Anyway, this week was awesome. We had a lot of little miracles so that's always good.
THURSDAY
So we had interviews with President Smith and that was really fun! It was good getting to know him more. He is so inspired and close to the spirit. He really is so wonderful.
Then we went to the city to go to the chiropractor which was good. I'm still alive so that's a good sign.
For dinner we went to kaylees house and she made us a Ukrainian meal! And they invited two families over! Neither could come sadly but it's effort that counts. One of the families is going to start meeting with the Spanish elders though so we are excited about that. He has been working with that family for 3 years and they are finally ready and interested! If only they spoke English. But it's all good! So lesson to be learned, don't give up on your friends! Keep being a fantastic member missionary!
FRIDAY
I went on a split with Hermana Molina again and it was so good. She came to my area this time which I love because I like being the one who knows things in the area. It helps me love the people even more. We had a lot of Miracles. People who we had been trying to get ahold of for a long time we're finally home and we got to teach them. We had a couple smack down lessons with people and really told them how it is and it went really well. We also got two new investigators! One of them is super solid. Her name is Jen and she is great. I think she is probably like 20. She struggles with just about every commandment there is, but she wants to change and she is ready to change. We have to be super super bold and blunt with her and it's a lot of fun. She really listened when we tell her how it is and not sugar coat anything. We now call her every night and read the Book of Mormon with her for 10 minutes and it's really helping her. She was into a lot of dark things so we brightened up her room and threw away a lot of dark stuff. She had this creepy pendant that a past significant other gave to her and so she told us to take it and get rid of it. We took it far far away and disposed of it because it was creeeepy. Anyway, point is she needs the gospel and the devil is going to work really hard on her during this time because in the past she has easily given in. She listens to us though and is willing to act on the invitations we give her from God.
Having a zebra companionship was really helpful for Tracting as well. If they spoke English I taught them and if they spoke Spanish Hermana Molina taught them so we found new people for her area as well. It was also a really stress free day because we have been out on the mission the same amount of time and so I didn't feel so inferior like I sometimes feel even though I shouldn't. Bottom line, It was good.
SATURDAY
We visited with a few people who the elders use to teach which was good. They seem to be doing well. We also visited the family we met last Sunday. He was really nice and let us teach him about the Book of Mormon. He said we can come back but he wants time to study the Book of Mormon first which is understandable. We gave him good websites to look on for truth about it and he said he would read it and compare it to the bible. As long as he reads it, everything will be okay.
We went to the Wells (the less actives we helped with the flood) and they gave us thank you gifts! They are the nicest. We told them they didn't need to get us anything but they said they felt bad and wanted to show how grateful they were. I'll send a picture.
We went and tried a "coxinha de frango com catupiry" which is pretty much a Brazilian style chicken roll up that has a fried outside. Pretty much it's chicken and cream cheese inside of a dough ball and the outside layer of the dough ball is fried and the inside layer is still dough. The elder from Brazil kept telling us to try it so we did. It was actually really good. Really unhealthy but really good. I bet Sam probably likes coxinhas.
Oh ya, and it was Free slurpee day!!! Wahoo! Buuut I didn't get any :( sister groberg doesn't like slurpees so she wouldn't let us. I tried looking for one all day so we could just stop by but I never saw one. Sad day. But I hope you all got them!! :)
SUNDAY
We went and did a media referral look up named Taylor. Well he is probably like a senior in high school and happened to be outside playing basketball when we walked up. We started talking to him and it turns out that his friends referred him to a bunch of churches as a joke. Well the joke turned on his friends when two girls showed up to teach Taylor. He loved us talking to him. Just kidding but he really was super nice and said he would love to read the Book of Mormon to find out what it's about. He knows and lives by 3 really solid families that are in the ward and one is the bishop. So we are going to go back and try to teach his whole family.
Later that night we tracked into a man named Edgardo. Well Edgardo also knows two families and he said that one moves around a lot because he will call him and he will be somewhere different every time. But he thinks he is mostly in Utah. Well it turns out that he knows the Gay family and the father is Robert Gay of the seventy so that explained traveling and Utah haha and then the other man he knows use to be the bishop of the Newtown ward (that's the ward the meets right before us). So edgardo knows two solid families. Both invited him to church and he went both times. He loved it and he thinks they are great families. He wants us to go back when his wife is there so we can teach them. Pretty much, he will be baptized in due time.
The whole day was Member missionary work at its finest. Members are key. We are just hear to help. So keep being awesome friends and setting good examples because you never know when the missionaries will tract into your friends!
MONDAY
We had an awesome district meeting and then went to do some service for a family that moved yesterday. Then we headed to the Chiropractor. Sister groberg got some X-rays and she is really messed up as well.
While doing another media referral look up there was a family that drove by and waved and then they came back and the man said "I think you guys knocked on my door!" So we were just like "oh really? Awesome! What did we teach you? What did you think?" And he said "It was 7 months ago. Ya I remember you two. It was around 7pm. Do you remember us??" Haha we get that a lot. He hardly spoke any English though but he was nice. We referred him to the Spanish elders.
Another thing we get a lot is people calling us "sister elders." A lot of less actives call us that because they are familiar with elders and use elders like missionaries. If that makes sense. Either way, apparently we are the sister elders!
TUESDAY
We took Kaylee out with us for a few hours and we were able to see Jay from the Philippines and teach him! He is back from his business trip in Texas and ready to learn. He has been reading the Book of Mormon and his prayers are incredible. They are so sincere and bring the spirit so much. He is awesome. We got his address back home so we could send missionaries to his wife because they are going through a hard time. Jay wants to live here for a better life but she doesn't want to so he wants the gospel to help them see the eternal perspective of their family.
We also met with Dan and Dan! I think I told you about them. Dan was an investigator from the elders and his son, Dan, is 13. His mom Just died so he just moved in with his dad and it's been hard. They are going through a lot and the dad is wheelchair bound. But we had an awesome lesson and read from the Book of Mormon a bit with them.
While finishing up dinner at this little cafe we love, this man named ray came up to us with all these questions. He really wanted to know and understand faith and God. We talked to him for about 40 minutes. It was really cool to see his whole demeanor and countenance change. He went from being fired up and confused and having all these questions to quiet and calm and at peace. It was cool to see him really feel the spirit as we began to testify and teach him. He went away knowing a lot more than before and we left him with a cliff hanger about the plan of salvation so that he would have to meet with missionaries again. He spoke Spanish better so we referred him to the Spanish elders.
WEDNESDAY
Today we are going to the Statue of Liberty! It's for sister Groberg since she is dying (finishing her mission) in 3 weeks. I got dragged along because I'm her comp. oh well, it should be fun!
So I was thinking about how neat it would be to actually hear the voice of the Lord or hear the spirit whisper to me an answer or warning or anything. I have never had that experience where I actually heard a voice. I always seem to receive answers other ways such as through thoughts I have or things others say etc.. Well a couple days ago I was doing an activity in a preach my gospel chapter 4 under the section titled relying on the spirit and the scripture that stood out to me most was D&C 18:32-36. I thought of it differently this time and looked at how if I put myself in that position then It talks about how understanding the scripture is hearing and knowing the Lords voice. Verse 36 in particular says "wherefore, you can testify that you have heard my voice, and know my words." I really liked that because it confirmed to me that I don't have to literally hear a voice to know (even though it would be cool) but that I already do know and I have heard the Lords voice in a way that I understand. We can all learn the Lords voice as we study the scriptures and His teachings to us. It truly is incredible.
Overall it was a great week. A lot more happened but of course, I can't write it all as much as I try sometimes!! The gospel is true. Life is fantastic as a missionary! I love you all so much!! Have a great week! Xoxox
Love,
Sister Tanner <3
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