week 19: perks of being a missionary

Monday, March 7th, 2016

HI GUYS.

so everything is fantastic. it's so good hearing from you all! I love pictures!! send lots of pictures please! I'm really loving every day more and more the more I am out here.

Tuesday we did some service for some people that the elders are teaching. We picked some citrus fruit for them. That is always fun. Elder Grimes got his bag peed on by their dog lol. And then we went home with a billion oranges and grapefruit. We saw Mike Gonzales, Holdimans and the DeBenckendorffs that day. Honestly I learn so much when I teach people. I'm really trying hard to teach people and not lessons and understand what they need! Which can be hard but so worth it when you know you have helped someone.

Wednesday we found a less-active! Her name is Shirin, she just had a baby. I don't know if she really wants to go back to church but we are at least going to start visiting her when we can. We went to see the Ross family. We went to see Constance and she wasn't feeling well so we gave her cookies and made an appointment with her for this week. She really wants to meet with us. It's just so amazing to watch her grow. We went to see Sue and then the Ellis family.

Thursday was a long but busy day. Missionary work is so exhausting. I have never been so tired in my life. But when you come home at the end of the day when you know you tried your hardest, there isn't a better feeling. We saw Margaret Merlino! She actually answered her door! So that was a miracle! McDowell is interesting cause there are so many gated communities...but it was a miracle because we got in ALL the communities by someone letting us in! So that was a miracle. We had a lesson with Jenn, she was the one that wanted to meet with us so that was good! It was the best lesson I have ever had with her. I had never seen her SO happy. It was truly amazing. She says whatever was blocking her from progressing was gone and she was excited to read the Book of Mormon! She said she is hungry for it now. She has been seeing the missionaries for two years now. She expressed that she wouldn't have been able to feel like this without us. It's the best feeling knowing you have helped someone. We are just sososo happy for Jenn. We then had a lesson with Tayllor and Amos! We had it in the Carr home and it went really well! We taught her the plan of salvation and she said it just all makes sense to her. She LOVES the idea of temple marriage, she wants to get married in the provo city temple. They stayed after to hang out with the Carrs, I love members!! We went to see Tamera but she was busy so we had a lesson with her daughter Elyssa, she has not been baptized but went to church a lot when she was 12. She said she almost finished personal progress. We gave her a Book of Mormon and told her to read the introduction. She is such an awesome girl.

Friday was filled with little miracles. We had a meeting with our ward mission leader in McDowell, he is starting to help us more and it's really good. We got a text earlier in the week from a YW telling us there is an YM that wants to get baptized! His name is Zach and he is living with the Daughtees and is friends with their son Nate. The lesson went really well! He is super solid and we are so excited to teach him! He was an answer to our prayers! We saw Brother Stressing and brought him brownies, he is a very nice guy who just moved into the ward and is having a hard time. Simple acts go a long way. 

Saturday we knocked on a lot of doors. lots and lots of doors. People don't answer their door cause they are scared of us, but mainly cause they are scared of God. One guy was very rude and was yelling at us. yup perks of being a missionary. I mean Sister Gulley and I are pretty scary people I must say. But then we meet people who are just the nicest people. We met a less-active and his wife sitting on their front porch. The Kearns are so nice. They are from Kentucky so are very country. He got baptized in the 80s, they are probably about 70 years old. Very nice people. We are probably going to go to the Easter Pageant with them. Brother Kearns like to talk A LOT. We saw Linda Pavlick and it was the fastest visit I have ever had with her. We shared a message with her and then she was so tired she went to go sleep. Dinner canceled so of course we got chipotle and coldstone. Imma be honest, it's pretty nice when dinner cancels. We went to see Lavanne, a potential. She grew up in the church but was never baptized. She said she was never baptized because it just never came up. So we are going to start teaching her and getting members to come with us. She is around 60 and is very nice. She asked us for a Book of Mormon and said she used to read it every night! She says she loves it! We went to see Brother Filimuau in the ward, his wife isn't a member but she wasn't home. We then had a lesson with the Lara's finally!! Sister Sparks came with us. Lindsey just isn't very interested and sincere about asking God if she should get baptized. We will probably drop her soon :(

Sunday Tayllor came to church! That was awesome! I was asked to teach gospel principles literally the night before. And you know being a missionary I literally had no time to prepare but it was fine cause it was on signs of the times and I used dad's packet that he gave me on the Second Coming before I left. Thanks dad! I actually read it! The lesson went well I guess, I just really don't like teaching lessons in church I decided haha. Like everyone just staring at me for an hour, yeah no thanks. I met a less-active at church! He just showed up! So we got his number! He was hesitant so I hope he answers. His records aren't in the ward. I couldn't find him. We had an FHE lesson at the Ransils and they invited Sister Daughtee and Zach came as well. It went really well! I love the members in the wards!

A quote I really like is "We must know Christ better than we Know Him and remember Him more often than we remember Him". To become like Christ we have to KNOW him. Do we believe in Christ or do we BELIEVE Christ? Do we know that He is walking with us and can carry our burdens if he lets us? Christ is my light and my salvation! I know that I can find true peace from Him because he is the source of people and truth.

Have a blessed week!

xoxo

sis fish

Picking citrus

Matching with Sister Israelson!

Chipotle

Coldstone

The Cordons

OLD TOWN