2,179 miles of Missionary Labor

Quick update on last pday. We went hiking with our Aunt Ruth (She is my aunt, but Hermana Fowers adopted the name and began calling her Aunt Bailey too :) ha!) up on Roan Mountain. We were literally hiking in a cloud. At times we couldn't tell if it was raining, or just incredibly humid, but that just added to the experience.

We hiked a part of the Appalachian trail and met 2 hikers who were hiking the whole thing! 2179 miles from Georgia to Maine. whew! Maybe one day when I have 6 months of my life to put on hold and a friend who is willing to hike it with me I'll take on that adventure ;) (Knowing Rachel, it won't surprise me at all when she actually does this!) It was neat to see that part of the area where we are serving and learn that it was there that the missionaries of long-ago walked and taught. Although, I am so glad we live in the city with cars and phones and (soon!) Ipads :) 

The Saturday before I came to Johnson City, there was a girl named Kricket who was scheduled to be baptized, but felt pushed and so she backed out. Since that time, we have been trying to get back into contact with her, but to no avail. This past week, she contacted us and told us that she was ready to come back into the church saying, "my life desperately needs it." We had our first lesson with her, and she has been through a lot! It truly is by the hand of God that she is investigating again. She is a friend of Tori and Sydney's and is involved with the YSA program here. She set a date to be baptized June 6th and will simply review the lessons until that point. 

There seems to be a recurring theme in Rachel's emails.  Because they are working really hard to be obedient, investigators and those wishing to return to church have been coming to them.  The Lord knows who is ready to embrace the gospel in their lives and He will put them in the path of members and missionaries who will open their mouths and invite.  Our responsibility is to be spiritually prepared all the time, and pray for those opportunities to come our way.  Having a missionary out is the most wonderful motivation of all!!  

 

They FINALLY got their car back, but it STILL was having problems, so they couldn't use it after all :(