Monday, June 23, 2014

Monday, June 23, 2014

Another good week in the mission field!

I know you are all keeping busy-- that’s for sure, probably also getting super buff too! Ha-ha.

How convenient is it that almost all of our moves have been in the summer?  That’s super handy.

There is a lot to say, but I don't really know what is ever pertinent to put in the email.  Considering, as dad always says, that I am a very 'black and white'/ 'all or nothing' person it makes sense. Ha-ha I either want to add it all or not say anything.

So, Monday was REALLLLY fun! :) Elder Thorley-- who just got his visa to Brazil after 11 months in the mission field this week, decided to make another video that we suggested to him.  It is sad that he had to get the visa this week- I have a feeling it will never be finished.

But, long story short, it is to the tune of the song Scripture Power.  It has a peppy beat and is just cute.  He made dance moves to it so we each recorded segments. It was a blast.

Tuesday was a great day.  One of the companionships of elders are teaching this woman who has a tricky life situation. It is so sad, but she is waiting to get citizenship in America and waiting to be married. She is practically a member, just needs the ordinance to be baptized.  She can’t really meet with the elders as much as she used to because her fiancé can’t go to all the lessons that she would like him to, and the elders need to have a male with them. So-- we are starting to teach her.  I am telling you right now, she is the most pure in heart woman I have seen before baptism.  I was trying to think of the things that we need to teach her, and it was evident she has been taught everything and that she has a very profound testimony of the doctrine.  She hasn't read the whole Book of Mormon from beginning to end, so we are going to read it with her when we do lessons. :) So that lesson we had with her went well!

We had a miracle in my eyes, on that Tuesday. A testimony builder that Heavenly Father is involved in the small details.  So, the mission leaders just started using a new App that President Calderwood approved for our mission leadership counsels-- so now we don’t have to do conference calls each Tuesday.  We just use the Webex app. Dad, I hope you know about his app- it is the coolest! :) Anyway.  They sent us an email saying how to set it up.  But my lack of planning caused for an emergency :( I didn’t realize that we needed a computer to set it up.  I thought we would be able to do it all from the iPad.  So when I looked into it, it was too late to go to the library... and with that-- we called a member or 2 but they weren't available.  So the morning of the WebEx call I still didn’t know what we were going to do (we had a meeting that day at 10:30) and OUT OF NO WHERE I had a thought.  I knew that it had to be prompted by the Holy Ghost because it was so off the wall in my own head.  But I was thinking about a returned sister missionary who moved back from her home in the west to live in the Plainview YSA branch which is where I served before.  But she just moved back a month or 2 ago, and that’s when I realized that she could help us! So, I texted the sisters serving in that branch and got her number and then we went to the church to set it up. BLESSINGS.  I just realized that Heavenly Father wasn't going to hang us out to dry, but that he just wanted me to learn my lesson, which I did. The conference call went well! These meetings will be far more productive because we can show PDFs and you can see who’s talking better. Just very excited, we will be doing those each Tuesday.

Wednesday was Prospect Park service and an exchange :) I was with a sister who is originally from Beijing, China and then came to AZ/CA when she was 17 and met the missionaries FROM DOOR KNOCKING! :) Great, right? She is awesome :) We had a good time.  At Prospect Park this week it was really hot--- but we just weeded and planted new plants.

Sister Wang was a champ at sharing the gospel with the people at service! There are a few volunteers from the community and we started talking to them.  One of the people that we talked to we taught the whole restoration too while we were weeding and he said that he would take a look at The Book of Mormon. It was a neat experience.  I am amazed to see how many people in the world don't believe that there is absolute truth.  That is something that I am trying to wrap my head around.  I just know that there is truth. Sister Wang is a great example of teaching people as she goes.  I was able to learn a lot.  Exchanges tend to do that for me.  I learn a lot.  I wish you all could meet the sisters in my mission.  You would be baffled at how great they are.  I am always super impressed...

My favorite part about exchanges is the interview.  I feel like that is one of the biggest growing experiences for me, is to answer questions and see the ways that they can feel more love.  Sometimes the interview only ends up being a few minutes, and sometimes it is an hour-ish. We are taught that spiritual gifts are only for the welfare of others, and I am seeing that over and over again.  When The Lord allows me a spiritual gift it is only for the benefit of others.

Thursday we did service for a woman in the ward that hadn't dealt with her back yard after Hurricane Sandy.  So a year later, it is still a problem.  It was pretty gross, but honestly I thought it would be way worse.  So that was nice.  Just a lot of broken equipment like a treadmill, and random tools and things.  We got our whole district there helping and then there were 2 members from the ward that were there to  help. So we got it done in a decent time. They were so kind and fed us a late breakfast.

I have had some neat learning experiences with the scriptures lately.  As we all know, I can't ever understand what I read.  I have to admit I am getting much better.  But one day when we were on exchanges I was the one leading the area that day, and Sister Montgomery was away.  Long story short we were going to follow up on a chapter that we left with a less active and I was kind of nervous about explaining and teaching the chapters. But I studied and prayed so hard, and was able to understand what was going on in the chapter and we taught it alright.  Another time where I felt like Heavenly Father knew my personal needs sounds so small, but it was such a stressful situation for me.

Friday we had two leaders meetings and a great exchange with Sister Hodgson's trainee. I trained sister Hodgson, so it was so fun to see her growth and how great a job she is doing! But I spent the day with Sister Jones!  It was Sister Jones first exchange and this might be one of my favorite things about working with other missionaries!  Working with brand new missionaries :) She asked so many questions and was so nervous to do things-- but is a great missionary.  We talked to lots of people and got contact information for a few people! Great day for the both of us!

Sunday we were invited to Ward council to set Quarter 3 goals and they were pretty reasonable.  We will have to increase our faith, and work our butt off, but it is possible :) we have a great ward!

The rest of the week there nothing to really report :) I am thankful for what I am learning

Love you all!

Sister Freeze