal and we taught them the gospel of Jesus Christ. Crystal had surgery so she was struggling, but they are open to learning and coming to church when she feels better :)
Sunday... church was great! I taught the 12 to 13 year old's for Sunday School. OMG, what a blast from the past! I felt so old and realized that I could never be a middle school teacher. We had 5 set return appointments with newer people we found... and they all cancelled. GRRR >:( We tried! When finding more people to teach, tracting is not the best way to find people.. but our options are sometimes limited. We have been pushing for referrals and it has been good. We have like 3 to 6 solid new ones because of it!
I know that good things are in the future. Sometimes things just don't work out. In the Book of Mormon this week, we read about Nephi and his broken steel bow. Kinda irritating and he was really sorrowful. He was hungry and his whole family was complaining, even his father... the Prophet. They had previously had so many wonderful experiences, but when things got hard, they turned on God. Nephi however, just got to work, made do with what he had... made new weapons and asked for help from his complaining father. Lehi needed to learn and then was directed from the Lord. Irritation is always a forerunner for instruction. So, yes we had a lot of irritation this week... but it's because the Lord loves us enough to give us instruction. So when you bow breaks, don't complain and don't get sad... keep going and the Lord will lead you to the Promised Land.
New York
Tuesday, February 23, 2016
Monday, February 15, 2016
Single digit temps, Double digit investigators
Hello friends.
Monday is here. Let me just say off the bat, that I have gained a testimony of journaling. I love it so much, this is my time once a week, to set aside and write down everything. I look forward to it every week and it now is a source of joy. Never thought that would happen. I have struggled with journaling and writing things my whole life. My mind works so much faster than my hands, so that's why I talk so much. It helps me think... but this is real special.
Well, this week, WOW. So full of opportunities to do the Lord's work in all aspects. We have seen many small miracles. They came from deep prayer and diligence. Just before Sister Seader got here, I was looking at our investigator board and felt the mantle hit me real good. We desperately needed to find new progressing investigators and help the ones we already have get closer to baptism. In my heart, I pleaded that the Lord would give us new people to teach. Well, He fulfilled His promise.
Monday is here. Let me just say off the bat, that I have gained a testimony of journaling. I love it so much, this is my time once a week, to set aside and write down everything. I look forward to it every week and it now is a source of joy. Never thought that would happen. I have struggled with journaling and writing things my whole life. My mind works so much faster than my hands, so that's why I talk so much. It helps me think... but this is real special.
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Monday, I was super tired. After transfers and an MLC, I wanted to sleep... really bad. But instead, we got up, and went to the Zumba class at Church and quickly did everything else. Sister Seader wrote letters and I took a 2 hour nap. I haven't had a nap in 4 months. It was good, but I still had this urgent feeling in my gut that the Lord needed me to do something. So, I got up and impressions about past referrals from members that we never quite followed up on came to mind. I wrote them all down and started making some calls and texts. We received addresses and began our research. We saw Will first, and he is doing great. He should have gotten the Priesthood this Sunday, but due to a massive cold, he was down and out for the count. Actually, many people are sick right now and a few people we are teaching are getting surgery soon. It's the season to go to the doctor I guess.
We then went to the house of Syndey and Dakota. They are related to a member in the ward and we went and knocked on the door. Dakota came out, walked outside and let us teach him the Restoration. Doesn't have a huge religious background, but he liked it and said that he wanted a change. He and his wife want to come to church. That has been awesome. Unfortunately, they work crazy hours and don't see each other very often, so they don't have lot of time to meet with us. They also have 2 little kids. Our obstacle is people working too much. Grrr-- Satan. Always making it so people need to survive and stay afloat, but then they can't go to Church because they are working and then feel like God isn't in their life because they aren't focusing on him. It is a typical downward spiral that I am starting to see in society. Anyway, we will be working with them more in the future. Slowly but surely!
Tuesday was Zone training meeting. We drove to Owego with the Elders. 4 out of the 6 of us feel asleep in the car. We focus on teaching skills, especially how to begin teaching. Our teaching has been so much better with it. People we teach know our purpose and know what they are doing. It is just up to them to decide what to do. We drove home and saw Megan.
We taught Megan the law of the fast. It went well, and she agreed to fast with us. We wanted to meet more with her so she let us come back on Thursday and we taught the dreaded law of chastity. Dun Dun Dun.. It actually went well also. She is living and engaged to her less active boyfriend and we have been afraid of her getting offended and refusing to live it. Plus, I am the world's worse law of chastity teacher. I am so awkward and I look like big red tomato all of the time. But, I prayed the whole morning and also practiced so that it wouldn't be that way with Megan. We got there and she made us the best omelets I have ever tasted in my life and we talked. Then we taught her. She already knew the law and knew the standards because her boyfriends parents told them quite a while ago. It made sense to her, but because she is getting married in April, she said that she would talk it over with him. But she wasn't going to move out or stop doing anything. I guess I could have been better at calling her to repentance, but I have come to realize that people do not want to keep the big three (chastity, tithing and word of wisdom) until they have a strong desire to join the Church and know that the gospel can fill a need and get them closer to God. She right now has the desire, but not too much desire... We're going to work on that.
We saw Jimbo, and he is doing great. We are going to the Houghton's tonight to do a huge FHE on family history and have him work on it on the computer, so he can do work for his ancestors soon. Guy is a stud. A humble one. But, he also works all of the time, so he can have a place to live. If I had the money, I would buy him a ticket to SLC and move him close to temple square in a little apartment. Then he could see the sights and go to conference and find a good Mormon eternal companion.
We went tracting and went into a few homes, but nothing really stuck. It was like, "thanks for the message, but we are all set and have a religion, I don't need anything else. " Ugh, pride. It started to snow and we went to this Chinese buffet with members and got so full. Chinese is not good in New York, unless you are in Ithaca. But, we did pick up a new investigator named Alec, and were pretty sure he would convert, but his mother is a strong catholic and called us and told us to go away. Darn. Next life!
Wednesday, we were running. We picked up this investigator named Norm a few weeks ago and stopped by. He is halfway through the B of M and won't let us come back until he is done. At least he is reading. Praying that nothing crazy happens in the mean time. We went back to this street that I kept feeling good vibes about (Sage Street) and tried like 2 to 3 doors. Nice but not interested. Then I see this lady about 100 feet away walking into her house and I start yelling, "Hey! How are you?" and started running. Sister Gass would be proud, because she did it all of the time. She actually let us in, and her boyfriend came home and we taught them and they said that we could come back. They were both really nice and the boyfriend was really listening. We just need to also work around their work schedules and get them more interested. They are reformed christian, but open to the Book of Mormon. We saw our usual, and also saw this new investigator named Jim. We tracted into him like 1 to 2 months ago. He said we could come back. Well, he let us in and we taught him. He said that we were the nicest proselyting religion and like how we presented ourselves. So, he agreed to read the Book of Mormon and finish it. We are to check up in 2 weeks and if he likes it, we can teach him.
People need to recognize a need in their life and see the Church fill that need... that is what I have really seen this week. People that need something, like a religion for their family, or to get them closer to God, then they are the most receptive and willing to act.
Then, that night we gave Jon and Crystal a church tour. It went well. They are kinda quiet. However, Jon did say his first verbal prayer and followed the proper order for a prayer. Yes! Work in progress. We then had Coordination meeting.
Thursday we saw Megan. We tried teaching people, and saw a few less actives that kinda just stay the same. Always finding excuses, even after spiritual experiences. If you really want to stay active in the gospel, you become a person that does not make excuses. So, I am trying to do that too. Stop rationalizing and be a better missionary!
Brian and Sabrina! They are progressing! We saw them 2 1/2 times this week, which is the most ever. Sabrina especially is increasing her desire. She wanted a hard cover of the Book of Mormon, so that she and her son could read it together. If it wasn't for work and health issues, they would be members. Also, another work in progress. Heavenly Father is starting to teach me patience in this area. Patience and being humble. Sabrina also really likes conference talks and Brian really likes the Book of Mormon. I see them honestly getting baptized in the spring or summer. They are kinda the main focus this month!
I call a man named Don Davis. He is a member referral. He is a super awesome guy, but he talks a lot and gets side tracked. He has tons of potential to be taught and join the church too. But, more importantly, we brought Rachel with us to the lesson. She bore her testimony like a boss! Proud moment! :) Rachel is doing good, the Ward loves her. And during lessons, she asks deep things when we read the Book of Mormon like 'What are the mother gentiles.. in 1 Nephi 13?" Oh, that is England in the Revolutionary war." Thankfully, she puts up with my history lessons and actually understands them.
Friday, we went to the Food Kitchen in Elmira with the High Priests. It was fun. High Priests are just like Elders, same goofy maturity level, they are only 50 years older. It got real cold. Ice cold though. We tried teaching people later, and we taught Nadine We taught the Lockes again and they should be coming to Church next week. We went back to Sage Circle again and tracked into the most solid people I have ever met, the Fitches. "Golden" dry members. They were literally waiting for us. They gave us water and sat and listened. The husband is more interested and started reading the Mormon.org during the lesson. We praying for them all the time now. Because they said that they really want to read the info we gave them, discuss and pray about it and then see if they want to learn more and become members. GRRR I hope it works out. Because they literally are Elder Quorum President and Young Women's President material. If not, a seed has been planted... a big seed.
Saturday it was like -15 below. We planned all day and were told not to go outside. We had a few Facebook and phone call lessons. We started making paper hearts for 'heart-attacking' on Sunday. That was it. When it goes below 15 degrees, you can't do much. Nobody want to talk to yo, so we stayed in and organized.
Sunday was more service. Too cold and people were busy. So, we 'heart attacked' and gave service to 9 RC-investigator families. It was awesome :)
Well, that was this crazy busy week. And who knows what the Lord has planned for this week. The Church is true. :)
Love,
Sister Kylie Williams
Tuesday, February 9, 2016
On the Road Again
Hello Everybody!!
Another week has gone by and I now have 3 transfers or 4 and a half months left on my mission. It is such a weird feeling. So much has happened in a year+. I have seen lots of challenges, miracles, and changes happen. I have been doing a lot of reflecting late, and I am truly blessed, and I am grateful for my Heavenly Father. He has given me so many opportunities and great people to meet. Great companions, and so far, a really great mission that is only going to get better. Sister Gass went back home this week, It was weird. It is the first time ever that I have sent a companion home. It isn't the greatest thing in the world. You think more about home, and most missionaries struggle their last few months with different challenges. But, it has just prepared me for my new companion. Sister Seader, who is also going home in 3 months. Ha Ha. I think Heavenly Father is trying to make me trunky or something.. or testing my diligence and singleness of heart. I think it is the latter. :) But, I guess it is needed. I have been praying more the last few weeks than ever before because I have to wake up and focus myself each morning. I think that is good. It helps me rely on the Lord and now that I am getting pretty confident in missionary work and my abilities, it is good to stay humble.
But anyway, this week has been so crazy. I have been stuck in the Zone Leader van for far too long. I have had lots of driving around and getting organized.
On Monday, I kept telling my companion that we needed to start packing... yeah that just didn't happen. We instead went and played scatter ball with the youth. We were so tired, we didn't go as hard as the last time. We then quickly ran and did everything else and started seeing our 'peoples'. Sister Gass had only 2 days to say goodbye to everyone, so we had lunch with Megan, who is a great cook. She will get baptized one day... In the future... she is still a work in progress. We saw some members, and saw Jim and Rachel.
Jim, he is doing so well. He was ordained a priest this past Sunday and has developed a habit of crying now in Church. Just feeling the Spirit! It is just a funny picture, me sitting next to this guy that looks like a mix of Santa and Gandolf and he is crying all of Sacrament Meeting. His next goal is family history and getting to the temple to do the work for his deceased father. He also had developed a habit of Book of Mormon Bashing with people.. it is funny. We have been telling him to be careful, he just loves talking about the Church to random people and then they slightly argue with why the Mormons are wrong. Then he just shakes his head, throws down some bible verses and walks away. We will continue to work with him on how to share the gospel in a more positive manner.
Rachel, she is doing so well. Cutest thing ever, she bore her testimony at church during Relief Society and she talked about how she knows the Church is true and how she was driving in the night and saw this person on the side of the road and had the prompting twice to turn around and talk to them. Even though her Mom taught her to never talk to strangers, she did. What ended up happening is that the person she saw was a run-away autistic teenager that was lost, confused, and wanted to go home and only had her pajamas on. Rachel was able to call the cops and got the girl back to her family. The teenager was about 30 miles away from home and the family was worried sick. She recognized it as her first real experience with the Holy Ghost and is starting to recognize how to feel it and follow it. I twas kinda a proud Mom moment for me. going to get her a calling and get her to the temple! Retention is the key!
Tuesday, all we did was pack and see members. The house looked like a bomb went off. I can't wait to throw away some of the junk that I have collected on my mission. We did see Will. He is doing great also. Nothing big is up with him, but he should be getting the priesthood also this next Sunday. Just plugging away! He did however, find his parent and grandparents and wrote them in his family history booklet! Ya!
Wednesday, I drove to Ithaca. Sister Gas went on up to Utica and I stayed again with Sister Virgin. We struggled a little... we didn't have a gps and I didn't know what was going on, and poor Sis Virgin was overwhelmed with taking over and she is a new missionary. We ended up taking the wrong freeway and went 10 miles east instead of 10 miles north to an appointment. We stopped at a gas station to look at a map. We found out we were totally in the wrong place and then the Elders in another Zone pull up.. haha. So, we drove back and did some Facebook lessons. Also, I met Helen, the cutest little Asian investigator. It is hard to teach her though. There's simple, and then there's international simple. I picked up Sister Seader and headed back home. Just in time to unpack and go to Coordination.
Thursday, so apparently our apartment was pretty disorganized and cluttered. So, Sister Seader went to work and cleaned a TON. I helped too... but then I couldn't find where anything was. haha. We planned, and then we tried to see people. We are at this period right now in the work where we just baptized some people... so now we have to go find some new ones. Sometimes we ask, "okay what now??" and we have to start with the basics. Tracting, trying potentials, seeking referrals, contracting, trying less active and part member families... basically, we have to pray super hard, ad then run around while listening to the Spirit and find new solid progressing people. It takes a lot of faith and with 5 exchanges coming up.. the pressure is on. Thankfully, we saw some really cool tender mercies. I got a prompting to talk with Will's neighbor and she said that we could teach her, so we will pick her up in the future. We taught Derek, and the Spirit prompted me again to check his car instead of going to the 'meet spot'. Good thing I did. This poor guy hit a low and had just injected with Heroin about 20 minutes before hand. I slightly lectured the poor guy, 'aka called him to repentance' and said that he was beyond our help right now. Until he takes the steps to get clean, we can't teach him. Super sad... you can literally see the chains of habit and addiction that is ruining this guys life. Even though he knows the Church is true and has the desire to be a good man. It was just sad to see. But, I think the boldness helped him. We also went to Nadine's, even though we didn't plan to see her, we ran into her landlord. She is the sweetest lady, but was just so tired and didn't have the strength to bring in her groceries. Now she is interested in the Church and we will go teach her this Saturday. By small and simple things, then we ran to go drive to Utica for MLC.
Friday, MLC was great. Super powerful. I learned more about the priesthood, and how the General Authorities work missionary leadership and how with new changes, how we are going to do thing. The Spirit was there so it pumped us up...even though our legs are shaking because basically as leaders with these new exchanges, you kinda have to be 'a model missionary with a model area'. ha ha right. We are perfect models of finding:) I am secretly hoping to be released as a Sister Training Leader and train a new missionary next transfer. That would be sweet! But, I guess we will see what the Lords wants. We had to drop things off in other areas afterwards, so we were stuck driving until 8 pm, for like 4 to 5 hours of driving. Road trips will no longer be a problem for me.
Saturday, finally I was able to fully proselyte. Yayy! We worked and went tracting and picked up this couple, the Lockes. They are a referral from a member and they are slightly interested, but also very stubborn New Yorkers. But, they want their 13 year old granddaughter to be baptized and if we can get her, then we can get the Grandpa. 2 for 1 special! So if it all goes well, Wednesday, that family will be coming to Church. We then got some referrals from the members that we hope to teach soon in the future and tried less actives that I had never heard of before. I met the Peckhams, super sweet and said that we could come back!
Sunday was Church. I love Church! We taught a bunch of less active families after Church. Nadine is thinking more about baptism, but she will take another month or two I think. Also, I taught the Holis-Poley family, they are also known as the Holy Poleys :) Super cool lesson! We brought a member who is a relative and they have a ton of desire. They work a ton, so we don't meet with them as often as they should. It is hard with Church. But, Brian is set to be baptized in April and said that he has seen changes in his behavior and attitude since reading the Book of Mormon. That was great! work in progress.
Now, it is going to be single digits this week. YIKES. Missionary work gets 100x harder when it is cold. But, we will try our hardest. The Church is true!
Go Bronco's!
Love Sister Kylie Williams
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| I love New York !! |
Another week has gone by and I now have 3 transfers or 4 and a half months left on my mission. It is such a weird feeling. So much has happened in a year+. I have seen lots of challenges, miracles, and changes happen. I have been doing a lot of reflecting late, and I am truly blessed, and I am grateful for my Heavenly Father. He has given me so many opportunities and great people to meet. Great companions, and so far, a really great mission that is only going to get better. Sister Gass went back home this week, It was weird. It is the first time ever that I have sent a companion home. It isn't the greatest thing in the world. You think more about home, and most missionaries struggle their last few months with different challenges. But, it has just prepared me for my new companion. Sister Seader, who is also going home in 3 months. Ha Ha. I think Heavenly Father is trying to make me trunky or something.. or testing my diligence and singleness of heart. I think it is the latter. :) But, I guess it is needed. I have been praying more the last few weeks than ever before because I have to wake up and focus myself each morning. I think that is good. It helps me rely on the Lord and now that I am getting pretty confident in missionary work and my abilities, it is good to stay humble.
But anyway, this week has been so crazy. I have been stuck in the Zone Leader van for far too long. I have had lots of driving around and getting organized.
On Monday, I kept telling my companion that we needed to start packing... yeah that just didn't happen. We instead went and played scatter ball with the youth. We were so tired, we didn't go as hard as the last time. We then quickly ran and did everything else and started seeing our 'peoples'. Sister Gass had only 2 days to say goodbye to everyone, so we had lunch with Megan, who is a great cook. She will get baptized one day... In the future... she is still a work in progress. We saw some members, and saw Jim and Rachel.
Jim, he is doing so well. He was ordained a priest this past Sunday and has developed a habit of crying now in Church. Just feeling the Spirit! It is just a funny picture, me sitting next to this guy that looks like a mix of Santa and Gandolf and he is crying all of Sacrament Meeting. His next goal is family history and getting to the temple to do the work for his deceased father. He also had developed a habit of Book of Mormon Bashing with people.. it is funny. We have been telling him to be careful, he just loves talking about the Church to random people and then they slightly argue with why the Mormons are wrong. Then he just shakes his head, throws down some bible verses and walks away. We will continue to work with him on how to share the gospel in a more positive manner.
Rachel, she is doing so well. Cutest thing ever, she bore her testimony at church during Relief Society and she talked about how she knows the Church is true and how she was driving in the night and saw this person on the side of the road and had the prompting twice to turn around and talk to them. Even though her Mom taught her to never talk to strangers, she did. What ended up happening is that the person she saw was a run-away autistic teenager that was lost, confused, and wanted to go home and only had her pajamas on. Rachel was able to call the cops and got the girl back to her family. The teenager was about 30 miles away from home and the family was worried sick. She recognized it as her first real experience with the Holy Ghost and is starting to recognize how to feel it and follow it. I twas kinda a proud Mom moment for me. going to get her a calling and get her to the temple! Retention is the key!
Tuesday, all we did was pack and see members. The house looked like a bomb went off. I can't wait to throw away some of the junk that I have collected on my mission. We did see Will. He is doing great also. Nothing big is up with him, but he should be getting the priesthood also this next Sunday. Just plugging away! He did however, find his parent and grandparents and wrote them in his family history booklet! Ya!
Wednesday, I drove to Ithaca. Sister Gas went on up to Utica and I stayed again with Sister Virgin. We struggled a little... we didn't have a gps and I didn't know what was going on, and poor Sis Virgin was overwhelmed with taking over and she is a new missionary. We ended up taking the wrong freeway and went 10 miles east instead of 10 miles north to an appointment. We stopped at a gas station to look at a map. We found out we were totally in the wrong place and then the Elders in another Zone pull up.. haha. So, we drove back and did some Facebook lessons. Also, I met Helen, the cutest little Asian investigator. It is hard to teach her though. There's simple, and then there's international simple. I picked up Sister Seader and headed back home. Just in time to unpack and go to Coordination.
Thursday, so apparently our apartment was pretty disorganized and cluttered. So, Sister Seader went to work and cleaned a TON. I helped too... but then I couldn't find where anything was. haha. We planned, and then we tried to see people. We are at this period right now in the work where we just baptized some people... so now we have to go find some new ones. Sometimes we ask, "okay what now??" and we have to start with the basics. Tracting, trying potentials, seeking referrals, contracting, trying less active and part member families... basically, we have to pray super hard, ad then run around while listening to the Spirit and find new solid progressing people. It takes a lot of faith and with 5 exchanges coming up.. the pressure is on. Thankfully, we saw some really cool tender mercies. I got a prompting to talk with Will's neighbor and she said that we could teach her, so we will pick her up in the future. We taught Derek, and the Spirit prompted me again to check his car instead of going to the 'meet spot'. Good thing I did. This poor guy hit a low and had just injected with Heroin about 20 minutes before hand. I slightly lectured the poor guy, 'aka called him to repentance' and said that he was beyond our help right now. Until he takes the steps to get clean, we can't teach him. Super sad... you can literally see the chains of habit and addiction that is ruining this guys life. Even though he knows the Church is true and has the desire to be a good man. It was just sad to see. But, I think the boldness helped him. We also went to Nadine's, even though we didn't plan to see her, we ran into her landlord. She is the sweetest lady, but was just so tired and didn't have the strength to bring in her groceries. Now she is interested in the Church and we will go teach her this Saturday. By small and simple things, then we ran to go drive to Utica for MLC.
Friday, MLC was great. Super powerful. I learned more about the priesthood, and how the General Authorities work missionary leadership and how with new changes, how we are going to do thing. The Spirit was there so it pumped us up...even though our legs are shaking because basically as leaders with these new exchanges, you kinda have to be 'a model missionary with a model area'. ha ha right. We are perfect models of finding:) I am secretly hoping to be released as a Sister Training Leader and train a new missionary next transfer. That would be sweet! But, I guess we will see what the Lords wants. We had to drop things off in other areas afterwards, so we were stuck driving until 8 pm, for like 4 to 5 hours of driving. Road trips will no longer be a problem for me.
Saturday, finally I was able to fully proselyte. Yayy! We worked and went tracting and picked up this couple, the Lockes. They are a referral from a member and they are slightly interested, but also very stubborn New Yorkers. But, they want their 13 year old granddaughter to be baptized and if we can get her, then we can get the Grandpa. 2 for 1 special! So if it all goes well, Wednesday, that family will be coming to Church. We then got some referrals from the members that we hope to teach soon in the future and tried less actives that I had never heard of before. I met the Peckhams, super sweet and said that we could come back!
Sunday was Church. I love Church! We taught a bunch of less active families after Church. Nadine is thinking more about baptism, but she will take another month or two I think. Also, I taught the Holis-Poley family, they are also known as the Holy Poleys :) Super cool lesson! We brought a member who is a relative and they have a ton of desire. They work a ton, so we don't meet with them as often as they should. It is hard with Church. But, Brian is set to be baptized in April and said that he has seen changes in his behavior and attitude since reading the Book of Mormon. That was great! work in progress.
Now, it is going to be single digits this week. YIKES. Missionary work gets 100x harder when it is cold. But, we will try our hardest. The Church is true!
Go Bronco's!
Love Sister Kylie Williams
Tuesday, February 2, 2016
Always Running
Hello Everyone!
Monday has come around the corner once again and we have been running around all week! ha ha. That has been my life for all of January. I cannot believe how fast this year is already going. February and March, I am pretty sure, will be gone before I know it. The beginning part of the week we started with Sister Gass going to Palmyra, so that took a lot of planning. Monday we packed and tried to clean up our apartment and after a lesson, we left early for Ithaca where I jumped out of the car and joined another Sister and watched as our companions went up to Syracuse and then to Utica to spend the night. The next day, they went to Palmyra and saw the sights and went to the temple. That plus driving really wiped out Sister Gass. I am actually excited for the upcoming day when I get to go to the temple and finally see the Sacred Grove and the Hill Cumorah before I come home. All in good time.
While she was doing that... Sister Virgin and I were trying to work in Ithaca. It is a strange place. There is a downtown and rough parts, there is Cornell Univ. and all the intellectual professors and PhD's and college dorm housing, and then around that is rural backwoods area surrounded by cascading waterfalls, but inhabited by people suffering from " I have lived here my whole life" syndrome. We had fun though. We saw a few of their RC/LA's and tried a few potentials and went tracting. We picked up this guy named Jay in a trailer park, and he was slightly buzzed, but he loved the Restoration. He read the Book of Mormon when he was in jail a few years ago and found God.... but currently, he is going elsewhere. Hopefully, he likes the message just as much when he is fully sober. I also got to teach this fun lady named Charlotte, who is 75 years old and grew up Catholic, that the Sisters found 6 months ago. She converted to the gospel and she has this heavy New Jersey accent and a gruff voice. When she reads the Book of Mormon, she says out loud, "You guys, wasn't that the most beautiful thing you ever read!"
I was so glad to be back in Elmira on Wednesday after Sister Gass came back and we drove home.... just in time for District Meeting. It was the first time that I truly missed my area and my people on my mission. I really just wanted to go back and see them and teach the people that we have been seeing the last three months. It was interesting. I have always loved the people I taught... but not to the extent of what has occurred now on my mission. It is funny to see the differences over time. We did this weird "Scavenger hunt" that was supposed to be an analogy for how to plan well... yea, wasn't the most spiritual meeting, but it was fun. Then, we just went to work seeing people. We have been seeing our main people lately. We taught Jon and Crystal again over Facebook and they are slowly progressing. We are even doing a church tour with them this Wednesday and I am excited. Once we get them to Church, I know that they will get baptized in the coming months. We got to see Will... we had a slight scare. He hasn't really been the best at taking care of himself and managing his diabetes and his blood sugar dropped to 26 on Sunday night... just before we were to teach him a lesson. We knew something was wrong because he didn't open his door and his car was home. We prayed hard and decided to leave. The next day, he texted us and told us that he had hurt himself bad and the EMT's/ambulance had to break in to his house to help him. It was scary, so we are scared about the baptism... but he just keeps plunking along.
Williams got baptized on Saturday and it was great. His sister came and also the Elders had a baptism. The poor Elder's investigator had to be baptized 9 times because the man doing it, was inexperienced and had a hard time with a low water level font. So that was slightly embarrassing. They all had a good laugh about it afterwards though. We watched Meet the Mormons during the dressing time, and the Spirit was so strong during the Candy Bomber story. Sister Gass and I were on the verge of tears the whole time. We were so glad that things worked out.
However, the coolest miracle happened on Sunday. Will was going to be confirmed. When we walked into the Church, we saw him and and he was talking to someone we didn't recognize. They looked alike, so I thought that he had invited his adult daughter to see it. I was so proud of him as a missionary, but it actually didn't work out quite that way. A month ago, the Elmira central Elders tracted into a family who let them in and they gave a lesson. Over the last 2 weeks, that family became a super solid progressing family. This family was ready to come to Church and the Elders brought them. They walk in, are looking around and the Mom screams and runs over to someone in a suit on the other side of the building. The Elders ask, "What's going on?" The Father says, "Oh, that's her Dad." William's daughter found the gospel just like he did. William has a golden family. It was a family reunion at Church! They both said that they both had been learning more about God and going to Church, they were excited for each other, but had never discussed what the name of the Church was... LOL. What are the odds, that we find William and the Elders find the daughter and her family and we teach both groups simultaneously. Even more astonishing is that they both come to Church for the first time on the same day, in the same building. Boom! They both have instant fellow shippers and a support system. This is not our work, it is the Lord's work. Will had the best confirmation. He loved it. He said that he felt like something "filled him up' and he was the luckiest guy on the earth. He even stayed for an 8 year old baptism afterwards. He is doing great... unfortunately, we just saw him last night while he had a low blood sugar episode. It is tough to watch one of my favorite people be reduced to the level of a teenager and lose all inhibition due to health problems. Agency is a killer. If only people would take care of themselves. But, the Lord knows what he is doing.
Thursday, we kept teaching people. We tracted into this guy named Norm that loves the Yankees and was willing to listen and read the Book of Mormon. Rachel is doing good! We had a Relief Society activity on Thursday and got to know more of the ladies in the Ward. That was Fun!
Humm, other updates. James, still stubborn James... Sabrina and Brian are finally having spiritual experiences over Facebook, but they won't let go of their work responsibilities to let the Gospel help them. But, we will still get there! Jim is getting the priesthood next week! We went on exchanges with the Corning Sisters and picked up 4 investigators and saw little referral miracles. I tracted in the cold for 4 hours ... that was fun. Even though we didn't spend a ton of time in our area this week, we still got work done!
Church on Sunday was so spiritual. Best Sunday speakers and little miracles with our investigators. The Spirit was so strong, it tired me out... but I had to go see all of our people.
Well, this week is transfer week. Sister Gass is going home and Sister Seeder will be my new companion. She has been out for 15 months. She is from Seattle and is super cute and nice, but very shy. We are complete opposites, but I have learned that God gives me companions to learn how to be best friends with people that I would never think to be friends with.
I am going to miss Sister Gass a ton. She has been my favorite companion so far and we have had a lot of good time. But, I am excited for the future!
The Church is true!
Sister Kylie Williams
Monday has come around the corner once again and we have been running around all week! ha ha. That has been my life for all of January. I cannot believe how fast this year is already going. February and March, I am pretty sure, will be gone before I know it. The beginning part of the week we started with Sister Gass going to Palmyra, so that took a lot of planning. Monday we packed and tried to clean up our apartment and after a lesson, we left early for Ithaca where I jumped out of the car and joined another Sister and watched as our companions went up to Syracuse and then to Utica to spend the night. The next day, they went to Palmyra and saw the sights and went to the temple. That plus driving really wiped out Sister Gass. I am actually excited for the upcoming day when I get to go to the temple and finally see the Sacred Grove and the Hill Cumorah before I come home. All in good time.
While she was doing that... Sister Virgin and I were trying to work in Ithaca. It is a strange place. There is a downtown and rough parts, there is Cornell Univ. and all the intellectual professors and PhD's and college dorm housing, and then around that is rural backwoods area surrounded by cascading waterfalls, but inhabited by people suffering from " I have lived here my whole life" syndrome. We had fun though. We saw a few of their RC/LA's and tried a few potentials and went tracting. We picked up this guy named Jay in a trailer park, and he was slightly buzzed, but he loved the Restoration. He read the Book of Mormon when he was in jail a few years ago and found God.... but currently, he is going elsewhere. Hopefully, he likes the message just as much when he is fully sober. I also got to teach this fun lady named Charlotte, who is 75 years old and grew up Catholic, that the Sisters found 6 months ago. She converted to the gospel and she has this heavy New Jersey accent and a gruff voice. When she reads the Book of Mormon, she says out loud, "You guys, wasn't that the most beautiful thing you ever read!"
I was so glad to be back in Elmira on Wednesday after Sister Gass came back and we drove home.... just in time for District Meeting. It was the first time that I truly missed my area and my people on my mission. I really just wanted to go back and see them and teach the people that we have been seeing the last three months. It was interesting. I have always loved the people I taught... but not to the extent of what has occurred now on my mission. It is funny to see the differences over time. We did this weird "Scavenger hunt" that was supposed to be an analogy for how to plan well... yea, wasn't the most spiritual meeting, but it was fun. Then, we just went to work seeing people. We have been seeing our main people lately. We taught Jon and Crystal again over Facebook and they are slowly progressing. We are even doing a church tour with them this Wednesday and I am excited. Once we get them to Church, I know that they will get baptized in the coming months. We got to see Will... we had a slight scare. He hasn't really been the best at taking care of himself and managing his diabetes and his blood sugar dropped to 26 on Sunday night... just before we were to teach him a lesson. We knew something was wrong because he didn't open his door and his car was home. We prayed hard and decided to leave. The next day, he texted us and told us that he had hurt himself bad and the EMT's/ambulance had to break in to his house to help him. It was scary, so we are scared about the baptism... but he just keeps plunking along.
Williams got baptized on Saturday and it was great. His sister came and also the Elders had a baptism. The poor Elder's investigator had to be baptized 9 times because the man doing it, was inexperienced and had a hard time with a low water level font. So that was slightly embarrassing. They all had a good laugh about it afterwards though. We watched Meet the Mormons during the dressing time, and the Spirit was so strong during the Candy Bomber story. Sister Gass and I were on the verge of tears the whole time. We were so glad that things worked out.
However, the coolest miracle happened on Sunday. Will was going to be confirmed. When we walked into the Church, we saw him and and he was talking to someone we didn't recognize. They looked alike, so I thought that he had invited his adult daughter to see it. I was so proud of him as a missionary, but it actually didn't work out quite that way. A month ago, the Elmira central Elders tracted into a family who let them in and they gave a lesson. Over the last 2 weeks, that family became a super solid progressing family. This family was ready to come to Church and the Elders brought them. They walk in, are looking around and the Mom screams and runs over to someone in a suit on the other side of the building. The Elders ask, "What's going on?" The Father says, "Oh, that's her Dad." William's daughter found the gospel just like he did. William has a golden family. It was a family reunion at Church! They both said that they both had been learning more about God and going to Church, they were excited for each other, but had never discussed what the name of the Church was... LOL. What are the odds, that we find William and the Elders find the daughter and her family and we teach both groups simultaneously. Even more astonishing is that they both come to Church for the first time on the same day, in the same building. Boom! They both have instant fellow shippers and a support system. This is not our work, it is the Lord's work. Will had the best confirmation. He loved it. He said that he felt like something "filled him up' and he was the luckiest guy on the earth. He even stayed for an 8 year old baptism afterwards. He is doing great... unfortunately, we just saw him last night while he had a low blood sugar episode. It is tough to watch one of my favorite people be reduced to the level of a teenager and lose all inhibition due to health problems. Agency is a killer. If only people would take care of themselves. But, the Lord knows what he is doing.
Thursday, we kept teaching people. We tracted into this guy named Norm that loves the Yankees and was willing to listen and read the Book of Mormon. Rachel is doing good! We had a Relief Society activity on Thursday and got to know more of the ladies in the Ward. That was Fun!
Humm, other updates. James, still stubborn James... Sabrina and Brian are finally having spiritual experiences over Facebook, but they won't let go of their work responsibilities to let the Gospel help them. But, we will still get there! Jim is getting the priesthood next week! We went on exchanges with the Corning Sisters and picked up 4 investigators and saw little referral miracles. I tracted in the cold for 4 hours ... that was fun. Even though we didn't spend a ton of time in our area this week, we still got work done!
Church on Sunday was so spiritual. Best Sunday speakers and little miracles with our investigators. The Spirit was so strong, it tired me out... but I had to go see all of our people.
Well, this week is transfer week. Sister Gass is going home and Sister Seeder will be my new companion. She has been out for 15 months. She is from Seattle and is super cute and nice, but very shy. We are complete opposites, but I have learned that God gives me companions to learn how to be best friends with people that I would never think to be friends with.
I am going to miss Sister Gass a ton. She has been my favorite companion so far and we have had a lot of good time. But, I am excited for the future!
The Church is true!
Sister Kylie Williams
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