October 9, 2013

I thought I was going to get transferred annnnddd.....

IM STILL IN ELLINGTON.

Im really happy about it. I feel like this is my home ward and live here permanetly.

Sad news is that the corn is all chopped down. You wont believe it - i was telling Sister Barney that i've been here for a whole corn season. when i first pulled up teeny green weak leaves were poking out of the ground. I got to see it grow SO high and so strong even when strong storms came. The teeny green leaves grew to thick stocks. I was telling her don't worry - the harvest coming soon. We reap what we sow and miracles are on its way - keep your eyes out.

We've been fasting and praying for new investigators - for someone that is ready to accept the restored gospel. We set a goal that by the end of this transfer we'd have 3 new investigators. Last week I was sad thinking we had a week to get 2 more people and considering the pace we were at and spending a majority of the time setting goals with members I didn't see it happening. But I knew it was ok and that we were still doing amazing things.

WE GET THIS PHONE CALL. It's from a guy that was a referral when Sister crane, my previous comp was here with me. We lost connection because we kept playing phone tag and it was going nowhere so we decided to let it be. He calls and says "ive read some of the book of mormon you gave me and im ready to talk mormonism." He lives in practically a mansion, about 45 yrs old, and is single. We schedule an appt and go over there with an awesome member really praying that he'll be ready and continue. Turns out....he' been talking with online missionaries for a long time. He knows practically everything. We randomly somehow talked about tithing because he knew about that and then he said how he found out about the word of wisdom and wanted to see if he could really do it...so he did it. He said the first 3 weeks were hell but he's ok now. He's read up to mosiah so far in the book of mormon. I was like uhhh...I dont even know what to teach you. He wanted to come to church on sunday but we had general conference. He was excited and said hed watch it from home (probably on a giant bigscreen - i dont blame him). He cancelled the appt this week because of a huge work project but said he was coming to church on sunday even if we dont end up meeting this week. Next meeting we want to extend the baptismal invitation. You dont just need the gospel....the gospel and the ward needs YOU buddy.

THE BEST PART.......driving home from the appt to our apartment...the corn fields are all cut down!! Harvest day! It wasnt like that in the morning! Heavenly Father really knows how to make us laugh and make us happy. Coincidence that we get "our harvest" on harvest day?! THEN we meet this guy at the library...long story short...new investigator. WITH JUST A COUPLE DAYS TO SPARE - THE LORD CAME THROUGH ON HIS PROMISE.

We cant decide if its more hilarious or more stunning.

 

Conference was...the best conference ive ever listened to. I get to hear Elder Nielsen (exclamation point guy) in person this next month. what up. We feel so so beyond blessed. There is still so much to do but the members are starting to set goals with us and sloowly understand our purpose and THEIR purpose.

It was so funny we go to this members house (2nd visit...first visit we explained our purpose and why we dont have a lot of time to tract anymore) and then we go in and talk about how awesome Pres. Haights visit was in church (he really explained our role). Then he goes with 100% seriousness: "So, how's the tracting going? Any success lately?". It took everything I could not to laugh and cry out of sadness at the same time. I said "were you at church when president haight was here?"

 "Yes." Ok man, now im just confused.

We told him how much success we were having but not because of tracting. We are helping out the ward leaders a ton more which is gaining a lot of trust and the Lord is really magnifing our efforts! I am playing the piano a TON for things and I feel like Heavenly Father is blessing me a lot with that ability - being able to sight read better off hand for primary and such more than ive been able to in the past.

 

Sister Crane is a sister trainer...not MY sister trainer, but mine is.........well anyway....she got approval for her and her comp to come down to ellington for 2 days so we can get some fresh eyes here and then we get to serve in Belmont for 2 days to get some ideas from their area too. SO EXCITED especially to get to be sister crane's comp for a couple days! A member offered to drive us to Boston on monday to play and to pick them up and bring them to ellington. Hopefully I get time to email but we're not 100% sure yet because itll be a crazy day. YAY! First playing time in boston! Hopefully her less active son comes too so technically we'll be doing missionary work too :)

 

We had a CRAZY storm. Rain was pouring sideways. A few people have given us coats and boots but considering im a giant and have psycho long arms nothing fits....but on the bright side sister barney is covered. Members keep saying you dont understand - you need to go get a jacket. So i think im going to take their advice...their starting to scare me. Last year halloween got cancelled..literally the state CANCELLED it because powerlines were down and trees fell on peoples houses. Good stuff.

 

Love you all a million and a half pieces.

Life is really tiring and sometimes its really hard. But there is so much joy! And a lot of people dont know where its at! Tell em where es at.

 

Sister Bell.

Choose to make today a happy day.

 

pic 1: changing leaves

pic 2: made a book of mormon brownie for Don as he prays to know this week if its true. He loved it. #sistermissionaryswag #allourinvestigatorsareoldmen #itsfine