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| Feeding Molly |
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| Isn't she cute? |
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| Just in case you were wondering-this is what your feet will look like if you are not incredibly thorough with bug spray |
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| Best Halloween Decoration or What? |
This week was a lot better in the sense that I felt we were
very productive. We had our slow moments of course, but it was better.
Our members really pulled through for us. We had the Relief Society
President send out an email to the sisters asking for anyone available to give
us rides to visit people.
On Monday we went to the family home evening for the older
singles and empty-nesters. We were invited for dinner and Elder Baldwin
and Tauoa, who normally attend because they work with that age of singles, said
we could go instead of them. We had a really great dinner and a wonderful
lesson from a talk by Elder Christofferson (Recognizing God's hand in Our Daily
Lives, Ensign January 2012) about asking for our daily bread--those blessings
and answers that we need THAT day. And also recognizing God's hand daily
in our lives. It was a much needed reminder.
Tuesday was district meeting. Sister Martinez and I
gave a training on planning. Sister Martinez had the idea in studies a
couple weeks ago to use Korihor as a bad example of planning. So we
compared how he "planned to fail" and how we can plan to
succeed. We also found a lot of examples of people in the scriptures who
planned. Look at them all!
--Heavenly Father has a plan. Chapter headings of
Abraham 4&5
--Joseph Smith "After I had retired to the place where
I had previously designed to go..." JSH 1:15
--Esther, planned to go into the king (Esther 4:16)
--Moroni, in preparation for war Alma 52:21, Alma 59:4
--Jaredites, chapter 2 heading "The Jaredites prepare
for their journey to a promise land." Footnote 23a-
Noah's
ark used stones for light- Mahonri Moriancumer had studied his scriptures!
--5 of the 10 virgins Matthew 25:3-4
--The Sons of Mosiah, scripture study, prayer, fasting -
Alma 17:2-3
-- Satan has a plan too. We are in a battle so we so have to
plan! D&C 10:12
Elders Collins and Walgomott made pumpkin pie so it was a
pretty good district meeting!
We went home for lunch and decided we could use a
nap--literally 30 seconds after I woke up there was a knock on the door (which
is really weird to hear as a missionary). It was Sister Janson! We
had totally forgotten that she said she could drive us around to visit
people! So we grabbed our supplies and hopped in her van. We ended
up running into a man named Terrance while looking for a less active
sister. He preached to us for a good 45 minutes through poems he writes
and shares with youth. It was great, but we could hardly get a word
in. He mentioned some things that were not true about our church so
finally I cut in and told him before we left we needed to clarify some
things. I went into explaining Joseph Smith and how the Book of Mormon
came about. Once I got the ball I took off running. I really wanted
Sister Martinez to help' but I was certain if I stopped for even 2 seconds
Terrance would be off again. Sister Martinez said she agreed and she was
cheering me on silently. So not the best teaching, but we got the message
out there! He said he really appreciated how calmly I explained what he
had misunderstood. He preached some more about how good a work we are
doing and then we left.
That evening we went to dinner with the Stokers. Can I
just say how positive this family is? They are amazing examples!
Apparently most Mormons don't attend the parties the anesthesia students have
because they know they will be alcohol there. Valid concern, but it has
put a bad name out there for us because it comes across as the Mormons thinking
they are better than everyone else. So the Stokers started going to these
parties and soon enough they've made a lot of friends and now there is always a
"Mormon cooler" at the parties with non alcoholic drinks.
We also went to young women's that night. The girls
were all challenged to invite a non menber friend. One came! We did
the brown paper bag biography that we did at the relief society activity in
August. And we played Never Have I Ever. You go around the circle
and say something you never have done. If the other people have done it
they have to put a finger down. When all 10 fingers are down you are
out. It was really fun! Haha, when one girl said, "Never have
I ever been kissed," the young woman next to me stared at my fingers like
they were going to fall off waiting to see if one would go down. So
funny!
Wednesday we had the Sister Training Leaders, Sister
Lawrence and Sister Merchant, come over for dinner (it is fun to feed the
missionaries!) and then we had a power trade off-we traded companions for a few
hours. It was SOOOO good to get on my bike with Sister Lawrence and go
talk to people. I really feel like there is a family here for us to find,
teach, and baptize. Pray for us to find them! Sister Lawrence and I
taught 5 lessons! We found a less active member we didn't know about too.
It was great! For as much as tracting scares me it sure felt good to be
out knocking doors again! It's hard to keep busy when we can't walk
around, but it is going well.
I got a new online investigator! His name is Omar, he
is my same age, and he lives in the UK. His family is Muslim, but he
isn't sure he believes their faith. He reached out to me because he saw
my cover photo on Facebook which says, "I'm a Mormon." He has a
TON of questions. When I told him I had to get off and we could talk again
on Wednesday he said that was too long! The only other time I could
guarantee I would be on is tonight at 8:00 here and 1:00am Tuesday there.
He said he'd be on so we will see how it goes!
Things have slowed down a bit with Giova. He said he
will read the Book of Mormon before the weekend so when I get on again today I
can see how that went!
Sheree seems to be avoiding us! We called, stopped by,
left notes. One time we could definitely hear her in the house and she
wouldn't answer. So we had to drop her.
Y'all are probably wondering where the cat comes into
play. Last week in ward council Brother Woods said he and his wife
haven't been to the temple for a few months because they found out their cat
has diabetes and she has to be fed a specific times. So he asked if
anyone would be willing to feed their cat and we said we could. We went
over in the morning and afternoon to feed Molly. She is gorgeous and so
sweet so it was a fun service, and one that can be done on crutches. :)
Sorry for the novel today, but one more note. Elders
Baldwin and Tauoa had an elect investigator come to church Sunday--Ramona
Mooney! She is a sweetheart! In Relief Society she introduced
herself and said she has always felt different from others because of her standards.
She has tried churches but has never felt she fits in until now. The ward
was so welcoming and the spirit was so strong!
I hope y'all have a blessed week! Take good pictures
at the Family Halloween Party! We will be having a chili cook off and a
trunk or treat! Remember transfers are next week so I will email on
Tuesday!
I love y'all!
Sister Murray
