Week 5 - God Has Given Me the Ability to Do What I Set Out to Do



Barbara Moore's Baptism

Well Hey fam!

Long time no talk.. haha oh wait. Yesterday was so good getting to see you guys!! You're just so great and i miss you guys mucho! Brother Teetor was asking me all sorts of questions afterwards, he's the "tough" guy that likes to joke and tease but I guarantee before i leave he's gonna tell me i'm the coolest sister missionary he's ever met! He's the man and his family is just awesome! Ok so this week was kinda crazy but I loved it.

On monday we were teaching Robert, when we teach guys we usually have to do it outside just for safety purposes but anyways, we were sitting out on the stairs of his apartment and things just started off wrong. He was shaking really bad from his withdrawals from smoking and then his neighbors upstairs decided to start smoking weed above us. It was kinda a weird feeling and I didn't know how to really handle it, but then Priddis asked Robert why he wants to get baptized. He said I don't know just something's got a hold of me and he started clutching his heart. It really hit me how strong he is. I'm so excited for this saturday! Just cross your fingers that i'll do alright singing! In the middle of his lesson a guy walked up to us and said I need Jesus in my life. So we got his info and went and saw him later in the week, when we got to his house we knocked on his door and he invited us in. We told him that we actually needed to stay outside and that we could talk on the porch, he got super offended and said if we didn't trust him there was no way he could trust us. I was just kinda surprised by how angry he was, I looked behind him and there was porn just covering his walls. I'm SOO glad we have that rule, if we had walked into his apartment i would have felt so uncomfortable. anyways yeah he didn't really want us to come over and i was kinda bummed but hey it's his salvation!

We also knocked into a guy named Kay Graves! He's pretty dang old and man i had my first bible bashing experience. haha i guess it wasn't really bashing just more of discussing. There was one cool thing though, he believes that there was no life before earth, that we just are born and that's the beginning. When he said that i showed him Jerimiah 1:5 and it was so sweet! he just sat there and was said hmm.. i guess i have some things to think about! YES YOU DO!! it's so hard to teach people down here because they are so set with their bible. And everytime they say it's all i need i just wanna whip out 2 Nephi 29..? i think that's the one, but I think it might be a little harsh.

We're also teaching a girl named Sarah and I have no idea what to do about her. She doesn't believe in Christ, she compares him to Santa Claus and says that it's just something we tell ourselves to feel better about life. How do you help someone realize just how real christ is? We'll see what happens there cuz as of right now, i have no idea. Oh and I'm not sure if i've told you guys about Pat Shimshack, but i love this lady! she's less active and she's a hoarder. and i mean she's a real life hoarder!! She has had a really rough life and has a hard time with the word "love" she hates saying, using it, reading it. BUT she came to church yesterday and i sat next to her, then last night we called her to see how she liked it and she told us she loved us! hahaha i don't know if i have ever been happier to hear someone say they love me! Tonight we're going to go over there and help her start clearing out her house! I'm pretty excited/disgusted by what we're going to find.

On friday night we went over to an old rest home to do some service. They were having a mother's day tea party and there was quite the turn out. I don't know if this was wrong of me, but i ended up serving old ladies tea for an hour and half.. haha is that against the rules? It felt pretty dang ironic, but hey whatever helps. It's so funny because like i said yesterday we'll be so busy then all of the sudden it hits me Oh yeah it's friday night.. So this is how i spend my friday nights now:] Pretty dang cool if ya ask me!

We have interviews with the President tomorrow and i'm not really sure what to expect! I really am praying that he keeps me and Priddis together for at least another transfer here. Things have just been solid, we're working hard, and just doing our best. But i feel like because i have a good thing going it's about to be taken and i'll probably be put in a rough place or something. haha i guess we'll see. This i know, God has given me the ability to do what i set out to do. I set out to go on a mission, to be obedient but still be myself. I set out to find those that need the gospel in their lives, and to not quit searching until they are found. I set out to forget about myself and for once think of those around me. I set out to help others come unto Christ and while doing so come closer also. I feel so blessed and i know Heavenly Father is going to help me achieve these things, for they really are the desires of my heart.

I love you guys so much. You have no idea how incredibly blessed i feel to have you as a family. I pray for you each night and hope only the best for you. OH and if you have a minute seriously send some "uplifting" cd's to houston! haha uplifting as in: Justin Timberlake, the lumineers, mumford and sons. haha ok just kidding. send some efy or christian ish music, cuz as of lately that's what i jam too:] I love you guys, have a good week!