4/21/14

It has been one awesome week!!! So many great things happened. Hopefully I can remember all of them for you guys.

 

Monday night we had a great lesson with Bro. Roode and his wife who isn't a member. She is starting to warm up to us. Bro. Roode is the former chief of police. He's a really good guy, we like him  a lot!

Tuesday after district meeting we had a lesson with Tara. She's 17 and is the daughter of a less active sister in the branch. It's frustrating teaching her though because her mom isn't being supportive. Her mom wants her to get baptized but isn't willing to read the scriptures with her or pray with her or take her to church. She's expecting Tara to do this all on her own. Which she can do, it would just be more successful if her mom was more supportive. I don't think Tara's mom realizes we won't baptize Tara unless we know she's going to be able to keep her covenants, meaning she comes to church every week and actually DOES stuff... So we'll see how this goes. We're taking it slow... We also saw the Felver's Tuesday night! That went really well! We started teaching Heather the Plan of Salvation. That is going really well. Heather is really excited to get baptized. Dane is working on it!

Wednesday we did a lot of community service which is always a lot of fun! We love it! We also had an appointment with our investigator Doug. He said he was planning on being at church with his 2 granddaughters for Easter. He sounded pretty excited. we were stoked! The lesson went well and he said he wanted to find out if Joseph Smith was truly a prophet. We love hearing people say they want to know! That means they are more likely of being a solid investigator.

 

Thursday we had an incredible lesson with our investigator Patty. She has 2 sons that have been in and out of prison. One is still there... It's been really hard on her. She struggles with depression and other things. She said she prays and prays and doesn't feel like He's listening anymore. It was really sad. We talked a lot about the Savior's Atonement and watched the Because of Him video. It went really well. We also talked to her about priesthood blessings and how they can help her. She said she would like one. So that night we came back over with Bro. Roode. We had tried to get a few other men over but it wasn't working out, so we brought Bro. Roode. WHICH WAS A MIRACLE!!! He had been the one that arrested her son a few years ago, he had been to her house a few times and was pretty familiar with her situation. She couldn't believe that it was him that came with us. She said she was so grateful it was someone that she knew and felt comfortable with. She was grateful she didn't have to tell her story to a new person and have more people outside of her "circle" know what was going on. It meant a lot to her. It was a sign that the Lord was listening to her prayers, that He is aware of His children and sends them what they need when they need it. IT WAS SO COOL!!!! I love it when things "just work out". The Lord is so smart.

 

Friday we helped out the Felvers for a few hours in their vineyard. They make a lot of grape juice and jams and stuff and were needing some help to get things started. We had such a good time with them. We learned a lot about vineyards that's for sure! The weather was so beautiful and the sunset was gorgeous. We enjoyed just being able to talk casually with Dane about some of his concerns. We were also grateful we got to do some service for them after all that they have done for us. So it was great.

 

Saturday we had a good appointment with Josh, Jill's son. He's doing really good. He said he would com to church for Easter! We were pretty excited about that. He seems like he's wanting to come closer to Christ right now. We'll see. He's a punk so we're not quite sure where this is going to go. We also went back over to the Felvers to help out more around their barn and property. It was awesome!!!! He made us some racks of ribs and so much food it was insane! IT WAS ALL SO GOOD!!!! It was a lot of fun. We roasted some s'mores out back and had a good time. we had a lesson on faith for Heather and Dane and Robin talked about how their faith has been growing since we've been here and how they have such a stronger desire now. It was awesome. I loved hearing them talk about what this has been like for them. It's incredible. They are such strong and devoted people. They will be going back to the Temple with in the next 6 months, I know it.

 

Sunday was so wonderful. Easter is the best! We went to the church early to meet with Doug, give him a tour of the church so he would know what to expect for church. (no, he didn't show up......) but we're glad that we got there early because we met a new sister that just moved into the branch!!!!!! IT WAS SO EXCITING!!!!! We've been praying  for growth and the Lord has answered that prayer. Grace moved here from Indiana with her husband who's not a member. They're in their 60's and just bought this beautiful farm house that we drive by all the time and wish we could go in. She's so excited to be here and can't wait to get to work with the branch. She's exactly what we need! We're so grateful she's here! We stopped by her place after church with the Jensons to bring them some dinner, they don't have any appliances so they can't cook or store food or anything. It was a lot of fun to get a tour of their beautiful house. I love it!!! (Don't worry, I'm sending pics). It was a lot of fun. We had dinner with the Davis' and it was great! We love them. They are the best people. They do a lot for us and are really supportive and excited about what all is happening in the branch.

 

This morning was so awesome. For Sis. Bakker and I's companion study this morning we tried to list all of the miracles we've seen since we've been in St. Marys. There are A LOT. It was the coolest thing. My heart just swelled with gratitude and love and joy and so many other emotions. I love it here. At the end of Sis. Lemmon and I's companionship I was praying that I would get transferred, that I would be able to leave. This was such a hard area and I was really struggling. But now I'm so grateful He knew better and kept here. One of the miracle I listed was my growth as a missionary. This area has changed me. the people here have changed me. I struggled and worked so hard and wanted to quit. And then I started seeing the miracles, the ones that had always been there, and the ones that were coming and the changes that were happening in the branch and in me and in our investigators. I am just so overwhelmed with love for St. Marys. It's so special for me because I have poured a lot of sweat and tears into this area. I feel like I pulled my handcart over the frontier and now am walking into the Salt Lake Valley. I suffered a lot here, but it was not in vain, it wasn't for nothing. It was for EVERYTHING!!!! It was totally worth it and if I had to do it again I would.

I am so grateful for my mission. It's been so much fun! SO MUCH FUN! I love being a missionary.

I love and miss you all so much! I hope you all have a great week and enjoy the beautiful spring weather! I know we've been loving it!

 

So the pics. there are some of the bon fire with the felvers, the house that Grace bought, the boots that Dane got us to work in the barn and some other stuff...