Dearest Family,
It has been a great week. :)
First, to respond to your emails. That is exciting about the Napolis! I am so excited for them. They really have been prepared for the gospel, in my opinion. You are being wonderful member missionaries. I am so proud of you! Now you understand the stresses of a missionary when the members at church don't pay careful attention to what they say over the pulpit or what they teach in classes or even what songs they sing! They don't even think about there being people in the room that haven't been through the temple, let alone that aren't members! We are lucky enough to have a Gospel Principles class so that we can control what sunday school experience they have. I bet if you talked to the bishop about starting a class, he would be up for it. Having a Gospel Principles class is really good for nonmembers, new members, less actives, or those who are struggling with their testimonies. It is a good resource for any ward to be able to strengthen the people who come at their level. Just a thought.
Thank you so much for telling me that Grandma and Grandpa are helping pay for my mission! I will write them another letter. I enjoy writing them. :)
Well, the week started off a little rough. You know that I am really struggling with being on bikes. It kills me, kind of. I get discouraged because we can't go where I think we need to go, and we are stuck talking to people that aren't the people I think we need to see. But the Lord knows. That's what I have to remind myself. The Lord knows! He knows that not having a car is hard! He knows I am trying my best!
The reason I started that way is that the elders asked for an extra car day this week. More like they assumed they would have it an extra day, then asked permission last minute. I thought about it, and I couldn't tell them no. I could think of all of the things I could say to make them feel guilty or all of the logical reasons that it was rude of them to expect to have the car an extra day, but I couldn't say those things to them, and I knew that I needed to let them have the car. So we did. And I cried. We actually had a pretty rough day on foot. Oh, well. Life moves forward.
Then we got the car, and things started happening. We went to very few houses where someone wasn't home or wasn't interested. It was a great week! The best part was that we found new investigators! I think I told you this, but last weekend we had a mission wide fast to find investigators every week this summer. And it has already started. :)
The best one was that we showed up to a potential's house, and she was in the open garage. At first when she saw us, it was clear she was having a bad day, and she did NOT want us to add to her bad day. But we talked and we listened and were loving and friendly. She told us about her bad day. Then she opened up more and more and told us her life's story. She is Mong and from Loas. She lived through the Vietnam war as a kid. We heard about her arranged marriage at 13, and about her now very blessed life. She have PTSD (surprise), but she is now happily married (her second marriage) with three beautiful, happy kids. Her husband makes a living from a hot dog stand, but it is heaven to her. Living in America and having a happy family means that all of her dreams have come true.
She wants to start taking her kids to church. Her husband was raised Baptist, but he stopped going when his mom moved out of town. His mom wants them to just go toany church. They are looking for a church. She has know members since she was a kid, and loves the church. She's all on board for joining, but says we need to convince her husband, because she follows his lead.So we may have found a whole family! A missionary's dream! And I love her so much already. We laughed and cried together, and she hugged us before we left. She seemed excited for us to come back and talk to her husband.
Another cool thing that happened this week was that Megan, our 17 year old investigator, went to girl's camp. She missed the first half, but she loved it. Out here, they have stake camp every year because some wards aren't strong enough to do it on their own. Also, camping is a completely different experience in the midwest. Now I understand the connection between drunk hicks and camping, because no one else out here in their right mind would really want to do it. Ticks (hundreds of them), fleas, and chiggers are normal and a natural part of camping. It is hot and humid and doesn't cool down at night. Things mold. There are a ton of little critters everywhere all of the time -- mice. It is unsanitary to the extreme, and in general a bad experience.
Anyway, they still have girls' camp. And Megan still loved it. You know how they have the parents write their kids letters to get at camp? Well, Megan's mom, of course, didn't write a letter. Instead, she got a letter from her aunt, uncle, and cousins, and then was the only girl in the camp to get two letters because she got one from the sister missionaries, too. :) She's amazing.
I've told you this before, but her aunt and uncle's family have kind of adopted us. He's a top notch attorney, and she's a real estate agent (a good one). Anyway, but the dad thinks a lot like I do. He's very clever, and very funny. I may have told you this before, but they have a 19 year old daughter that in some ways is a lot like me. She is very logical and very intelligent. Probably too much for her own good. Her parents are starting to really worry about her because she is so logical that her testimony is getting a little shaken. They don't know how to reach her.
But the minute I met her, we connected. I get her. Our brains work the same way (well, except that she is probably smarter than me, and I have a bit more of the emotional/creative side). And I know that the spirit has spoken through me to her already. She loves coming out with us, and she loves talking to me. I part way think I was sent out here for her, even though she is an active member. Her parents are super excited that we get along and really really want her to continue to connect with me. Her boyfriend is coming to town from Arkansas this week, and her dad could barely contain his excitement of having the boyfriend meet me this week. He wants them both to come to appointments with us sometime this week, and the daughter seems okay with it. So we'll see how that goes...
This week I have been mostly studying Moroni 7. I read it over and over because I keep feeling drawn to it. I think there is something I am supposed to learn in that chapter. It has so many good ideas in it, and I think I just need to completely understand the connecting factor. I'll let you know how that goes, too.
Well, I'm out of time, but I love you loads. This week, I just ask for your prayers as we go on bikes in 100 degree weather. Pray for me to have a good attitude. Also, Sister Hodson's grandmother passed away last week, so pray for her, too. She is doing really well, but I still worry.
I love you!
Love,
Sister April Atkin
No comments:
Post a Comment