Family. . . Family. . . Family. . .
I do not even know WHERE to start! This week was just so incredible! We had the chance to really have so much success this week compared to last week. We had 6 LESSONS!! (I know this seems so small. . . but it is a true miracle). Being in the bible belt is hard enough then add in that you can only teach Spanish or you have to refer the English people to the other missionaries sets in for some serious complications. But it was a truly incredible week and we are seeing much success coming from our prayers and labors. .
Well to start off. . .haha. I will tell you a hilarious joke that the elders played on us but the claim to have not done it. . (they totally did).
So last Monday as we are walking out the door to go to the dinner at the Farfan's, Hermana Johnson looks down. . and sees a big pile of dog crap sitting on our mat. haha. Oh man she was like what the?!? and we are all laughing and we are like the elders have to have done it because what are the odd chances a dog comes to the 2nd floor of the apartment complex and chooses our mat to poop on and the owner doesn't clean it up. So the Elders definitely got a kick out of it. The Zone leaders stopped by that night to drop something off and they were like. . .would you like us to clean this up for you?!? haha. We promise Elder Reymund didn't do it. (which means we are convinced it was elder Bradshaw!). but it was a funny moment.
This week we have been teaching many first lessons. It has been good and we have seen much success. . . but it was also a rough time during some of the lessons.
During one of the lessons it literally was probably the WORST lesson I have had on my mission. . He doesn't have a ton of knowledge of religious things which is fine. But we wanted to just talk about the love of god. that is it! so we are going to read a scripture from the bom and we explain that it is similar to the bible and things and prophets came up and then he asked what a prophet is and it just went downhill from there. And it was frustrating because he would really let us explain things and just would ask more questions. So we were getting frustrated. Then he had the nerve to talk to the sweet member that we brought with us (who I feel so bad because it was seriously a horrible lesson and she probably thinks we are horrible missionaries. .) about how we don't understand what he is saying in Spanish and ask if we even believed the same things she was explaining. . (mind you we understood the whole conversation!! ugh! haha). but I am trying to let it go and get over it! I will be more Christlike. . . =)
We also had an interesting lesson with a former investigator last night. . it was good but still a little confusing. He just knows lots of what we do and refuses to pray and things. He also apparently had a crush on the previous Hermana (who is now home and married) but it will be interesting to have another appointment with him.
Well. . . this week was full of meetings! Which was AMAZING! I love to have the chance to be spiritually uplifted and fulfilled! =)
First off we had interviews with President Baker. It was fun because before interviews we met up with the sister training leaders and had a pizza picnic in the park! They are the greatest and we just have so much fun with them. Anyways. . .Back to interviews. . .
President is truly so inspired. So we were all asked to take a question into the interview and he would try to answer it the best he could. . . and poor president. .. I come up with probably one of the most difficult questions because it has been truly bothering me lately haha. but it is something that is hard to answer because there isn't a straight answer if that makes sense. I asked him how I could improve my memory. . because lately my memory has been shot to bits. For example the poop story from earlier this week was brought up and I could not for the life of me remember until they started explaining it again and then it came back. But it truly has been something that has been really troubling for me and is just frustrating. I can't remember the lesson plans and things we create in the morning and it's just bad. . so I asked him about it and he seriously gives the greatest answers. He just receives direct revelation from Heavenly Father. .
Then it was neat because I closed with a prayer and I said please help us to find more investigators and more specifically a family that we can teach. . .
Then Hermana newman has her interview comes out and asks what I said about our area and if I said anything about a family. haha. And I told her about my prayer. She said that president Baker prayed for us during her interview for our righteous desires to come true. Then to make this even better. . after planning that night we receive a phone call from the Zone leaders with a reference of a family in our area! BAM! Direct answer to prayers right there.
And we also found another family who was a reference that we have an appointment for on Wednesday! But how neat is that. . Heavenly Father is truly watching out for us! =)
Then of course we had conference this week!! How INCREDIBLE is it that we have the chance to listen to a prophet of God?!?!? If you do not understand that we have a prophet of god or have a testimony of this please go watch conference and re listen to his words!
If you haven't watched conference get online RIGHT NOW and watch it! We have living prophet and apostles that receive direct inspirtation and guidance from our heavenly father!! Heavenly Father is talking directly to us at this time! Such a blessing!
Anyways. . as missionaries we had the option to watch it in a home but we as a companionship chose to watch it at the church and lots of the other missionaries did too. Basically the chapel was all missionaries then like one or two famalies a session. We sadly didn't have any investigators there which was a bummer but we were spiritually uplifted.
One comment that is a little off topic but annoyed me all conference. . haha. I thought the yellow flowers behind them made them all look a little more yellow and I swear some of the apostles looked like they had juandis. . (Sp?). Anyways. . But I did get a tender mercy and had the chance to see some beautiful Sunflowers on one of the side angles. anyways back on topic. .
Conference was INCREDIBLE!! I saw so many forewarnings of things coming in the future. The sessions were started off strong and just kept getting better and better. I truly enjoyed the talks on the "whirlwinds" Andersens' and Hollands' were both so incredible. And I seriously feel like the world is not only going to go through some serious tragedies (hurricanes, tornadoes, etc) but it will also be such a spiritual devestation as well. It brings me such sadness that we would descend to such a level.
I truly loved when Hale's spoke and just was BOLD. .. "Be careful WHO you follow". . man if you didn't feel the intensisty of that statement please go watch it again. Then I loved the question he asked "why do we choose to be disobedient knowing the eternal consequences? the answer: they love satan more than god". .
I saw that was a theme throughout all of conference. That we are going to face trials and tribulations as a church especially. That we will need to DEFEND OUR BELIEFS as a church. And how we can to that through COURAGE AND COURTESY! We need to LOVE our neighbors and continue doing the things that god wants us to do.
There were so many warnings this conference. And I thought it was really neat that President Monson didn't announce any temples. (bummer. . but this is what I got from it). . .that we as a church need to work harder to get more members so that we can have more temples. It was just such an inspiration to me that we need to do more of OUR PART as a church. . bringing others to the gospel!
I thought it was also interesting that many of the talks were exactly what I had just recently studied or that I truly needed. I could feel the direct answers to prayers.
Interestingly enough one of my favorite talks this conference was the talk by Gary E. Stevenson about the Olympics! Man. . . so strong!
I loved it. . .this is our 4 minutes . . and what are we going to do with these four minutes we have that determine our eternity?
We are going to reflect on those four minutes for the rest of eternity. . .we need to do those things that are aligning ourselves with the gospel more deeply and better than ever before. The world is going to progressively get worse and worse and we need to become more and more righteous and courageous and stand for what we belief. We are going to have to defend our faith more and more and we need to be strong enough to do so!
I also truly enjoyed Ballard's talk as a missionary. You do not know how important first off extending a commitment is then more importantly FOLLOWING UP!! I was so touched by this talk! As a missionary it is all we do. Extend and follow up.
Did you also hear the challenge he gave?!??!
INVITE SOMEONE ONCE A QUARTER TO LISTEN TO THE MISSIONARIES!! that means each of us as members has the responsibility to invite others to listen to the gospel FOUR times a year. . . that is a lot but I know that we can do it! If each member took this challenge imagine all the blessings we can receive and the many members we would also have in this church. =)
There was also a challenge to study preach my gospel!?! =) I LOVE PREACH MY GOSPEL! As missionaries we study this divine book each and every day. I hope that we can find a way to study it as a family. I was thinking that we should all focus on a chapter each week (like family chapter theme for the week or a couple of pages or something) then start a group email all about what we are learning?!? Anyone in? ;) It is so great to have the chance to share what we know about the gospel and also to STUDY the gospel. . especially together as a family. That is where we see the most miracles as missionaries. .. when a family works together to progress in the gospel. Somewhere in the conference it was said that we must not leave our families behind. . and that is so true. We must not leave our families behind and if we start doing gospel things as a family first we will be rewarded for our righteousness. =)
As I was studying this morning in the scriptures I was reading in 2 Nephi 6-7 and I was really touched by the statement multiple times "they will not be ashamed who wait for me". we shall not be ashamed of our beliefs and I just love that. As the warnings from our prophets and apostles came I just could see this scripture popping out in my mind! We will NOT be ashamed!
I forgot to tell you my amazing encounter with a disgusting food. . . haha. It was decided that SPAM is DISGUSTING! haha. I am not the biggest fan of it and I don't think I will ever be. The other Hermanas were making me laugh as we discussed the meal afterwards. . Hermana Newman calls it "something posing as meat" and Hermana Johnson was describing it as "a combination of cat, dog, bat, and many other animals." they were killing me. . although I have to admit. . definitely is not very great.This week we also had English class and I wish you could have been a fly on the wall. Hermana Johnson was teaching about the body. . .and we definitely made them do head shoulders knees and toes. ahha. Oh hilarious. Brought me so much joy. =)
Well to my incredible family. . . I love you all so much and know that you are all the best family this missionary could have asked for! You are so incredible and amazing! I miss you each and every day but know that this short 13 months ahead of us is going to fly by! I can't believe it has been 5 months already. . It is crazy! But I know that the joyous reunion will be one of the best days ever! I love you all so much!
To Marci and Goober have an EXCELLENT birthday this week!! =) I know you crazies know how to party, so stay in line. ;) I love you, Happy birthday!
And to one of my bestest friends in the whole world. . . I CANNOT WAIT to hear where you are serving the Lord! Have a blast opening your call (hopefully it will come this week!!). . I cannot wait for you to join me in the beautiful land of Chesapeake Virginia. . ;)
I LOVE YOU ALL!
And as they say in the South. . ."Have a blessed day" =)
Love you,
Hermana Gray
*Remember to choose the right and remember where you came from and who you are returning to!*
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| Our beautiful trees EVERYWHERE! I am in love with Spring! =) |
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| Teaching Spanish Class |
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| Lunch with the sister training leaders randomly before interviews |
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| We won a car! |
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