Putting My Heart in Texas: PRAY UNTIL YOU FEEL LIKE PRAYING

"A PROPHET, LIKE MOSES!"

Well I went on exchanges this week with Sister Ririe in Memorial springs and I loved it. It was just what I needed. I was getting a little discouraged with our area and the progess that we were having. And it was a really nice breath of fresh air. We had a member take us to a market place to get sushi and then they dropped us off at a park so we could eat it and it was funny because we totally forgot to get napkins, or chopsticks, or water... so we were just eating sushi with our hands. It was quite the adventure. We were tracting and I felt really strongly that we needed to use the approach of us having a modern day prophet, we knocked on a few doors and no one answered. Then we knocked and this little girl answered, she was about 11, and the spirit prompted me to talk about modern day prophets. So we small talked for a bit and talked about what church she and her family went to, she said, Methodist, and then I said, "well we are missionaries for our church and you want to know something cool about our church? You know the prophets in the bible, like moses? Well we have a prophet on the earth today, just like moses!" HER EYES LIT UP. You could see the spirit catching fire in her. We talked to her for a few more minutes and then we told her to talk to her mom about it and call us so we could come back! Such a neat moment. It is little moments of faith and the spirit that keep me going.

I am always reminded by children to have a child-like faith. If we had told her mother that, most likely she would say, "uh..huh. Sure, okay, well we aren't interested. Thank you though!" NO. We need to have faith! Just see if this gospel can't add on to what you already have! See if we can't build onto the faith that you already have!" I just pray that that little girl will remember that moment , even if her parents don't end up calling the Sisters to come back, at least she will have felt the spirit testify of truth. She may not know what that feeling was, but I saw it in her eyes!

"SOMETHING TOLD ME TO READ..."

We have a new investigator her name is Sandra. She just barely moved here 2 weeks ago from Venezuela. Her aunt is a member and she has been taught a few lessons by the Sisters in the family ward. But her aunt brought her to FHE on monday and man, she loved it. She is so prepared to hear the gospel. She was amazed that she can instantly have friends through the gospel and that people are so nice and christ like.

It has been her dream to come to America and now she is really here. But she thought that Houston was a big big city and that there would be public transportation and buses and all that but... there really isn't at least not it Spring! So since she doesn't have a car she can't go anywhere and she is so lonely and afraid. Her family is going back to Venezuela. Not only will she miss her family, but Venezuela is not really the most ideal country to be living in right now. It was a miracle that Sandra got out. She told us that she knows it was by the grace of God that she was able to get a visa and get a plane ticket. She is really worried about her family going back, and where/how she is going to find a job with no car, all of these things.

So we wanted to fellowship her as soon as possible so we could help her feel comfortable here in the ward and maybe get her some connections for jobs and such. So we went out to dinner with her and some other girls in our ward on Wednesday night and we talked about the Book of Mormon and the power behind it. Sandra has started to read it and she told us that she was super nervous about a job interview that she had on Wednesday morning and she started to tear up, she choked up as she said, "Something told me that I needed to read The Book of Mormon. So I did and I felt so much peace." She told us that she had prayed about it she knew that it was true. Man, so neat. It was such a beautiful moment and we all just sat there with the spirit wrapping around us in this restaurant. Of all places to have a spiritual moment, Whatever! GOD is EVERYWHERE! including CiCi's Pizza! I love this gospel. I love the Book of Mormon. Such a power that comes from that Book. I wish I had known and discovered that sooner in my life.

SISTER SHELL QUOTE

"Everyone thinks that I wear boots because I love Texas... but really, it is because I never shave my legs..."

We were laying on our beds sprawled out and we were pretty overwhelmed about the fireside and about how members are not really stepping up to help us... i said, "Okay, so Sister Shell, at what point do we just take the reins?"...

She said, "We already HAVE the reins... the horse is just eating the STUPID GRASS!"

Love her.

Also... our microwave is TERRIBLE. And since Sister Shell loves Harry Potter, we named him Creature. I got out of the shower the other day to find this taped on the microwave. So funny.

FRANK AND FIRESIDE

We had a GREAT lesson with Frank. We read about the 2,000 stripling warriors and he LOVED it. Then, the elders came in at the end because they were finalizing some things for a baptism they were having on Saturday. So Frank said, and I quote, "Man, I've got all the missionaries on me! Its like Jesus Christ is saying 'Okay, I need EVERYBODY on this guy!'" It pretty much made our night. It was so hilarious! Then, the elders are like, "Hey sisters! We have a surprise for you! Come see this...."

So we walk down the hall, all of us together, and there it is. A HUGE A-Frame of the flyer for our fireside! Its like 4 ft tall by 2 ft wide! At least! I almost Started to cry. No joke. So cool. We are going to set it up at the college campus' this week and hand out fliers! So excited!

SUNDAY

We met before church about the fireside, which we were panicking about. So we found a room and prayed before church. We were also fasting that day for the fireside, for Erick, for more people to teach, and a few other things. We just felt pretty discouraged...but we were not yet giving up faith!

Sandra came to church and she loved it. She was on the verge of tears the whole time! And Frank came too! good ol' Frank. And he brought his little sister Daisy again. Super cute. He wants us to teach her the Plan of Salvation this week, how adorable! She asked her mom, "When can Sister Shell and Sister King come over?" Her mom said, "Whenever you want!" It is so cute to see Frank being a missionary for his family! Frank came to Baptism that the Elders had in our ward on Saturday and it was cool. I spoke on Baptism and the spirit was strong. Her name is Jessica and Sister Loo and I met her a few months ago and the Elders started teaching her. She is just the sweetest ever. After the baptism Frank said, "I am getting impatient for May 3rd!" We said, "Well Frank! Lets dunk you right now! Why wait!?" He wants to wait for his friend that is away at BYU to be here. She introduced him to the church. I just love Frank to pieces. I hope that I am still here when he is Baptized!

Anyway.. back to Sunday...Sister Shell and I were wondering what to do about dinner since we'd been fasting and as we were getting in our car to leave, Britni texted us and invited us over for dinner! Miracle! The Lord knew that we needed some members to take care of us haha. So that lifted our spirits up a lot.

K I am stealing this from Sister Shell's email because I dont have time!

"Then, we had some craziness to take care of. At church, the elders came up to us and told us that the magnificent A-Frame was missing! We'd left it at the church building over night, and when the Elders stopped by that building, it WASN'T THERE. It was nowhere to be found, and nobody had seen it. So, we were pretty mad. We hadn't even gotten the chance to use it at the college yet! So, we met up with the Elders at the building to search for it. The ASL elders happened to be there too doing family history, so they offered some ideas. Elder Hillebrant (one of the elders in our ward) suggested we call the Bishops/Auxiliary leaders/missionaries in all of the wards that met in that building. When that didn't help, his companion Elder Frandsen suggested we call the top- aka the stake president. Then, Elder Frandsen rethought and said, "WAIT, why don't we pray? That's calling the top!" So we all knelt in prayer, including the ASL elders. After we looked in the dumpster and under the stage but had no luck. We called one of the counselors to the stake president. Turn out they talked about it and thought it might be too dangerous for the children so they took it down, and he put it in his truck and now its down in Magnolia forever away from us. But we found it and we were super relieved!! And one of the ASL elders signed a really beautiful prayer before we all left the church building. Miracles happen people!!! ALL THE TIME! We should be getting the A-Frame back today. Phew!"

Church is true. PLEASE PRAY FOR THE FIRESIDE! PLEASE!

Our ward needs all the help we can get! :)

LOVE Y'ALL!

xoxoxoxox

-SISTER KING

Also... I WAS SO excited because Sister Shell and I saw a LIVE OPOSSOM. (Why is it spelled like that to look it up.... yeah I used google. So sue me. I am a heathen missionary...) Okay... anyway. We saw one that was not dead on the side of the road and I was SO excited. By the time I got my camera out it was like running away and this was the best picture I could get. I was SO sad. Like really sad. I just want to see one! I am still talking about how sad I am that I didn't get a pic with it and that was like 4 days ago. Poor Sister Shell haha.