November 17, 2014

God's Thanksgiving Letter to the North Brookfield Sisters:
"Happy Early Thanksgiving. I won't just give you ONE humble pie, but i'll give you SEVEN - one for each day of the week. And because it's the season of giving, you can probably continue to expect one more each day until Thanksgiving. Enjoy. Let me know how it tastes Love, God."

As a result, it was quite an unexpected week. I always knew the importance of working with members - I am a firm believer, but this week in the coolest way...our members totally showed us up!!! It's actually the most exciting thing that can ever happen. It was a reminder to me that this really is the Lord's work - not our work. Sometimes we think we know better, well you know what, we just don't.

We had dinner at a member's home - the Browns for the second time this week. Rare. Best Christmas gift from God. I am convinced that one of the reasons why I was sent to North Brookfield was purely just to learn from the Browns. Bro. Brown taught us principles of teaching and helped us with some concerns we had with our investigators. The spirit was so strong in their home, it literally leaves my mouth empty for words. We were so excited because we were going to try some of these principles at our next lesson that evening with our investigator, MJ.
I don't know if i've ever taught so bad. It's not because the principles were inaccurate, it was just our lack of skill set or spirit or something. We brought a member who we have recently discovered how incredible she is. When the lesson went a different direction, the member knew exactly what scriptures to pull out. It fit MJs needs exactly. She kept apologizing and later apologized if it seemed like she took over the lesson and I was like are you kidding me? You were 110% inspired. And 200% extra bonus points that it came from you and not us because now you guys are best friends. While the lesson ended well, I still left feeling there wasn't a good sense of direction moving forward.

That night we went to bed and I just felt so sad inside. So happy that Jessie was inspired to fill MJs needs, but so sad that I'm the missionary that needs to know how to bounce off of that and work it towards progress for Mary Jane, and not a temporary fulfillment, and i felt like i just didn't do the job. I felt sad that here we had left the Browns - who have so much horsepower of knowledge and skill set, and yet we failed to deliver.

Sister Layton and I talked the next morning and discussed together that we needed to repent as a companionship to Heavenly Father. I've been okay at following the spirit but it was evident to me this week that I have not been filling my capacity. I needed to more frequently do as President Packard always says, "Work like everything depends on us and pray like everything depends on the Lord." We had a shift in ourselves that morning. We went back to a potential investigator's home - she let us in and while our teaching skills are still weak, the discussion was guided by the spirit and we left having a new investigator. The facts just didn't add up on that one, and yet, a miracle happened. Her name is Kim - she has a family, and she said she will invite her kids to sit in on the lesson the next time we come. We left thinking ok, what member should we bring to Kim's? Instantly we both thought, 'yes! sister brown would be perfect with her!'. Then, we look at our calendar and Sister Brown had already signed up to go out with us that day. We felt so blessed from the Lord, especially considering our recent promise to him of our change.

We had to drop MJs baptism date for Nov 21. She was our only date we had set for November. We have a lesson with her this evening, and we hope that the spirit is such and the timing is such that she'll still be baptized in november. Sister Layton and I talked about our goals and at our current state, what our possibility is that we'll meet our goal. We are praying for a miracle...praying like everything depends on the Lord and trying to act accordingly.
We got to teach a different investigator with Brother Brown on sunday. It felt so good teaching with him. He asked everyone in the room what the spirit has been telling them to do during this lesson, and then he said, "the spirit's been telling me that on my way home im going to stop by my friends, the Buzzles, becauses sisters, we need to find more people for you to teach."

I've learned so much about being in tune and listening to the still small voice more this week than the past 3 months combined. When you act and feel like that, it doesn't matter if you meet your goal because you have the faith the Lord still needed you to set it to raise your sights.

Here's to another learning and humbling filled week!

Love,
Sister Bell

p.s. we had our first snow fall this week! YIKES!

AND how could i forget - S. Layton went into the E.R. almost died, yeah its fine.
that felt like a month ago. really dont know how i forgot that.
here is a picture of her getting pampered. The other is a picture at multicultural night - only in north brookfield.