Yesterday was fabulous - Sabbath days always are! Sister Jorgensen spoke in
church and did amazing! The branch already loves her. Church was full yesterday
- and not with summer visitors! We had many less-actives members and returning
members there. For Shirley and Eve, it was their first time back. Shirley was
nervous, but as she was sitting in her car, Jack (the husband of Julie who was
recently baptized) knocked on her door and said,"It's too cold for you to be
sitting out here! Come on in. I'll show you where to go." He then told her that
he too was just coming back to church. That helped Shirley feel more comfortable
and she loved her experience. I don't think she would have come in had it not
been for Jack being friendly and a good missionary!
We have been working with Eve for several months now. She loves the gospel
and has fond memories of relief society, church and going through the temple but
she had a couple of obstacles of overcome before she came. But yesterday was the
day! To see people come back to church is truly one of the most fulfilling
experiences of a mission!
On Tuesday we taught a portion of the relief society activity. The theme
was "The Harvest" so we talked about missionary work and related it to the
harvest. We adapted our mission calls to them by changing the names, dates and
details. It was nice to review my original mission call.
One day we knocked on Katherine's door. As we began talking to her, we
learned that she was just overcoming cancer and the next day she was going in
for the final say of whether or not the cancer was fully gone. We set-up a
return appointment and that was a great lesson! She said that she felt we were
sent by God because after we left, she felt peace about her cancer situation
even though she previously had been very nervous and anxious. God sends us where
he needs us at the perfect time.
Billy and Sarah are doing great! Billy enjoys the Book of Mormon saying
that, "it just makes sense! Especially about the Lamanites being the ancestors
of the American Indians!" They both have been prepared in many many ways. They
are ones to keep on your radar because they are very excited to be
baptized!
Ending little thought: the 5th Sunday in November is missionary Sunday and
I have been asked to speak. I am so grateful that they have given me a long
period of time to reflect on what I want to speak about and then study and apply
it better in my life. I figured that anything can apply to missionary work so I
really could choose any topic that I wanted. I feel like I have been led to talk
about sacrament meeting and I have loved the study that it has created! In a
stake conference in Chattanooga about a year ago, I remember a speaker saying,
"It is the responsibility of the members to create an environment at church
where an investigator cannot deny the spirit." Sacrament Meeting is the only
meeting where everyone is together - children, men, women, active members,
less-active members, new members, returning members, investigators, etc. As we
come prepared to partake of the sacrament and create a feeling of reverence, the
spirit will be there. All will feel it. Yesterday was my first Sunday after this
themed study I've had and I felt the difference. I, personally, came prepared in
all aspects and then really focused on remembering the Savior during the
sacrament. I feel like i had done that in the past, but just putting a little
more effort into it made the difference.
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