Another Busy Week!

Dear Family,

Hello! It is so good to hear from y'all every week. Thank you for sending the giant bag of frosted mini wheats. They made my day! mmm....

So, this week was crazy! On Monday, we had a busy, busy prep day. We met with Scott and Fabiola Monday evening. It was a great lesson about families and the faith and building a relationship with Heavenly Father. It was so neat to hear them talk about how they had noticed that things were coming together now that they have started reading from the Book of Mormon and praying. They hadn't recieved an answer yet, but they said that they had seen a huge change. (Fabiola got a job, Scott had two job offers, etc.) We are still trying to help them get to church. They have twins who are 2 1/2 and they truely live up to the title, "terrible twos." Sunday morning church is hard for them to do, but we told them that it would help them find answers, and would also be a blessing. So, we are hoping that they will make it to church.

Tuesday was deep clean day. We spent quite a while shampooing the carpets, vacuuming and deep cleaning the bathroom. I'm glad deep clean day is over. We had an appointment with a former named Karen who didn't show up. So, we decided to tract the street since we didn't have any other plans at that time. We knocked on a door and saw a man look out the window. Then he came over to the door and said, "oh. it's the mormons" (in a very unenthusiastic voice) We didn't even have to say anything and he just told us that he didn't have time for us today. Afterwards Sis. Joseph and I laughed all the way to the next house. At least he knew we were calling him to repentance! We met with Sis. McCoy's friend, Max that evening as well. Max has been taught by the elders before, but she has a hard time believing the Joseph Smith story. We asked her what things she could do to learn for herself and we had a great lesson about Jesus Christ and how the Book of Mormon also testifes of Jesus Christ. The page before the introduction of the Book of Mormon is the best! It was a good lesson. Everyone here says they 'know Jesus.' I'm still trying to figure out what that really means. We met with Brittany later on. Brittany is amazing! She was having a really hard day and asked us if we could come over. We did and turns out she told her boss she couldn't work on sundays because she wanted to go to church and her boss told her that was an unexceptable excuse and she lost her job. I know the Lord will bless her for her willingness to keep the commandments.
We also met with Matthew. Matthew said he felt really good about talking to his parentals this weekend so we hoping for the best!

Wednesday we had zone training. It was really good! We talked a lot about charity and also focusing on the very last page in PMG. The biggest thing I learned was that we show charity to people by being bold with them. Sometimes that is hard, but that is how we show our love for others. I also learned that teaching simply is the key to success. Sis. Joseph and I like to be deep thinkers a lot of the time and we make things much more complicated than they really need to be. We practiced teaching more simply and amazingly, it's a lot easier to be bold when you do that. Oh how I love zone training. We talked to the elders who taught Matthew and I can see why Matthew is so truely converted. They are great missionaries. We talked with Kia afterwards, and her baptism is set for the 24th and is not moving. Woot!

Thursday we did weekly planning. It was great. The most amazing thing happened! We recieved a referral from church headquarters that a girl who lived in the dorms on campus wanted to have a Book of Mormon. We weren't sure how we were going to get into the dorms because only the people who live there are allowed in and you have to be escorted everywhere. BUT it was so amazing! We were going through all the new members who had moved into the branch since school started and there was a girl who happened to live in the same building. We gave her a call and she let us in, we were able to contact the referral, Amanda and had a great lesson about prayer, scripture study, church and how to balance life when it's crazy. We just taught her in the hall and it was great! She is a very sweet girl going into CLS. We set up a return appointment for next week!

Friday was insane. We had a zillion appointments and then we went to an evening of music program. We met with a young man named Raheim. It was so neat! We were just going to meet with him, but then his roommate was there and then his friend, Sam came over too. They all agreed to read the Book of Mormon and to pray about it. It was a great lesson! The weather has been fantastic this week. It's been in the 60's all week and it feels wonderful. I never thought I would ever, ever say that, but it feels fantastic.

Saturday we went on exchanges with Sis. McCoy. She is hilarious. We tried contacting some referrals in Grimesland without any success. It was one of those discouraging days I suppose. We spent a lot of time trying to contact people without much success. As one sister in the branch put it, days like those are "character building days". We met Sis. Carman's family (none of them are members) and they asked a lot of questions about the church. It was really good! We are going to try and stop by her cousins later this week. Saturday night, we recieved a phone call from the elders informing us that Sis. Joseph is being transferred. It is thumbs down. Sis. Joseph is the hardest working person I've ever met in my life. I suppose Heavenly Father likes to do that when we start feeling comfortable; like we are finally gettting the hang of things.

Sunday was wonderful. We had ward conference in the 2nd ward and learned a lot from Pres. Walker about the importance of missionary work. We had a really good meeting with the branch as well. They are so good! A few of them brought their friends to church yesterday so, we have a lot of work in the branch this week! We met Kia later that evening at the Robionson's home (they are part member family) It was so good! Chevaughn got Bro Robionson (he's not a member) involved and invited him to come to Kia's baptism and to read the Book of Mormon. Sis. Robionson got to bear her testimony to Kia and her husband and it was amazing. That was probably the best lesson I have ever been in. Kia bore her testimony too. It was beautiful.

I love this restored gospel and I am so thankful we have it to share and learn from. It is a blessing x 10000000.

Thanks so much for all the love you always send! I send my love as well. :) I hope all is going well. You all are in my prayers; always. Tell Nelda and Dale they are in my prayers too.

Love,
Sister J