Week #14

 

It was so hot Tuesday morning. We were tracting for two hours and it was like 90 degrees at 10 am! What the heck?? 

 

We had a lesson with our new investigator Dionna. She tried to cancel on us the night before and we said we're here to add truths and blessings not change your religion. So she said we could still come over. The lesson was great. We taught her the restoration and then we told her about temples. She loved that our families can be together forever because she said she's always said to her husband that she doesn't want to be lost to him after this life. I'm so glad I listened to the Spirit and pulled out a picture of the Salt Lake Temple. I don't normally do that in the first lesson but I felt that she needed to hear it. Later that night we had a lesson with Brandy finally! We've never been actually able to sit down and have a lesson but it was awesome! We taught her the Plan of Salvation, which brought a lot of peace to her mind because she has loved ones that have passed on. After Brandy we watched 17 Miracles with Jackie. We're doing a countdown to her baptism where we do an activity with her everyday until she gets baptized. She really liked how the movie puts into perspective what the early saints went through for this gospel. I love that movie. Everybody should watch it if they haven't yet.  

  

Wednesday we had zone meeting and learned how to do chapel tours. It was super helpful and then we had a lesson with Abi, who came to church on Sunday!!! I was so happy she decided to come! Then we went to the temple grounds with Jackie. She is super excited to go in. We've been working on family history with her a couple of times so that she can take names and do baptisms. And she already has plans for next year to go to Nauvoo and go through. Thursday we had interviews with President and training. I really like training because I learn so much! We practiced door approaches and teaching with questions and setting expectations before a lesson so that we can keep our investigators focused and on track. We're trying to cut our lessons down to 25 minutes and keep them that way. Interviews lasted about 2 minutes per missionary because there were about 30+ missionaries President had to get through. Then afterwards we got to go to the temple! That's the first time I've felt at home my whole mission. I could have stayed there forever. The Columbus Temple is really small but it's beautiful. Friday we had dinner with Jackie and met her friend Whitney who is the one that referred her to us! Whitney is awesome and I'm so grateful for her and her example to Jackie. 

 

We also finally got a hold of Matt and Jill, our investigators who had a baby about 5 weeks ago. We have an appointment with them on Tuesday. We almost put them on the back burner. Hopefully we can still continue to teach them. I would just like to say that I have a testimony of tracting. Saturday morning we found 3 new investigators before 11:30 am just from knocking doors. It's awesome! The Lord really blessed us that morning by leading us to super prepared people who have been looking for a church to go to. We also had Jackie's baptism at 4. Sister Jensen was able to come and guess who else was there? President! That's super rare. It's because Jackie's so special and super awesome. The baptism was great. I sang Come Thou Fount and I almost cried in the middle when I looked at Jackie. And I almost cried when she got baptized. I'm just so happy for her! Not just because she's my investigator but also because she's my friend and I've been able to watch her grow her faith and act on that faith by following the example of our Savior. It was a great week. Also on Friday we got a referral from a member and we have a return appointment on Tuesday! I love when members are so involved in missionary work. Ohio has also decided to get cold. It was hot hot hot at the beginning of the week and now it's in the 60's. Sweet. I'm so grateful for this work and for our savior. I know he lives and that he loves us. I know that if we're faithful and work hard, we receive blessings and miracles can happen.

 

So if you could send maybe my purple 3/4 sleeve sweater and maybe have Holley help you pick out some other clothes. If you can find my tan sweater that has the holes in it and send my blue and white striped shirt that we got from H&M that would be sweet. They go really cute together. But you can wait to send them with the flash drives if you want. I'm going to good will today to get some plain black and brown skirts. Also if you could send back the straight brown one that holds in the heat they'd be awesome as well. I don't think it's going to get too cold too fast. Everyone says this is pretty normal for Ohio and it should warm back up. But cold days are starting to come.

 

Love you mom!