 | |
| RS Activity Thelma, me, Veronica, Karen, Sister McCook |
 |
|
Sister McCook, Thelma, me
|
 |
| I Love Karen! |
 |
| Sisters at the beach |
 |
| Sister McIsaac's Hula |
 |
| Sister Thomas the RS Pres |
 |
|
Sister McCook, Sister Fasick, Thelma, Sister Garlitz,
Veronica, Me,
and Sister Pennington on the front. |
Last Monday after Family Home
Evening at the church we took Summer with us to teach Brandon. Brandon
just recently converted to Catholicism. We taught him the restoration and he
isn't certain about it yet, but he is open. He really wants to attend
church with us!
Tuesday morning we attended the Ft.
Caroline district meeting before beginning our trade off with the ft. Caroline
sisters. Sister Case came to Arlington with me. It was a bit of a
different day, but good. We cleaned Sister Beverly's floors. She is a
sweet elderly lady and she had a nurse there when we came. She started
telling him all about the church. I love it! That evening we were able to
visit Sister McNeal with Veronica! Sister McNeal was recently diagnosed
with Breast Cancer and it was a tender mercy that we brought Veronica along
because they found out they only live a block away from each other so Sister
McNeal always has someone close by to call if she needs anything as she goes
into surgery this week.
Wednesday morning we swapped back
companions and headed to Dunn Ave for our own district meeting. We were
also able to teach Jojo one more time. She is not willing to come to
church at this time and she is not progressing so we told her she can call us
when she is ready to learn more. She is so sweet we will miss seeing her.
We were also able to teach Karen that night with Sister Nuttal! She loves
Sister Nuttal!
Thursday was amazing! Sisters
from Waycross, Georgia had spent the night with us for the big meeting.
Elder Zwick of the 70 came with Brother Hemmingway who is over the technology
side of the missionary department. There are some new changes coming out
and we were the very first mission to get them!!! We learned a lot about
using iPads and Facebook, but what I mostly remember is the strong spirit as
they spoke about the work we were doing. We learned about obedience and
that we should continually be improving in a "spiritual trajectory."
At the beginning of the meeting we were told to ask, "Am I willing
to change?" We have to be willing to change so we can grow from what
we learn. This week every missionary will be getting a new iPad mini.
Those who will be here after August will be required to pay for their own.
Those going home before will be able to turn them back into the church when
they depart. These iPads hold more storage and will be faster. We
will also be going off Facebook for approximately two months to restart the
Facebook work completely. We received drafts of two new books for
missionaries about using technology effectively and safely. We also saw a
sneak preview of the Church's Easter initiative which will come out next
month. Get excited y'all! It's going to be beautiful! Oh, and
I got to play piano for the meeting so that was fun! I played while
everyone walked up to shake Elder Zwick and Brother Hemmingway's hands too.
We were able to teach Pete that
evening before heading to the Relief Society activity: "A Trip to
Hawaii." It was super cute. They had made invitations like a
plane ticket and you turned those in at the door to the RS room. The room
was set up like the inside of an airplane and a member of the ward was dressed
up as a pilot. They had stewardess passing out treats and masks taped
onto the back of the seats! So cute! On the "flight" we
watched a short movie about visiting teaching. Then we exited the plane
and went into the gym which was set up like Hawaii. Two girls put leis
around our necks and there were treats and decorations and the Bishop's wife
was dancing the hula. They had some short thoughts about visiting teaching and
we enjoyed one another's company. It was Sister Thomas's sneaky way of
having a visiting teaching activity--she didn't think people would come if they
knew that was the topic! it was super fun and cute! Karen even came
and she was so welcomed! She LOVED it!
After weekly planning on Friday we
started another trade off! I went to Atlantic Beach with Sister Bowers
this time. Sister Bowers came out with me and the first day we met we
both thought the other looked familiar but we could never figure out why we
knew each other... so we decided we were just best friends in the premortal
life! We had so much fun! And we saw miracles! Her trade off
goal was to better work with members. We decided that night we would
visit a member who gave a referral to the previous sisters--Sister Goode.
Sister Goode actually served her mission here in Jacksonville! She
invited us right in for hot chocolate and girl scout cookies (and that was the
night it was about 34 degrees so it was appreciated!) We shared a message
with her and it really touched her. She said she would allow us to come
back the following day and do service for her, even though she doesn't like to
let others serve her.
Saturday we went back to the Goodes
and helped with pinning and cutting a sewing project she had going on.
Then the neighbor she had referred, Cheryl, came over! We were able to
teach her a lesson in the Goode's home and Sister Goode bore testimony!
It was so great!
Sunday was amazing! Kurtis
Williams spoke in church and he invited his neighbors, and they came!!!
There was also a part member family that just moved here and decided they
needed to start coming back to church after 15 years--the Cooks. They
want us to teach their two children who were not baptized! Such a
miracle! That evening we had dinner with the Nuttals. Sister Nuttal
told us she takes Mormon.org cards with her everywhere and hands them
out-grocery stores, on campus, etc. She is such an example!
Well, I hope y'all are having a
great week! Remember Transfers are this week! Talk to y'all next Tuesday!
Love,
Sister Murray
