Happy December, everyone!
It's almost Christmas! And as an early present a got a new companion!!!! Sister Peatross (rhyms with tetris) is also from Utah :) Our ward now has all blonde missionaries and the sisters from both the 1st and 2nd ward are blond and from Utah. That's okay, they love us all! This has been a week of miracles.
The Spartanburg area has sprouted overnight. The night Sister Peatross got here we were knocking in the rain--first door the lady turned us away graciously, second door no response, third door Harry opened up and invited us right in. I have never seen anyone smile so much during one lesson. Throughout the entire first lesson she was smiling and telling us about how happy she was. We asked about what it meant to her to know a prophet was on the earth right now and she told us how it would bring her peace to know they were directing her in the right way and that she could lead her children in that way. She talked about how wonderful it would be to be baptized by someone God had given his authority and power to, to have her baptism count in heaven as well as on earth.
Sister Peatross has been a wonderful help and example to me, she has helped so much in stopping me from getting overwhelmed by all the tasks and details we need to remember. We are so excited to work together and help one another improve. It is slightly...no REALLY strange how alike we are. I never believed the whole "you have a twin somewhere on earth" until now. We almost don't want to say the "thinks that we think" or the things we do or don't like because the other's response is always "ME TOO!
Yesterday's testimony meeting was incredible. We had Elder Lee talk about the power of the Atonement and how he contacted for the first time someone in the woman's restroom :) There was a woman cleaning the restroom at a gas station and he stood outside the door because it was propped open and talked to her for a while. She was able to talk about the guilt from some past decisions and Elder Lee was able to testify of both the healing and the enabling power of the Atonement. Yes, you can share the Gospel with anyone. Sister Lewis, the ward's spitfire baptist convert, gave a 20 minute sermon on working with the missionaries and sending them to friends and family all around the country.
The meeting ended with a brother who had been less-active because he had been offended and hurt by some members in the church. He explained some of the things that happened but brought it too how he had to reconcile that hurt with the fact that he knew the gospel was real and that this is Christ's church and how he couldn't let other things get in the way of that.
True Doctrine. Power of The Book of Mormon. It's incredible. There is an older couple where the husband is not a member. We have begun an experiment of sorts of reading directly from The Book of Mormon earlier and earlier in the lesson whenever we go over....and our theory is correct. He opens up more when we read directly from the Book of Mormon. He expresses more of his beliefs and shares more of his history, letting us get to know him. When you combine this with a few inspired questions he lets you right in. It's been one of those "no, duh." experiences. Do what the apostles have taught and the blessings will follow, their hearts will be softened.
It's getting colder and colder. I love the cold but I think I enjoyed it more when I could wear pants. We had SNOW!!!!! Day after Sister Derrick left :( she has never seen it snowing (because she's from Arizona). We took some pictures for her but I really hope some of the snow made it down south to her in Summerville.
Yes, I would love for you to share my letters on a blog :)
Love y'all Now, go share the good news as the angels did with the shepherds! Sister McNeece
P.S. Anything for Christmas has to be sent ASAP. Christmas conference is on the 17th and things get backed up at the office around Christmas...I might just buy a crimper for my own Christmas gift and some warmer socks.
Amanda's birthday on November 25th (23 years old!)
With Sister Stout
It's almost Christmas! And as an early present a got a new companion!!!! Sister Peatross (rhyms with tetris) is also from Utah :) Our ward now has all blonde missionaries and the sisters from both the 1st and 2nd ward are blond and from Utah. That's okay, they love us all! This has been a week of miracles.
The Spartanburg area has sprouted overnight. The night Sister Peatross got here we were knocking in the rain--first door the lady turned us away graciously, second door no response, third door Harry opened up and invited us right in. I have never seen anyone smile so much during one lesson. Throughout the entire first lesson she was smiling and telling us about how happy she was. We asked about what it meant to her to know a prophet was on the earth right now and she told us how it would bring her peace to know they were directing her in the right way and that she could lead her children in that way. She talked about how wonderful it would be to be baptized by someone God had given his authority and power to, to have her baptism count in heaven as well as on earth.
Sister Peatross has been a wonderful help and example to me, she has helped so much in stopping me from getting overwhelmed by all the tasks and details we need to remember. We are so excited to work together and help one another improve. It is slightly...no REALLY strange how alike we are. I never believed the whole "you have a twin somewhere on earth" until now. We almost don't want to say the "thinks that we think" or the things we do or don't like because the other's response is always "ME TOO!
Yesterday's testimony meeting was incredible. We had Elder Lee talk about the power of the Atonement and how he contacted for the first time someone in the woman's restroom :) There was a woman cleaning the restroom at a gas station and he stood outside the door because it was propped open and talked to her for a while. She was able to talk about the guilt from some past decisions and Elder Lee was able to testify of both the healing and the enabling power of the Atonement. Yes, you can share the Gospel with anyone. Sister Lewis, the ward's spitfire baptist convert, gave a 20 minute sermon on working with the missionaries and sending them to friends and family all around the country.
The meeting ended with a brother who had been less-active because he had been offended and hurt by some members in the church. He explained some of the things that happened but brought it too how he had to reconcile that hurt with the fact that he knew the gospel was real and that this is Christ's church and how he couldn't let other things get in the way of that.
True Doctrine. Power of The Book of Mormon. It's incredible. There is an older couple where the husband is not a member. We have begun an experiment of sorts of reading directly from The Book of Mormon earlier and earlier in the lesson whenever we go over....and our theory is correct. He opens up more when we read directly from the Book of Mormon. He expresses more of his beliefs and shares more of his history, letting us get to know him. When you combine this with a few inspired questions he lets you right in. It's been one of those "no, duh." experiences. Do what the apostles have taught and the blessings will follow, their hearts will be softened.
It's getting colder and colder. I love the cold but I think I enjoyed it more when I could wear pants. We had SNOW!!!!! Day after Sister Derrick left :( she has never seen it snowing (because she's from Arizona). We took some pictures for her but I really hope some of the snow made it down south to her in Summerville.
Yes, I would love for you to share my letters on a blog :)
Love y'all Now, go share the good news as the angels did with the shepherds! Sister McNeece
P.S. Anything for Christmas has to be sent ASAP. Christmas conference is on the 17th and things get backed up at the office around Christmas...I might just buy a crimper for my own Christmas gift and some warmer socks.
Amanda's birthday on November 25th (23 years old!)
With Sister Stout