Hellloooooooo mi familia!
Well, this week started off a little rough! It happens. Sometimes Satan tries to tear you down, and at the beginning of the week, he did. He succeeded. But I have come to the end of this week with a new sense of duty, responsibility, and excitement about the work and my calling as a missionary. I've had a little bit of time to think, and I've also realized that I am out here for a reason.
I have learned (I did the first transfer I was out in the field) that missions are hard! They take you out of your comfort zone. But as a general authority said, "There is little growth in a comfort zone, and there is [rarely, if ever] comfort in a growth zone". The mission forces you to realize that you cannot do anything or get anywhere good without the help of the Savior. It is on my mission that my flaws and faults are put under a microscope, and where I have reached that turning point in my life-where I must decide who I want to be, and stick with it. I cannot serve two masters. Either I will love one and despise the other..... you know the scripture. It is so true! It has been a time where I have to decide if I will give God my All and serve with ALL my heart, might, mind, and strength, or waste this sacred opportunity, and let the next half of my mission just pass by and have not been there for those souls who need ME out there!
So the first half of the week was pretty rough. SO I'll focus on the awesome stuff that has been happening during the second half!
Friday we had an awesome lesson with Spryte! It was our last one before she and Gaven moved to Utah. :( Her mom also wants her to wait about 3-6 months before she is baptized, to see that she is serious about it. But hopefully I can Skype into her baptism! :) So for our last lesson, we talked about the Law of Chastity. It was very powerful, and it was the best time I have taught that lesson. The Spirit was strong, and we had more thoroughly prepared for that lesson, especially because we are trying to teach it to a 9 year old, 14 year old, a mid 30's, and an older woman. But we taught simply, and it was really neat, because Joseph AND his less active Mom testified of the truthfulness and blessings of keeping the Law of Chasity (the mom usually doesn't say anything), and Sister Hunt and I also testified of the importance of it. It wasn't as awkward as it usually would be sometimes. I think that was because we focused on the doctrine, or the WHY behind it, instead of the "Thou Shalt Not's". We taught about agency, why we have bodies, and becoming like God. It was really good! I am really going to miss them, but I am so grateful to have been able to teach them for most of the time they've been taking the discussions. And it has been incredible to watch their young, sweet testimonies grow immensely, even just from seeing them once or twice a week for the past two months.
Saturday was a pretty good day! We decided to contact an Other (Non-progressing) investigator that the Elders had been teaching, named Donna. She is an older, single woman with a lot of health problems. But super sweet. She opened up to us, and told us of some of the terrible things that have happened to her throughout her life (I don't know why, but I feel like everyone has this theory that missionaries are the perfect people to trust automatically with their deepest fears, and secrets, concerns, and pasts. It helps us know their needs, but wow, it's crazy!) We mainly just listened to her talk. But we learned a LOT about her background, and now we know exactly what to share with her! She kept saying things that would PERFECTLY line up to us teaching the Plan of Salvation. It was almost as if she was begging us to invite her to be baptized, learn as much as possible about the Gospel, prepare for the temple, be an active member of the Church, etc. She would say things like, "I wish God would tell me what His plan is for me!" "I know He has one, but He never gives us any hints." "He has spared my life too many times, and I want to know why I am here. I still haven't figured out what my purpose is in life." It was a perfect lead-in for us to begin teaching her the formal lessons. :)
Later we spent like an hour or so just calling and contacting people, trying to set up appointments with the people who the Ward Council/ward mission/Bishop had given us to contact. Only one person got back to us out of like ten that we tried to get ahold of. But LUCKILY, the one who responded is hopefully going to be our new investigator, from Serbia! Her name is Marijana, and she seems super excited to learn more about the Gospel and our appointment with her is on Tuesday!
The first half of our week this week is packed to the brim with lessons, and I am SO EXCITED!!!! Most of which are in La Cholla Ward, which had essentially no work or progression when we first arrived in the area. The Lord is sending miracles, and so many that we are having a hard time keeping up! "You shall not have room enough to receive it" it is so true! Megan and her husband came to church on Sunday by themselves, and we are going to have lunch and a lesson with them on Tuesday as well. We are helping a family named the Dukes return to activity and get to the temple before their baby is born in November! They just received callings, so they are well on their way!
Sunday was an insane and stressful and crazy day....... Lisa, our less active who recently moved in has had just about everything try to stand in the way of her meeting with us. All legitimate reasons, but seriously?! Her school flooded on Sunday, (She is a teacher, and trying to open up a new location for the first week of school), for the ONE time she was determined to go to church, something she is nervous about. We were going to leave church to go help her clean up and vacuum out water and everything, but she told us that she had left and they called the restoration company. Then we found out that one of our ward missionaries died..... Brother Sanborn. He had come with us to some of Spryte's lessons. So sad. He was such a sweet man. We are going to the funeral on Thursday. We had an emergency stop at our investigator's house after church, who has been struggling really bad. Then dinner, then our lesson with Lisa about the Book of Mormon! We have had to follow very closely the Spirit with Lisa, we feel like she is so fragile. But we can also see miracles happening and going to happen with her! I can't wait till she gets to prepare to go through the temple. I can see it! :)
Well, Satan is real. And he has tried to make himself quite know this week. But usually, before anything super awesome comes big stumbling blocks to block the way of us seeing the bright future ahead. But HE'S ABOUT TO GO DOWN THIS WEEK.
Have a great week, I love you all!
Love,
Sister Inman
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