Okay! What an awesome week!!! :) :) haha it all started with last P-day, which was sooo much fun! We got so much done! aaannnd.....I box died my hair! hahaha and it actually turned out really well! :) Sister Walborn is a total boss and did it for me, and she did a great job! :) and then we got to go to Sister Greenways house at 4. She invited us over to her house to learn how to make applesauce! It was sooooo much fun!! Sister Greenway always makes such yummy food, and she is so creative! so it was so fun to go into her home and see how she does things. We had a lot of fun peeling the apples and cutting them up while we were having great conversations! and while we were waiting for them to finish boiling she taught us how to make a really yummy crisp desert! It is such an awesome thing to be able to go into all of these different members homes and see all the different ways they parent their children, and achieve different things in the home! I hope that one day I will be half the mom that these amazing ward members are. :) I've had so many wonderful examples in my life and I'm continually learning more. :)
Tuesday was a lot of work around town, trying to meet with former investigators and potential investigators, we got to talk to quite a few people but we didn't find tons of success. We did get in contact with one referral that we have been trying to find forever! So that was a huge blessing! and then after a day of really hard work we got to go to Sister E's house! :) She's such a rock star! Her and her husband made us a really yummy dinner and we talked a lot about a lot of different things that are going on in their lives. They are such a cute sweet couple! They both served missions and they taught us so much, and offered wonderful words of encouragement to help us continue in the work. :) They just rock! I wish you all could have been there. Sister E is such an example to me, she is so down to earth and soo willing to heed to Gods will. She is so patient and kind, and she is such an amazing missionary! she's so willing to allow us to have lessons in her home, and come out with us when we are in need of a member at a lesson. She is such an example of hastening the work. She was asking us the names of our investigators so she could listen to the council given in general conference to pray for each of the investigators in our area by name, to help us with the work. She is just awesome! I want to be like her when I grow up. :)
Then, on Wednesday, we were soooooo blessed!!! We got to have an awesome day listening to Elder Mervyn B Arnold of the Seventy, and his wonderful wife! Oh my heavens!!! talk about a spiritual feast! I was so thankful for the uplifting words they spoke! They gave us so much guidance and council on how we can be doing a better job at working with our priesthood axillary leaders, and others to be hastening the work. Sister Arnold did a meeting with all of the sisters to kick off the morning, and the words she spoke just sunk into my heart. She was giving us so much council and scriptures that offer help in times of need...when we're struggling. And she used an analogy that I loved...she said, "like the chicken in the egg...we cannot live without the struggle." We have to have struggles and trials to learn and become who we need to become, and often times, its not until after our trials have passed that we are able to look back and see what we've learned. She told a story about a man who was hired to work...and the man that hired him told him to push this bolder with all of his might all day, and after a few days the worker became discouraged and went to his boss and told him, that he had just been trying his hardest, pushing and giving every last ounce of effort to push this rock and it just wasn't moving....and then the boss told him....I never told you to move the rock. I just told you to push it. Holy cow did that hit me! I thought that was the coolest thing! It's so easy for me to get discouraged, because lets be real...I'm really impatient, so when I'm working my booty off trying my hardest, and I'm not seeing the effects right off, its easy for me to get down on myself. But...that's not the point of our work. the point is to work our hardest to "push" the work ahead...to be obedient, and to be trying all that we can, talking to everyone, and being an example and ambassador of Christ at all times. That's the job. Heavenly Father helps us take care of the rest. And Elder Arnold gave us so much advice and council. Ugh, I wish you all could have just been there to hear how amazing his words are! I took a lot of notes. :) The thing I think that would be most beneficial to share with all of you though, was how important members are in missionary work. We can't do it without you! He promised us that the more you have members at your lessons...the more baptisms you'll see. We really need all the help we can get from members. :) You all rock! I wish I had more time to share more with you....you should look him up on lds.org...he's got a few conference talks. I'm sure they're extra awesome! I haven't gotten to read them yet, but you better believe that I'm going to read them in the near future! :)
Oh my heavens!!! I'm out of time...but remind me to tell you a funny story that involves locking the keys in the car....:)
I love you all so much! and I can't wait to hear from you!
Love,
Sister Thomas. :)
