August 5, 2013

It's amazing how the weeks fly by. I try to recall what we did this week and it feels like last tuesday was 3 weeks ago. We've been teaching this old woman named Edris. We realized we didn't know her very well and so we asked if she could tell us more about herself. She said no no I dont want to get into that. Im here for you to teach me - this is supposed to be fun. It was really funny this lady putting us in our place just for wanting to get to know her. We had to explain why we ask her questions..because it helps us know what she needs to understand. Anyway we invited her to be baptized. She feels like she doesn't know enough, which we knew would happen, but we are so glad we asked because it brought up a great discusion and she really did need to know what our purpose is. We brought an awesome member Sister Bare (she feeds us ice cream galore and lets us do our laundry at her house on p days). She connected with Edris SO well and explained why we invited her to be baptized. For once she actually expressed interest in coming to church and Sis Bare said shed pick her up..but she didn't end up coming. in our lesson it was really sweet, she looked at me and told me how sincere I was. that everytime i spoke she knew that i meant it and i wasn't just saying it. she said she really liked that and it was interesting how i felt the spirit very strong when she said that...i think it was just what i needed from heavenly father to remind me of the love i have for her and how patient we need to be in her progression.

 

This week i've been really trying to focus on gratitude and I kind of made a secret deal in my head with Heavenly Father that I would say prayers of just gratitude ALL week and then when I fasted on sunday I wouldn't have to feel bad asking for something so sincere (asking where are these people ready to hear a message that will change their life?!?!). So all week I had been doing really good and was so excited for an amazing fast of miracles on sunday. Then at the end of the week, we got a mission wide text from president asking us as a mission to fast only in gratitude for the amazing things that have been happening in this mission. I just had to smile. You got to be kidding me Heavenly Father - what kind of deal is that? Just goes to show that you really shouldn't make "deals" of gratitude prayers in exchange for a blessing. I know that's not how it works but it was worth a shot :)

 

This week's tracting was exhausting - each time we do a little bit I do it as a reminder of why the Lord has revealed how missionary work is to be done through MEMBERS. Because let me tell you kids -  i appreciate the miraculous stories of converts that received the missionaries by them knocking on doors, i really do - but I dont think its most EFFECTIVE to sift out 1 million houses. Because most of those individuals are ready to hear the gospel...but from MEMBERS...not strangers knocking on their door. It is very humbling though and a good learning experience so I am grateful, even at doors where they try to tell YOU what the mormon church is all about. It's a huge testimony builder and when they try to bring you down it just ends up raising you higher. If you havent watched the missionary broadcast - WATCH IT. It's online. infact, watch it AGAIN.

 

On a happy and similar note we were asked to speak with this lady named Bonnie, who is a "nonmember". She is middle aged but went back to school to take a class to get certified in an area. So for her class, they are writing a paper about contreversies and discrimination. Out of all she could write about, she "randomly" chose to write about mormons and how they are indirectly discriminated and how members of the church handle and overcome things people say. As we talked with her...turns out her parents were in the church and she was baptized at 8 but then her parents got a divorce and they stopped going. BUT she remembers visiting teachers come over for quite a few years after that. We were shocked. she talked about it like no big deal and remembers being made fun of for being a mormon. She said she has been to a lot of churches and wants to go to one but can't find the right one that fits for her. I almost fell off my chair. People are guided everyday to Jesus Christ's true church on this earth and they dont even realize it. It would be down right hilarious if salvation wasn't so important....infact, most of the time its still hilarious. She is friends with our 1st counselor's wife so we will work through her and see how she can work with Bonnie. It didn't feel right when we were there to bring up her coming to our church but we'll see what happens.

 

Press onward kids. Thank you for your prayers!

 

Much Love from the CT,

Sister Bell

 

Keep it real...because it is real 

 

PICTURE: Picture of Hope on her birthday (mom's birthday)....we told her we'd bring a cake but she had already gotten one...and it said "Happy Birthday to Me" - I just about died