Monday, June 16, 2014

Monday, June 16, 2014

Happy late Father's Day!

I know things are probably very stressful at home, so prayers are coming your way. Moving is hard on every facet of a life. Mentally, socially, physically, spiritually. You guys are definitely on my mind.  Hope things are going well there.

This week was another busy one-- since last p-day was only a few hours long, this whole week has felt FOREVER. Ha-ha The MLC that we had with Elder Gifford Nielsen was honestly a great meeting. At the beginning of the meeting just opened  it up  with questions and concerns that we had, and rather than answering them one by one he put them on the board. It was kind of interesting to see how connected the questions were. A lot of the questions were simply related on how to be better leaders and really minster more than administer to them. It was really inspiring. The biggest take away that I had was the "Do-good" calls and things, and hand written notes. Like dad always talks about. So that was good to hear. Elder Nielsen told of when he was a counselor to a mission president, the mission president would do these "do good" calls for 2 hours every Monday. The whole conference I just continued to see how much more I have to do to be a good servant of The Lord.

Sometimes I get angry I can't be perfect overnight-- but let’s be real, the problem of my life.  Pride, dang it!  Ha-ha.   So, just gotta live the Doctrine of Christ: have faith, repent, keep my covenants and partake of the sacrament and endure well. :)

The weather has been quite a joke the past couple of weeks. But I'll take anything over negative weather in the winter! Ha-ha! It has been averaging 80* on the hot days, and on the POUUUUUURING rain days it is much cooler. So it is nice to have the diversity. I keep telling everyone that I want to keep my Toms dry so that I can have them last until the end of my mission, and one elder asked if I would take off my shoes if I get caught in the rain-- I said absolutely! Ha-ha

So, this week practically started on Wednesday.  We were able to have 2 exchanges :) This week’s exchanges were spectacular!  I am telling you---- we had a blast at both of them.  One of them I was able to go to Staten Island. We were able to remove gravel and dirt so that they could put a drain system in the ground for a garden.  It was a TON of work, but MY kind of work!  I love service projects like that where I can get good exercise, enjoy great company, and feel super productive.  It was lots of fun.  I was SOOO muddy from the ground water. Ha-ha Later that day we made some fearlessing goals to pump this sister up and we were able to reach our pretty hefty goal, and exceed it too :) We were able to go to the ferry dock! Holy moly, it was GORGEOUS!  In that view we were able to see Brooklyn, Manhattan & New Jersey! We were able to do our interview looking out to the view. We talked to some great people. Both this sister and I fell down the stairs at different times that day, and I bruised my ankle pretty bad. Ha-ha I just had to laugh....

The next exchange was with a brand new missionary from Brazil! Her English is SPECTACULAR, and she is such a joy to be around.  I got to learn about the Brazilian culture and have a great time going to lessons! I was so impressed with the way she teaches. We had a great day :)  I am telling you, we will be friends forever- she is so great!  We just connected.

This week we were able to fearless a woman who was sitting on a bench.  When we went into our appointment she was sitting on a bench, and then when we came out she was sitting on a different bench-- but both times it was right in our walking path :) It was so great, because she was smoking and as Sister Montgomery was getting the next address we needed I just told her that I felt like I needed to talk to her. She was really taken aback and went on to explain that she was just talking to her friend (the person that she was sitting by) right before we came, about how she really needs a new church and that she is looking for one. So right at that time she said that her prayer was answered and that she will for sure be to church on Sunday. Miracles.  The Lord leads us to people with pure hearts if they have perfect faith (believe in Jesus Christ and that these things can happen and put forth the effort to make good things happen, I firmly believe this.)

This Sunday was a remarkable Sunday for me. I am so thankful. When we were filming the video in Midwood for the Sisters Conference (That is hysterical, by the way!) I was able to see my old investigator, Barbra, and she told me that she wanted to be baptized the next week-- which was yesterday :) Honestly, I almost started crying.  I was so happy.  I think I wrote about her before-- she was a HQ referral from Salt Lake visitor’s center.  Anyway, I was invited to come.  We aren’t supposed to travel far to baptisms so luckily I was able to go.  It was super special. I didn’t tell her I was coming because I didn’t get permission to leave my area until the day of and so when she went up to bear her testimony after the ordinance, she saw me and yelled out my name.  There were over 50 people that came to her baptism.  The senior couple was having a going away linger longer since it was their last Sunday in the mission.  It really was just a great day.  I bawled like a baby.

On my exchange I was also able to see Sister Fontaine (the first investigator I worked with that got baptized) from Midwood.  I got to see her because we had to go to the bishops store house for our RS president, and it is by the chapel in Midwood. Sister Fontaine is still going strong and her calling is in the bishop store house :) I was able to talk with her and tell her to talk to the missionaries and ward about being prepared to be endowed in September when she hits her year mark :) That was exciting. We are so blessed.

I was able to give a talk about our relationship with Heavenly Father, and I think it went fine.  I just tried to bare fervent testimony that He is our Father in Heaven. Every time President does that it is so powerful, so I thought I’d really give it a go.

Some sisters have some cockroaches in their apartment, so they are living with us-- that is kind of fun. :)

Love you all!

One step at a time.

Sister Freeze