Dear Mom and Dad,
It's been a long week. A really, really long week. I went on an exchange with Sister Robinson in Simpsonville on Tuesday-Wednesday. It was exactly what I needed. We biked--which I have missed sooo much since my first transfer in Spartanburg. Sister Robinson throughout the exchange was able to help me a lot. She actually use to serve in in my area, a year ago, and has faced very similar challenges as I am right now.
We biked to someone's apartment but they weren't home. So while we were there we called another investigator, TJ, who is sometimes in that area. While we were talking on the phone we could see a guy smoking on his porch who was listening in so when we hung up we went and talked with him. After talking for a minute he let us know that he knows TJ and asked why we were meeting with him. What a great question! Glad you asked, Jaylin. We're missionaries....We talked with him about repentance and change and the joy and freedom that comes from it. We then invited him to come listen in when the sisters teach TJ, and he accepted. I was also happy to remember a specific person on Mormon.org for him to look up who he could relate to.
We had dinner with the Smiths. They had many of my favorite foods. Raspberries, roasted veggies, avocados, and cheesecake. Something seemingly so small, but meant a lot to me. The Lord's tender mercies are everywhere. They are a very strong family and have a great desire to share the gospel...but warned us against seeing their neighbor :( There's still people who need more tenderizing.
Herb. This was a lesson I think I needed more than him. We talked about the Gospel of Jesus Christ--having faith that leads to repentance and baptism and confirmation. We read Enos with Herb and he had so much to say about it. He really understood the importance of the entire process of repentance. What touched me the most was his desire to forgive others. He asked about what we do when others have either wronged us or are doing things that are hurting others and keep doing them. It really made me think. While sitting on his porch I felt strongly the desire to experience what Herb wants, to forgive others. I felt like it's time. I had the desire to surrender those things, to lay them at the Lord's feet. As Enos shows us, the best (and sometimes the only) thing to do is to pray. I heard a talk from Pres. Monson recently. He told us, "Prayer is the Provider of Spiritual Strength." Sometimes you need the strength to pick things up. Sometimes you need the strength to lay them down.
The next morning Sister Robinson and I drove around trying to find a lady the sisters had met the other week but we couldn't find her home. We went home a little early so we could update a little and wouldn't be late for our ride. We got home and started to the door but both felt like we should go back out and see at least one person. We got back in the car and drove to an investigator's home but they wouldn't answer the door. We were going to make the best of our time and decided to knock on three doors. Neighbor across the street--lady who is sick, but came to the door and talked with us for a minute. House with the fancy yellow car--caught a man who works 3rd right before he went to bed. Yes! We didn't wake him up. That's the worst, waking day-sleepers. And we tried one other home and left a card in the door. Maybe not a lot came of going to those three homes, but we felt like we had at least put forth the effort and exercised our faith. That's really what a lot of days are like. Are you going to show your faith?
(Yes, dad, I'm still in Greenville...Easley, really. Transfer calls are this Saturday).
Wish I had more time. I LOVE Y'ALL!!!! Your letters mean a lot and always arrive at the very best time. Tender mercies indeed.
Love,
Hermana McNeece
It's been a long week. A really, really long week. I went on an exchange with Sister Robinson in Simpsonville on Tuesday-Wednesday. It was exactly what I needed. We biked--which I have missed sooo much since my first transfer in Spartanburg. Sister Robinson throughout the exchange was able to help me a lot. She actually use to serve in in my area, a year ago, and has faced very similar challenges as I am right now.
We biked to someone's apartment but they weren't home. So while we were there we called another investigator, TJ, who is sometimes in that area. While we were talking on the phone we could see a guy smoking on his porch who was listening in so when we hung up we went and talked with him. After talking for a minute he let us know that he knows TJ and asked why we were meeting with him. What a great question! Glad you asked, Jaylin. We're missionaries....We talked with him about repentance and change and the joy and freedom that comes from it. We then invited him to come listen in when the sisters teach TJ, and he accepted. I was also happy to remember a specific person on Mormon.org for him to look up who he could relate to.
We had dinner with the Smiths. They had many of my favorite foods. Raspberries, roasted veggies, avocados, and cheesecake. Something seemingly so small, but meant a lot to me. The Lord's tender mercies are everywhere. They are a very strong family and have a great desire to share the gospel...but warned us against seeing their neighbor :( There's still people who need more tenderizing.
Herb. This was a lesson I think I needed more than him. We talked about the Gospel of Jesus Christ--having faith that leads to repentance and baptism and confirmation. We read Enos with Herb and he had so much to say about it. He really understood the importance of the entire process of repentance. What touched me the most was his desire to forgive others. He asked about what we do when others have either wronged us or are doing things that are hurting others and keep doing them. It really made me think. While sitting on his porch I felt strongly the desire to experience what Herb wants, to forgive others. I felt like it's time. I had the desire to surrender those things, to lay them at the Lord's feet. As Enos shows us, the best (and sometimes the only) thing to do is to pray. I heard a talk from Pres. Monson recently. He told us, "Prayer is the Provider of Spiritual Strength." Sometimes you need the strength to pick things up. Sometimes you need the strength to lay them down.
The next morning Sister Robinson and I drove around trying to find a lady the sisters had met the other week but we couldn't find her home. We went home a little early so we could update a little and wouldn't be late for our ride. We got home and started to the door but both felt like we should go back out and see at least one person. We got back in the car and drove to an investigator's home but they wouldn't answer the door. We were going to make the best of our time and decided to knock on three doors. Neighbor across the street--lady who is sick, but came to the door and talked with us for a minute. House with the fancy yellow car--caught a man who works 3rd right before he went to bed. Yes! We didn't wake him up. That's the worst, waking day-sleepers. And we tried one other home and left a card in the door. Maybe not a lot came of going to those three homes, but we felt like we had at least put forth the effort and exercised our faith. That's really what a lot of days are like. Are you going to show your faith?
(Yes, dad, I'm still in Greenville...Easley, really. Transfer calls are this Saturday).
Wish I had more time. I LOVE Y'ALL!!!! Your letters mean a lot and always arrive at the very best time. Tender mercies indeed.
Love,
Hermana McNeece