Thursday, November 3, 2016

October 26, 2016

My last weeks email wouldn't send and then dropped off the face of this earth so this week I am having to play catch up. 

Last weeks highlights:
Cassie became an investigator 
Elder Stephenson of the 12 came and spoke to the mission 
New missionary training 
Splits in Shelbyville

This weeks highlights:
Stake Conference 
All bike 
Temple 
Facebook video: IF YOU READ NOTHING ELSE, READ THIS PART AT THE BOTTOM!!!!!! 


So I approached this lady (Cassie) sitting on the porch of the apartments where she lived and she said that we could come back and teach her more, the first time we came to her door and she wasn't home to make the appointment, but later that week we found her again sitting on her porch, so Sister Acker and I decided to go teach her there. We did and she loved it! She said she got cold chills when we said the closing prayer, and when I asked her how she felt, she said that she felt relief! AHHHHHHH yes!!!!!!!! She is sooooo awesome and she loves everything we have taught her. The only problem, is that she works on Sundays. So knowing she couldn't go on Sunday when church was scheduled, but with Stake Conference this last week it provided a unique chance for her to come to a meeting at night time. So she came to the adult session. It was all about temples and families being sealed together in the temple. And we thought: oh great, she doesn't understand any of this, she is going to be frustrated! Turns out she LOVED it!!! Family is incredibly important to her and she just loved it, she actually cried a few times!!!  We asked her: is the church true? And she said yes!!! We were so happy! The next night was Sunday night and we asked her to come to a new member, investigator fireside. She agreed to come and she ended up baring her first testimony..... A NEW INVESTIGATOR OF TWO WEEKS!!!!!! 😁 She is so awesome! Yesterday, we taught her the chastity lesson (she has been living with her boyfriend for 4 years) we ended up basically asking her to get married. She, you could tell was sooo terrified of talking to her boyfriend about it. It ended on a good note when we talked about 1 Nephi 3: 7 and we promised her that the lord will provide an opportunity for her to talk to her boyfriend. And because it is doing what the lord has asked us to do, all will work out in the end. We are again nervous because we have to teach her the word of wisdom next, and she smokes. 😬 
So 2 weeks ago Elder Stephenson came! The whole mission came together! Which only happens when a member of the twelve apostles come. So all 200 ish missionaries came to hear Elder Uceda (who came and spoke while I was in the MTC) our area seventy, as well as Elder Stephenson!!!!!!!!!! It was incredible, and we sat on the front row!!!!!!!!!! They shook ever Missionaries hand. And spoke to us briefly about where we lived, how long we had been out, family ect. Then Elder Uceda spoke, and he is just the sweetest, kindest man, and so humble! He spoke about how we as missionaries are taking part in creating disciples of Christ. What a humbling moment, to know that I am a tool in the lords hand in creating disciples of Christ! Then Elder Stephenson stood up and started out with a brief talk, before coming down off the stand and giving us a training. He expressed the importance of teaching with the Holy Ghost. He said always teach in a trio, you, your companion, and the Holy Ghost. He said when we don't teach with the Holy Ghost it is like taking Elder Holland with us and never letting him talk, and then at the end apologizing saying that there just wasn't enough time to fit him him. He was like NO! You wouldn't do that, you would show up say the opening prayer, and then say: take it away Holland! It is the same with the Holy Ghost. Teaching by the spirit is the only way that an investigator is going to feel anything. 

I also got to go to new missionary training this week in Lexington, it was awesome! It was a training/ stop beating yourself up, your new. They showed a video called missionary work and the atonement that left us all sobbing (even the elders). If any of you have not seen that video, go on YouTube!! 

I was also able to go to Shelbyville with sister Acker to go see our sister training leaders in there area. We split off and I went with Aermana Castillo and we walked around and talked to people, we ran into a group of guys, one of which was split faced drunk. He was all over the place and his friends were all laughing we tried to talk to the ones who were lucid, and get out of there as fast as possible. But there was a moment when I got the distinct impression to testify how much the gospel has changed my life and how it will change yours. I also expressed how much their Heavenly Father loved them and wanted them to make the right choices. One of the guys' face changed and his whole body grew still. And I knew that the spirit was working on them. It was so cool!!!! 

So we lost the car on Tuesday. It was the saddest parting from it and knowing we were all bike. As soon as we were all bike, the weather changed and it has been rainy and cold all week. We look like total weirdos biking around in skirts and tights with helmets on. I love contacting someone on the street and having them look at you like: what in the world are you wearing!?!? Haha it's awesome! I have officially strained my back because of how much we do bike. I had to get a blessing from the elders because I couldn't stand up straight, my lower back hurt so much. We have been able to talk to so many more people now that we are on bikes, so it is awesome!! 

We went to the temple today, and it was the most incredible thing!!! I forgot what it was like to be completely enveloped in the spirit and Heavenly fathers love. The peace I got to feel, I hope I can carry with me always. It is crazy how small the Louisville temple is! It is one story high and just so small! The angel Moroni looked HUGE!! 

FACEBOOK VIDEO:
We are making an awesome video to put on Facebook and hopefully to help others understand our gospel a little bit more. SO WHAT I NEED YOU ALL TO DO IS TAKE A QUICK VIDEO OF YOURSELF, ANSWERING A QUESTION,  LANDSCAPE STYLE AND SEND IT TO ME ASAP!!!!!!! 💚💚💚💚💚💚 
THE QUESTION IS: what is one word you think of when you think of Jesus Christ? 

Here is an example:






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