Mi familia! This week was packed!
With three exchanges and mini-missions there wasn't much room for a dull moment. Tuesday, I went to Cowpens with Sister Montoya—it looks a lot like Wisconsin :) She is a sweet sister with a strong testimony. She picks up on things that others may pass over and always assures those we are teaching of the love Heavenly Father has for them. We taught a man, Okum, from Nigeria and made asparagus soup for a family in the ward. We also met with a sister who can’t make it to church very often because of health problems. She said the best prayer I have ever heard. She asked the Lord, in regards to her son who is stubborn about the church, to “turn him upside down and shake him just enough so his marbles will fall into place.”
Wednesday, Sister Garlick and I had a day of knocking doors and lessons falling through. But it was only through this that we were able to meet a new investigator, Julio (from Honduras), and see Rosemary, who we've been unable to contact for this whole transfer, and experience so many other miracles.
Saturday was mini-missions. Sister Derrick and I spent the day with a laurel, Sister Jones, from Boiling Springs. Where these youth in the stake were sent on Saturday was just as inspired as where each of us missionaries has been called. She had connections with almost every person that we met which increased their respect and interest in the church. We finished out the night with her by knocking the last few houses in a neighborhood. Because it was later we weren’t knocking on the houses without lights on. We saw a line of three houses, all dark, so we decided to keep walking. But as we rounded the corner Sister Jones saw a woman through the kitchen window! She asked if we should go.
“Of course!”
The three of us crammed in front of the doorway and knocked. We wait…we see the TV on....hmm. Then the door opens. A tall man in a red tank-top opens the door. We ask him about his night and introduce ourselves. He's seen "the guys on bikes" before. "You're not all ridin' bikes right now are ya?" Nope, not tonight...We ask if he's heard of The Book of Mormon. Yep. He's got a copy from "they guys on the bikes." But he's never read it. As we are bringing this up a little girl, and a little boy, then a teenage girl with the biggest smile you have ever seen--like from a cartoon, her smile is so big and brilliant!--come surround their dad at the door. "Could we come in and share with you and your family more about what The Book of Mormon is and where it came from?" They turned off the TV, cleared the couches and they all crammed onto the love seat, eager to hear about what this book is and where it came from. We talked about Lehi's family and Nephi being the goodie-two-shoes of the family, listening to his parents, and about fighting with his brothers. We talked about Jerusalem being taken over and Lehi's family coming to America. We asked the dad about the things he's taught his children and wants them to remember, and asked the kids about how listening to their parents helps them every day.
Throughout this the mom had stayed in the kitchen and not heard what we were talking about. We were wrapping up and asking for a time to come back when the mom came into the living room. They asked her and she says "I don't even know what y'all been talkin' about." And right then the oldest daughter recounts for her mom, almost verbetum, everything we taught. All three of us just had the biggest smiles on our faces and the spirit swelled within out hearts and the hearts of that entire family. Samon, the daughter, had the biggest smile of all as she taught her mother. This is the most rewarding experience a missionary can have, when the learner becomes the teacher. We left that lesson and Sister Jones simply says, "I want to go on a mission tomorrow. This is exactly what I prayed for before coming on the mini-mission. I prayed that families' hearts would be open." In short: This week was an endless stream of miracles!
Sister McNeece
With three exchanges and mini-missions there wasn't much room for a dull moment. Tuesday, I went to Cowpens with Sister Montoya—it looks a lot like Wisconsin :) She is a sweet sister with a strong testimony. She picks up on things that others may pass over and always assures those we are teaching of the love Heavenly Father has for them. We taught a man, Okum, from Nigeria and made asparagus soup for a family in the ward. We also met with a sister who can’t make it to church very often because of health problems. She said the best prayer I have ever heard. She asked the Lord, in regards to her son who is stubborn about the church, to “turn him upside down and shake him just enough so his marbles will fall into place.”
Wednesday, Sister Garlick and I had a day of knocking doors and lessons falling through. But it was only through this that we were able to meet a new investigator, Julio (from Honduras), and see Rosemary, who we've been unable to contact for this whole transfer, and experience so many other miracles.
Saturday was mini-missions. Sister Derrick and I spent the day with a laurel, Sister Jones, from Boiling Springs. Where these youth in the stake were sent on Saturday was just as inspired as where each of us missionaries has been called. She had connections with almost every person that we met which increased their respect and interest in the church. We finished out the night with her by knocking the last few houses in a neighborhood. Because it was later we weren’t knocking on the houses without lights on. We saw a line of three houses, all dark, so we decided to keep walking. But as we rounded the corner Sister Jones saw a woman through the kitchen window! She asked if we should go.
“Of course!”
The three of us crammed in front of the doorway and knocked. We wait…we see the TV on....hmm. Then the door opens. A tall man in a red tank-top opens the door. We ask him about his night and introduce ourselves. He's seen "the guys on bikes" before. "You're not all ridin' bikes right now are ya?" Nope, not tonight...We ask if he's heard of The Book of Mormon. Yep. He's got a copy from "they guys on the bikes." But he's never read it. As we are bringing this up a little girl, and a little boy, then a teenage girl with the biggest smile you have ever seen--like from a cartoon, her smile is so big and brilliant!--come surround their dad at the door. "Could we come in and share with you and your family more about what The Book of Mormon is and where it came from?" They turned off the TV, cleared the couches and they all crammed onto the love seat, eager to hear about what this book is and where it came from. We talked about Lehi's family and Nephi being the goodie-two-shoes of the family, listening to his parents, and about fighting with his brothers. We talked about Jerusalem being taken over and Lehi's family coming to America. We asked the dad about the things he's taught his children and wants them to remember, and asked the kids about how listening to their parents helps them every day.
Throughout this the mom had stayed in the kitchen and not heard what we were talking about. We were wrapping up and asking for a time to come back when the mom came into the living room. They asked her and she says "I don't even know what y'all been talkin' about." And right then the oldest daughter recounts for her mom, almost verbetum, everything we taught. All three of us just had the biggest smiles on our faces and the spirit swelled within out hearts and the hearts of that entire family. Samon, the daughter, had the biggest smile of all as she taught her mother. This is the most rewarding experience a missionary can have, when the learner becomes the teacher. We left that lesson and Sister Jones simply says, "I want to go on a mission tomorrow. This is exactly what I prayed for before coming on the mini-mission. I prayed that families' hearts would be open." In short: This week was an endless stream of miracles!
Sister McNeece