Temple TIME!
So, this week I was super grateful for the rainboots that mom sent me. We had a few flood warnings, it rained SO hard. I am really glad that I wasn't on a bike. The bike elders call those days GGPDs (God Given P-Days) haha. I thought that was funny. But like its one thing to bike if it is raining, but if it is like raining in ropes? Yeah... no thanks. As we drove to the temple the phrase, "refuge from the storm" came into mind. I love that. The temple truely is that. The GOSPEL truely is that. It is the safety and refuge from the storm!
Sister Andreason and I both took our own family names and it was so beautiful to go through for our ancestors. We literally are their eyes, ears, voice and hands as we worship in the temple. I think I have mentioned to y'all about our district leader Elder Duvall? He is amazing. Like he is going to be a General Authority. I can't remember if I wrote about this but it was so funny... one week after District Meeting I was thinking about how lucky the elders are that get to just pick his brain during studies and hear all his insights and everything. So I said to Sister Shell, "Man... what I wouldn't give to be Elder Duvalls companion...." Sister Shell looks at me smirks and says, "Well... you could be....*wink wink*" Haha! It was hilarious.
Anyway... I am getting sidetracked. But we beckoned to Elder Duvall as we were in the temple and he turned to all these SUPER cool scriptures in the old testament and man... the temple really is a house of learning.
SANDRA'S GIFT
So Mom, remember that Book of Mormon Necklace that you sent me? Well, as we were preparing for Sandra's baptism I wanted to give her something special. And that necklace came to mind. Sandra has such an amazing testimony of the BoM and I wanted her to never forget that. I saw her at Stake Conference on Saturday and she was wearing it. She said, "I never take it off! It means so much to me!" I knew that it would mean the world to her. Because when I think of the Book of Mormon, I think of Sandra.
THUNDERSTORM
So, there I was asleep in my bed while on exchanges with Sister Christensen, when all of the sudden the ENTIRE house shook with thunder. I heard Sister Christensen get up but I thought she just had gone to the bathroom. Next thing I know, her face is like 2 inches from mine and she says, "DUDE!! PUT ON YOUR BOOTS AND GET OUT HERE!" Anyone who has been on a mission knows that sleep is a rare commodity, however, if you have been on a mission you also know that mission rules are that you need to be within sight and sound of your companion (especially at 4am in the ghetto) So... I put on my boots and rain coat and headed out into the storm. I have NEVER seen it rain that hard in my life. Sister C and I clung to one another as we laughed and jumped around, it was a really fun memory. And it made me realize how crazy that would be to be in a hurricane! We were SOAKED. The Hermanas they live with thought that we were crazy! (Is it bad that sometimes I want a hurricane to happen so I canA.) get a Mormon helping hands shirt and B.) uhh... ummm.....yeah I guess I just really want a Mormon helping hands shirt....) Ha! But really though, for the sake of all those amazing people here in Texas I hope that there is NOT a hurricane. I have my whole life ahead of me to get a Mormon Helping Hands shirt!
AVERY
On Exchanges we had a really cool little lesson with their investigator Avery. He is 17 and he really likes the church but he is still struggling with the concept of God actually being there. I followed the spirit in the lesson and invited him to pray. Teaching Frank has made me become very sneakily bold and persistent. So... I wouldn't take no for an answer. He laughed and was like, okay, okay, I will pray." We read in Joseph Smith History with him
"So, in accordance with this, my determination to ask of God, I retired to the woods to make the attempt. It was on the morning of a beautiful, clear day, early in the spring of eighteen hundred and twenty. It was the first time in my life that I had made such an attempt, for amidst all my anxieties I had never as yet made the attempt to pray vocally."
Afterwards, he said a beautiful prayer essentially asking, "God, let me know you are there..." The spirit was SO strong. HE PRAYED! Such a huge MILESTONE! Miracles happen on exchanges EVER time. And sometimes, you even get to dance in the rain. :)
I'll GO WHERE YOU WANT ME TO GO
The above title is the hymn that we sang on Thursday morning, it was pretty clear that the Lord was well aware of the the connotations comprised within said lyrics...
#1.) Literally 10 minutes after we started companionship study we got a text from Kristin saying, "COME OVER RIGHT NOW!! MY CARETAKER IS ASKING ME QUESTIONS ABOUT THE BOOK OF MORMON!! I DONT KNOW WHAT TO SAY!"
Sister Andreason and I looked at each other and said, "LETS GO, SISTA!" I seriously felt like a super hero. I wish that I had been wearing like a button up jacket over my shirt. I totally would have ripped it open like Clark Kent. It was hilarious. We ended up talking to her caretaker for 2 hours about how she doesn't believe in the pre-mortal life. We read scripture after scripture and then she opened up Genesis and proceeded to speed read the first 3 chapters of Genesis OUTLOUD. Pretty sure that it was a world record. It was a very strange lesson haha. Gotta love Southern Baptists :)
#2.) As soon as we returned home to make lunch, Sister Andreason and I were standing in the kitchen with half made sandwiches, when the phone rang. It was some random guy that Sister Shell and I had contacted in FEBRUARY! We asked when we could meet up and he said, "How about right now?" "...uh SURE! Be there in 10 minutes!" We hang up, put down our sandwiches and think, "LETS GO, SISTA!" (Yet again in an attempt to feel superhero-like, I had nothing to unfurl!) We set down our half made sandwiches and walked to his auto shop just down the road. The Lord was taking us up on the offer to "go where he wants us to go!" It was a really neat day. Later that day we taught our new Investigator names Charlie. He is awesome. :) This area is just blossoming, we are getting referrals like CRAZY. I think it is because we have been making an effort to invite everyone we see to learn about the gospel! :) The lord sees that we are trying!
You, Yes, YOU!
We had an amazing Stake Conference this weekend. It was all about missionary work and building up our talents to help others. It was really cool. There are a few things that I want to touch on...
1. Follow EVERY impression that you receive and the Lord will bless you with opportunities to share your testimony and invite. He doesn't give promptings for no reason. Follow them and you will see the fruits.
2. Pray for opportunities to share the gospel.
President Pingree spoke and he shared this AMAZING story. There is a woman here in Texas. She attended the Hastening the Work of Salvation Broadcast a year ago this month. Afterwards she left and felt very impressed to promise the Lord that she would share the gospel if he would just give her opportunities to do so. A little time after she offered this prayer she received a facebook friend request from a man in Kenya. She almost deleted him but then remembered her promise. She talked with her husband and her family and they decided to message him. Turns out he was very interested in learning more about the gospel. They continued to communicate online and because of this ONE interaction HUNDREDS of people in this tiny place in Kenya have received the Gospel. She was merely an instrument in the lords hands. Nothing more. She promised him and he help up his end of the deal. Here is the first part of the story. Keep reading on her blog for the full story. Since then she and her family have been to Kenya (multiple times I believe) to share the gospel with this man and his village. Such a beautiful story. Love this gospel. Love this church.
Also... Watched a hilarious 80's church video with Frank yesterday. He chose it we didn't. Not sure what he expected.. but he LOVED it. haha. Oh man... gotta love the 80's. Here is the link. Feel free to entertain yourselves bu watching it. Great message. TERRIBLE music and Slow-mo.
CHURCH IS TRUE!
One last quote...
"...With faith in God, we trust the blessings He has promised those who keep His commandments. We have faith in the future, and we are preparing for that future. To borrow a metaphor from the familiar world of athletic competitions, we do not know when this game will end, and we do not know the final score, but we do know that when the game finally ends, our team wins. We will continue to go forward “till the purposes of God shall be accomplished, and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done”
-Elder Oaks
xoxoxox
Sister King
Lightening Storm at 4am!
Me and Avery- I told him that I had a Sister his age and he said, "sooo..... uh you gunna give me her number?" I think you two would hit it off Sophia... haha
We made dinner for the Elders because they needed a little Pick-me up. #assistantstotheassistants
BOOK IS BLUE
A few of my favorite Elders. #candid
