WE ARE GRANDPARENTS!

Yep. But what fun is being a Grandparent when you can't meet your grandkids.... Bethesda has hid them from us. But we will meet them eventually I hope. We know where they are but we can't get to them without breaking and entering onto our hoarder neighbor's porch...and I think that would be a bit awkward in a skirt. Oh and it's also illegal but we were more concerned about the whole skirt ordeal.

FUNNY THINGS

 -There is a Less Active that is the BIGGEST Disney fan I have ever met. She was the one to break the news to me that Robin Williams died.... (so sad...) Anyway, did ya'll know that there is a half court basketball court inside the Matterhorn?! THERE IS!

- Sister Cecil randomly starts talking like a middle eastern man when she gets really tired and stressed. It is hilarious.

- Overwhelmed this week so read in the "Adjusting to Missionary Life: Stress Manual" it gave the advice to state to yourself, "All I have to do right now is__________."

So we have a slow leak in our tire and we needed to get air. So... let me set the scene... 

-our most promising investigators are ignoring us

-just got yelled at to get off someone's porch
- flowy skirt

-wind blowing

-100 degrees and 100% humidity

-my antiperspirant/deodorant is failing 

-I grab the water hose instead of the air-hose

-wet shoes

AWESOME.

Not funny at the time... but after I pulled away and did some breathing exercises (also a suggestion from the stress manual haha!) I was able to calm down and look over at Sister Cecil and say, "I told myself All I have to do right now is fill the tire with air. AND I PUT FREAKING WATER IN IT!!!!"

We laughed SO hard. Oh man. We laughed and laughed and laughed some more. So glad that I have a companion that will laugh with me :)

HE WAS THERE

As a mission we have been focusing on teaching like the Savior does and asking QUESTIONS to make people think instead of just TELLING them what they need to feel or need to know. We had a really cool experience with that this week. They weren't fancy schmancy questions... but they were from the spirit, not from us.

We met with Sister V this week. She is a Less Active we have been working with. She is very depressed and is struggling with addiction, a failing marriage and wayward children. Sister Cecil and I both felt prompted to watch Brad Wilcox's talk titled, "His Grace is Sufficient" with her. It is one of my favorite things ever, so if you haven't watched it or listened to it, you should. It is amazing. And it was exactly what she needed. 

The second it was over she said all sly-like, "I know why you showed me that..." She smiled and sat down on the couch across from us. We looked at her and said, "WE didn't choose this...the spirit told us that you we needed to show it to you." She was silent and the spirit was so strong.

I opened my mouth and I asked, "Why do you think God wanted you to see this talk? What is he trying to say to you?"

Silence. Sister V just sat there staring out the window. I wasn't sure if she had heard me. But after a while the spirit whispered, "go sit by her." I fought the impression thinking, " I don't even know if she heard me!" The spirit whispered again, "go sit by her!"  I finally broke the silence by standing up and sitting down next to her. The moment I stood up she BURST into tears. I hugged her, rocked her and brushed the tear soaked hair out of her face. She never really did answer the question, but we KNEW that she felt his love. She knew what she needed to do. She needed to just let the Savior take it. He already has, she just needed to ask him for strength. We couldn't do it for her. We asked her to pray we told her, "All you need to do is ask him, he is right here in this room. Can you feel him? He LOVES you. Picture him right here beside you, what would you say?"

It was just so sad. He is there for her! I swear he was IN the room. He was there. Sitting next to her just waiting for her to fall into his arms. I could almost see the look on his face and compassion.

He wants to help her, but this is where faith comes in- She just needs to pray and ask for his forgiveness and his love. He is waiting to give it but he can't open the door, she has to let him in. She didn't want to pray, she just sobbed saying, "I can't... I can't..." I said the prayer and it was one of the hardest prayers I have ever said because it should have been HER prayer. I can't open that door for her. She has to do it herself.

Sister Cecil and I got in the car and just cried and cried and cried. We felt this small twinge of pain thinking of the Savior. He sees these people who he knows so deeply and intimately totally turn away from him. That must be SO painful for him to see them open the door a crack, feel his warmth, love, forgiveness and grace and then shut the door again. It is eye opening to know how much of a gift the atonement really is. It is something that we must receive and act upon as often as we can!

LIGHT BULB MOMENT

Sister Cecil and I were washing the dishes the other day and I was thinking about Sister V and praying about how to help her. It has been kinda hard being back in the YSA because there are people there who have problems that to them seem like HUGE mountains to climb. Like one Sister in the YSA ward we met who is really struggling with a simple breakup. Then on the other hand you have Sister V with struggles, addiction and heartbreak from adultery and loss.

POP QUIZ: Guess whose problem takes more of the Saviors love, comfort, peace and guidance?

IT IS THE EXACT SAME.

If it matters to us, it matters to Him.

CHURCH IS TRUE.

xoxoxox

-Sister King

Had to pick up something from the Elders so we took Bethesda on a roadtrip to meet them. They loved her. And I wore my cat pants.

Elder Barney was wondering if ya'll could be on the look out for a onezie in this fabric his size haha.