Dear Loved Ones,
We have had a busy week as usual. It feels so good to feel exhausted again but from hard work and not being sick! Let's start with some stories:
The Bishop gave us a name to go and contact, saying she hasn't been to church for a long time. It was night time when we went to go and contact her, and we entered the circle where the address depicted. We had a flashlight that we were shining on the homes to see the numbers. We were looking for number 570. In the middle of the circle was this house with this BIG lit up crucifix in the middle, so they were quite obviously Baptist. We joked "Ha, hope it's not that house that we have to knock on. They don't like Mormons!" and flashed our light at all the other houses walking closer and closer to the crucifix house. Our smiles got smaller and smaller as we checked house after house and didn't see a 570. Slowly, we lifted the flashlight onto the crucifix house and saw the dreaded numbers "570". We looked at each other with wide eyes and put our arms around each other as we slowly walked toward the house. I quote Joseph Smith "I go as a lamb to the slaughter, but I am calm as a summer's morning. My conscience is void of offence towards God and man" hahahah we made it as dramatic as possible and wished each other luck. We walked up the driveway and assumed they knew we were coming because they must've watered the path as it was completely frozen over like an ice rink hahahah!!! We endured the ice bravely and knocked on the door. And it was really anti-climatic. They just looked at us funny and weren't very polite before finding their lodger who is the girl we were looking for haha. So all's well that ends well!
However, we have been sufficiently bashed this week. We had an appointment with I on Monday night and all of p-day we were nervous because he knows his stuff. Well it turns out he isn't the scary one. Whenever they say "I brought a friend along" always just assume it's their Pastor. Haha this time it was this girl from his Church who was FIESTY. She got her Bible out and she BASHED. She googled "Contradictions between the Book of Mormon and the Bible" and most of them were ridiculous. She shared lots of things with us and we were just silent, shared the Restoration message and left. Our Ward Mission Leader was there for another hour at least talking with them. We probably won't go back. It's a shame because I is great but his sister and his friend were crazy. At one point I wanted to say "Sit down mate!" because whatever we said she picked apart and we could never say anything right!
We've had a rollercoaster week with E. Last week he texted us saying he needed time. After lots of prayer we decided to text back saying how close he is and how much he is loved. He still said he needed time so we left it a few days and then bought him a picture of Jesus from Deseret Book so we would have an excuse to text him. We asked him if we could meet up because we have a gift for him. He tried to say no but we persisted and he said "The only gift I want is another lesson" so we set up a time and he proper dropped us in the lesson. We tried everything though. We had CJ give him a blessing and we prayed and prayed but E still said he needed time. So we were satisfied that we had done everything we could and let it go. Then a miracle of miracles, he texted us randomly a few days later saying "Can I have another lesson please?" so we set up a time with him and had him read 3 Nephi 11 in preparation for it. He texted us the next day with all these awesome insights into the chapter and told us why he needs to be baptised and what he needs to do to get the Holy Ghost back. It was a missionary's dream text and he asked for another chapter to read so we gave him one! We met up with him and had a really intense lesson based upon inspired questions and the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He is on date for baptism 31st January! So we are putting our all into him, he is such a precious soul to Heavenly Father. My favourite people to teach are those who have had a rough past.
We found four new investigators this week. BUT NOT ONE OF THEM CAME TO CHURCH. NO ONE DID!!!! It's frustrating. But we keep trying. One of the new investigators is from the Cayman Islands. One of them is H's friend from Hong Kong, one of them is from Burundy and one of them is actually American! Her member roommates brought her to the VC and she is super open to learning. It was perfect. I love just testifying of Joseph Smith and seeing the light click in people's eyes. One of them we found because we knocked on the door and she was cleaning out her fridge and we offered to help. There was such gross stuff in there. Milk from before Christmas and shrivelled green things that we think used to be peppers haha. We cleaned and cleaned and turned the conversation onto Christ and taught and got a return appointment haha! It was like a real life preach my gospel story ;)
We went on exchanges with the Morningside Sisters. Exchanges are taking SO long this transfer because the first two we went on, everyone got sick during the night so we have to redo those so it's like going on 7 exchanges or something! It's hard to schedule them when you're assigned to the VC! But it was a great exchange! Saw so many miracles. We got invited into this womans' house and as we were sitting at her table talking about the Book of Mormon she told us she is a polygamist!!! Only in the St George mission does that happen haha. She is part of this group from up in Draper who practise it but look normal and live normal lives. It's so different! We had to act all normal and we talked about how we strengthen faith in Christ. She said that she does have doubts sometimes and so that was perfect because we talked about how we help to strengthen faith and she wants to take the missionary lessons! It really went very well. I love meeting polygamists!
We also went knocking at this apartment complex and before we got out the car I prayed fervently that the Lord would bring the elect out of their apartments to meet us and that we would have the courage to talk with everyone we see. I said that because knocking at that time of the day is sometimes ineffective but sometimes elect. So we got out of the car and knocked on the first door and as we were waiting for it to open we heard a door along the way open. I nudged her and smiled and said "He's bringing the elect out!" and this Polynesian man came out. We struck up a conversation with him and it went REALLY well! We told him what we do and he said he would love for us to come and visit his family and teach and that his door is always open for us! SO CUTE. He truly is elect. I'm excited to see how the Sisters do with that! It was so perfect. I love how Heavenly Father answers your prayers when you are specific and when you pray in faith and go out to work.
We also saw G, remember Sister Garcia and I used to teach them. Well he said that he and L are getting married in February so that he can be baptised shortly after! I'M SO HAPPY TO HEAR THAT! He looks ready and I can't wait to see how the Lord will bless them for keeping his commandments. It's always sweet to run into old investigators and see that they are preparing for baptism.
Well we had Mission Leadership Council and Zone Training Meeting this week. MLC was good as always. It was interesting because it's the third month in a row that we haven't made our goals as a Mission and President got mad. I've never seen him like that before. But he and the Assistants told us that the mission isn't reaching it's goals because we in that room are not doing good enough. He said to not come to him saying that we didn't make our goals because our missionaries aren't doing good enough, but it's because we haven't trained them in the way that we are supposed to. Before the Mission gets better, we need to be better. He used the analogy of how in NFL if the players don't win they sack the coaches not the players, and we are the coachers. It was intense. We all sat there. But only President Center can say all that and still sound loving haha. I didn't feel scared or chastised I felt like I wanted to do better. So I am working to make my exchanges more effective and we talked a lot about why baptisms have gone down so much and we think it's because missionaries are focused on lots of things, and not just simply focused on baptism. They are focused on reactivating, on retention, on obedience, on working with members etc. We are bringing it back to a main and complete focus on baptism. So we did a big training about it with the Zone Leaders at Zone Meeting and we will have to follow up and exchange way more effectively to get there. I loved bearing testimony of baptism and how to make it a "magnificent obsession". Things will get better in the Mission. I love being focused on baptism and using every single minute to find and teach investigators. And as always, I will do better. But both meetings were powerful and the Spirit was strong. I love nothing more than being a missionary. I love training and I love being trained. Mum and Dad I wish you could come to some of these meetings to see what they are like!
We've received lots of strong solid referrals for this week so lots of potential for the coming week. We need to work on getting these new investigators to progress and to accept baptismal dates. It's always a struggle with their bag of problems but I am exhausted at the end of each day now and know I am giving it my all. We work work work work work. I have just finished my second journal and will send it home. I love being in the VC and feeling the Spirit that's there and writing it all down in my journal. Those journals are my most precious things. I am memorising 1 Corinthians 13 and it's going good. I absolutely love that chapter and it's helped me a lot to have charity on my mind. I absolutely love my mission and absolutely love everything that the Lord has helped me to learn and to become. I now don't have a moment to take for granted and am doing everything.
I love you all so so so so much
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