natalie ann: week 48: new seasons & new investigators

Monday, September 26th, 2016

Hi everyone!

It's officially fall! It's starting to feel like fall here and I love it! It's still so sunny too. Leaves are changing and it's cooler weather. Except the mornings are so cold. This week was good though and saw lots of miracles!

Monday we had FHE at Paula Henrie's and Erin Cordova (less-active) & all her family came! That was awesome! And Dakota & Haley came as well! So did Chelsea & her kids. I showed them the whip cream game and holy cow it just turned into a whip cream fight.

Tuesday we saw Samantha. We had a really good lesson on missionary work. She is feeding us in a couple weeks so that's good. We will meet her husband then! We then saw the Tisdells. They are just so funny I can't handle it. We went on splits and Paula was with me and we had a lesson with Gaylon. I had never seen him look so down and sad. We had a good lesson though and I hope it cheered him up.

Wednesday we pretty much spent all day contacting former investigators. We didn't have much success but we knocked on a guy's door and we were looking for someone else but he answered instead. His name is JC and we asked if he would be interested in learning more and he said yes! We saw Brylee and she is so funny. She always tells us friend drama. Oh to be 9. We talked about faith in God and we told her to read a few pages from it and a few days later we saw her and she said she read it and said that she felt like they were speaking directly to her. She is very cute. We then went to a mother daughter dinner activity in third ward. Haylie's step mom couldn't come so we came as her mom! It was really fun it was a mystery dinner, like they gave us a menu with weird names that describes it but you really have no idea what it is. So you order it and it was interesting to say the least haha.

Thursday we had district meeting and it was a big call to repentance. We talked about how seeing less-actives are a distraction from finding and teaching investigators. Which I never really realized we were doing, we talked about how that is the ward's job to fellowship less-actives. Our purpose is to help people have faith in Christ, repent and be BAPTIZED. so we are really focusing on that. We saw Sally and met her nonmember son Brian. But he didn't stay for the lesson. We saw Nancy and her boyfriend is coming soon for a bit and he isn't a member so we are going to have a lesson with him! Nancy is really excited about it. We had a lesson with Ron, who has taken the discussions several times. He went to church last week and it was his only second time going so we decided to have a lesson with him and see if he is ready. He is so awesome and would be such a good member. He has a hard time feeling the spirit and doesn't feel like he speaks to him. So it's very hard. He is always very logical and so I think he needs more evidence or something. Idk I think Satan is working really hard on him. The spirit was SO strong in the lesson. Ron even spoke differently when the spirit was stronger. It's like how can you not feel this? Idk how the Spirit speaks to him and I wish I could just tell him but missionary work is not that easy. So we aren't going to teach him cause he just isn't quite ready and won't commit to anything. Ron is also an AMAZING painter, he had hundreds of paintings in his house! He doesn't care to sell them but he just likes painting. He is so talented. We saw the Armijos and they are doing good, we had a fun lesson with them.

Friday we saw Cyndie and she is doing well. I love seeing her. For weekly planning we had to go over our less-actives and decide who we need to see less and hand over to the ward council. It was kind of hard. We saw Dakota and he is doing well, although he didn't make it to church so he really isn't progressing. Our appointment later at 8 fell through so we decided to try to see some old potentials in Milligan Valley Ward. And the two we went to go see both told us to come back this weekend! Miracle!

Saturday we saw Haylie in the morning. We talked about prophets and it made me that much more excited about general conference! We then had the preparedness fair which we were asked to help at. It was run by the church and was four hours long. I was surprised how many people were there and especially nonmembers! It was packed! We got lots of free samples, I felt like I was at Costco. After that we had a lesson with Daniela, one of the potentials we met the night before. She is married but her husband works a lot. She has a 6 year old boy named Benjamin. Sister Tysseling came with us. We taught the restoration and the Spirit was so strong! She isn't super religious but knows a lot of members. She is so prepared and said yes to baptism! I love teaching this gospel and sharing it with others. We then watched women's conference and it was so good obviously! I loved President Uchtdorf's talk. It was all on faith and we have been talking a lot about that in our mission. He said some things that really reminded me of our lesson with Ron. He said that just because we can't hear something doesn't mean there isn't anything to hear. He told us to tell people who have a hard time hearing/feeling to listen differently who want to gain faith. He said one sees clearly only with the heart. Ron really can only know with his heart. He also said no matter how much faith we have there are two things it cannot do. It cannot violate another's agency and cannot force our will upon God. Everyone does have their agency and I always have to remember that as a missionary, I just have to try my hardest and never lose faith. President Uchtdorf also said the purpose of faith is not to change God's will but to empower us to act on God's will. Sometimes that is hard to do. He told us to walk by whatever faith we have. I love that. Faith doesn't just grow in a day. He told a really good story about two missionaries never giving up. He said "the reward is not usually behind the first door. So we need to keep knocking. Don't give up. Seek God with all your heart." I know that this is the Lord's work and we have to walk by faith and God will bless us.

Sunday was good. We went to the Gilliams and shared a message with them. Macy was in town. We then had thanksgiving dinner at the Luekers (less-actives). Yes thanksgiving in September. It was the best. The Ericksons were also there and it was so much fun. I love those families so much. We then had a lesson with Camrie & her kids love us so much, they are seriously the cutest. We then had a lesson with new investigators! They are the Gallegos and they have been through A LOT. Trials really do soften hearts. He is now a single dad with three kids. We shared a message with them and they are very interested. Yay a family!!

One of my favorite scriptures is Helaman 3:35 "Nevertheless they did fast and pray oft, and did wax stronger and stronger in their humility, and firmer and firmer in the faith of Christ, unto the filling their souls with joy and consolation, yea, even to the purifying and the sanctification of their hearts, which sanctification cometh because of their yielding their hearts unto God."

I read a talk this week named walk in the light by President Eyring. It's so good so I want to quote it for you. "Just as you are marked as a target by the enemy of righteousness, you have been protected and watched over by your Heavenly Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. They know you. They know all of the forces and individuals around you. They know what is ahead of you. And so they know which is ahead of you, and so they know which of the choices you make, which of the desires you decide to satisfy and which of the circumstances around you will make the most difference in keeping you walking in the light. I testify that by the Spirit of Christ and by the Holy Ghost, you may walk confidently in whatever difficulties will come. Because you are so valuable, some of your trials may be severe. You need never be discouraged or afraid. The way through difficulties has always been prepared for you and you will find it if you exercise faith. When you walk in the light, you will feel at that moment some of the warmth and the happiness that will finally be yours when you are welcomed home again with the hundreds and perhaps thousands of others whom will bring with you, who have walked in the light because you did."

I know we can't walk this path by ourselves. I know when we ask for help, we can have angels helping us. We are not alone and we cannot do it alone. I'm grateful for my Heavenly Father and all that He does for me.

Remember to watch general conference this weekend! I know that as we prepare for it and prayerfully ask questions they can be answered. How amazing it is that we can all be gathered to hear the message God wants us to hear! I know that this Church is true!

--xo: sista fisha