We got real hot Texas weather this week. So that has been a good adventure. It's been over 100 most days. Friday it was 106 and 92% humidity. BLEH.
Last Monday, a member in our ward wanted to buy Sister Aumua new shoes because hers were dead. So we went to Famous Footwear to look. Sister Aumua ended up finding 2 pairs of shoes, and I found a pair also! $15 dollars! Woot. Dr. Scholl's. I forgot to take a picture, but they are cute and grey. The members here are really good to us. We also went tracting last Monday for a while. We had met this really nice guy named G* the night before while we were riding around on our bikes. So we tracted into his house and were able to talk to him for a while about missions and our church and stuff. A couple of his friends are on missions right now, so that was really nice to just chat for a while. It's really enjoyable when you can have a conversation with people and they don't treat you like the dust of the earth!
Tuesday was ROUGH. We knocked doors for 2 hours and only talked to like 2 people. We had a lesson with B* our investigator about the gospel of Jesus Christ and she really liked it, but she is going out of town and her Senior Citizen activities are picking back up along with her church activities. So, she sadly told us to come back in October. That was really sad. Then we met with J*. He is having some serious doubts and questions at this time, so there was no baptism this week, unfortunately. But it is okay. Hopefully we will be able to help him by not pushing him too much and by teaching him to search for his own answers. We are definitely walking on delicate ground over here, but it is all good. It was just a hard day. But we did watch a great video called Come unto Christ. Here's the link. https://www.lds.org/youth/
Wednesday, ZONE CONFERENCE. Yay! It was so wonderful! I got to play the piano again for the meeting. I can't even express how happy it makes me to be able to play the piano for meetings. It seems like the simplest thing, but it is always a huge blessing whenever I am able to. We talked ALL about working with members. The previous mission president, President Durrant, really focused on being exactly obedient and working really hard. President Taylor isn't trying to change that, but he is just adding more light and knowledge to that. So we are really going to focus on working with members and all striving together to build God's kingdom. We will be spending more time with members and building relationships of trust with them. I'm super excited! I've always felt like the numbers are important, but I've felt like the people and relationships behind those numbers and goals are even more important. I am so happy that this is the direction that President Taylor, and ultimately the Lord, wants to take with the Texas Dallas Mission. We also received training on how pride is the great stumbling block between us and God's kingdom. If we lower ourselves into the depths of humility, we will be blessed. I am praying to have more charity and love for all the people - my companion, the ward, the investigators, and the random strangers I come in contact with every day. Another highlight from Zone Meeting is that sweet Sister Parkinson bought me the most ADORABLE necklace from a store called charming Charlie. It's SO cute. It's a little tiny gold elephant that matches my elephant bracelet. I love it. Sorry, again, I didn't take a picture, but just imagine in your mind that it is adorable.
We like to call this mission the Texas Dallas Heaven. It truly is heaven here. Hot heaven, but heaven none-the-less. I had the confirmation this week that is EXACTLY where I'm supposed to be. The people that I meet, my companion, my ward, President and Sister Taylor, everyone and all the experiences that I'm having are EXACTLY what is going to make me the best Gretchen that I can be. (Sometimes it's really weird to use my first name. Ha.) I am so blessed.
On Friday we had dinner with a lovely family in the ward. Their son served his mission in Guam Micronesia and was home for the weekend. So he made some delicious food. Coconut tortillas called titias and some sort of meat mixture thingy called kelaguen. Super yum.
We found some new investigators! D* and C*. They are originally from Taiwan. Sweetest little couple ever. We taught them the Restoration of the gospel. C* is still learning English, but D* was able to help translate. Sister Aumua had a sister from the ward come with, Sister White. It was just a wonderful lesson. After we shared the first vision, we asked D* and C* what they thought about it. C* said that she believed it because she knows God loves us enough and has a plan for us and wants us to know what we should do in our lives. She figured that Joseph Smith wouldn't lie about it and that God really did speak to him. So that was amazing! When we were getting ready to go, I was really doubtful if we should go. We were going to have to go really far out of the way to see them, but we ended up going and I am SO glad we did. We will see them again this coming week.
Saturday night the Sisters in the zone (4 comps) got together at a park and chalked the plan of salvation! It was so fun! We just drew out the plan and put scriptures and pictures. We would talk to people as they came by. It was a really enjoyable finding experience.
During Sunday School yesterday, I felt so inadequate and so tired. I didn't even know what to do. It was bad. Especially because Sister Aumua and I were teaching. After class, a sweet lady, Sister Hawkins was talking to me and helping me figure some things out. I haven't been sleeping super well and just the stress of trying to be a good missionary has been wearing on me. So I'm going to try to be easier on myself and just focus on what I'm doing well.
We had a delicious dinner last night. A quinoa, cous-cous, cranberry, and almond salad, homemade pesto and ravioli, and crockpot Italian chicken. YUM. It was great. Then after dinner at our next appointment, a kind lady brought out heaping platefuls of banana pudding. Because I am the most polite person on the planet, I ate it. Every last bite. Sister Aumua was laughing at me the whole time because she knows ... such is the life of a POLITE MISSIONARY. ha.
The Assistants to the President gave a challenge to the new missionaries. We were supposed to see how many names and faces we knew in our ward. So at church and looking at the ward roster, I knew 190!! They were really impressed, but sadly I didn't win the competition. Sister Head, who covers two wards, got 201. So, I put up a valiant fight. But I am still really proud of myself. :) Haha.
We taught 8 lessons with members present with a total of 11 lessons this week! We worked super hard, even though our baptism was delayed. It's been a good, hard, long, wonderful week.
In other news, this is the last week of the transfer. I seriously can't believe it. It's pretty much just crazy sauce. I don't even know.
I can't remember if I've already told you this, but study Doctrine and Covenants 6. Wonderful section. My favorite verse is verse 36. "Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not."
I love you all so much.
love,
Sister Gilbert
1 comment:
So fun to hear what is happening! thanks for sharing!
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