Angry Birds: Missionary Edition!

Happy Monday!

What an amazing week! Sometimes the days feel like weeks, but the weeks feel like days. ''

President Harding asked the Fayetteville sisters to swap companions for the next three weeks, (to the end of the transfer) so we can build up each of our areas, and to learn from one another, and give a new perspective for all of the potentials/investigators that we have so we can help them progress. I'm staying in my old area, and Sister Sullivan is my new companion. Our last names are so similar we keep calling ourselves Sudivan or Sulliweeks. It's like Sudford back in Atlanta haha! The ward is completely confused with this swap, but I know it's going to be benefiting so many lives so it's fun to have a new companion. :) Sister Warner and I are together on Wednesdays since Sister Sullivan and Freeman are sister training leaders and they go on exchanges on Wednesdays.

It was Sister Sullivan's birthday on P-day, so we were able to go to Broadway Diner to celebrate it along with some of the Laurels that go out with us and teach with us as well- so that was fun!

 

 

Happy Birthday Sister Sullivan!

 

 

I love these sister missionaries and Laurels!

I was asking around on where the sisters in the ward get their haircuts because I direly needed one super bad. One of the sisters was so excited because EVERYONE in the ward goes to this stylist and she said she'd pay for it as long as I would do what I was called to do- be a missionary! We were answering A.'s questions and talking about the Restoration as she cut my hair. A. accepted a Book of Mormon and Restoration pamphlet, and she seemed pretty open about it since she's willing to read it. We're not sure where she lives, but there's a lot of sisters in the ward that will follow up about it.

I love it when the Spirit directs us exactly where we need to be. We were having a lesson with the Davis family, and we needed a team up for P.  Brother Davis was all in once he heard we needed a member with us. Unfortunately, P. wasn't home. But Brother Davis recalled meeting an investigator from a long time ago that lived near P. and wondered how she was doing. We got in our cars and drove around trying to find her. It ended up being E's (our 11 year old investigator) Mom, A! We didn't park in their apartment complex because we turned around a lot trying to figure out where it was (and I had to get out of the car several times and make sure we backed up safely) so we parked when we could once we saw Brother Davis standing in the parking lot (we were looking for his car, not him.) As we were walking toward him, we met a guy named S. who was working on his car. He's E's neighbor, who is actually a member of the church! He thought he was baptized as an infant because he doesn't member it, but he hasn't been active in a long time. His parents are active and live in a nearby town, but we don't have record of him in our ward. We met his fiance A. L., and she's met with missionaries before at S.'s parents house. They're moving in and hopefully we'll be teaching her after they get settled. If it wasn't for Brother Davis coming out with us, we wouldn't have met either of them!

We've been teaching V. ever since I've been here. She has an awesome story because Sister Warner and her previous companion was asking one of her neighbors "Who do you know that we could share this message with?" and they told them anyone on this street, except V., she'll eat you alive! Challenge accepted, am I right? They knock on her door, and she lets them right in! She is so intelligent, LOVES to serve others, and is fascinated in anthropology. We've been going by almost every week or every other week. Last week we brought the Smiths who are an elderly couple who also does Meals on Wheels every week like she does. Brother Smith had a stroke so he can't hear at all. V. brought up some of her concerns about prophets, and also had some realizations about the Book of Mormon--she shouldn't be reading it to study anthropology, but to study it spiritually because it is another Testament of Jesus Christ. Now she's decided to read it and pray about it. I have such high hopes for her, and I'm really excited to meet with her again this week!

We were able to have lunch with Sister Brown, and her neighbor M. who had one lesson with the missionaries before. M.'s Catholic, and goes to church in Atlanta. It was awesome because I was able to have a connection with her because I knew exactly where her church was. I took pictures of it because it's one of the most historic churches in Atlanta, and it's so beautiful. We drove past it every Sunday going to church. We had a really casual but powerful lesson about family history and temple work because it's what she's interested in. We're having lunch once again this Tuesday with her since M. said she wants to learn more. The power of member missionaries!

We went store contacting in Walmart in hopes of finding new investigators. Sister Sullivan and I actually met a group of friends that are going to be moving into our apartment complex by the end of the month! We also met this amazing girl named S.. Her Dad is a pastor, and we asked her if she's ever wondered why there are so many Christian denominations. We just talked to her and figured out her needs, and she even told us that she was trying her hardest not to cry after we prayed with her. Crying in Walmart, I wouldn't be a fan either. (That was my second choice of subject title options by the way.) She said she'd be baptized if she knew it was true, so we were able to give her a Book of Mormon, and we have an appointment with her this Thursday! We've met a lot of promising potentials this week, so hopefully it'll all go well this upcoming week.

It was pretty amusing... As we were walking in for a dinner appointment, a finch attacked Sister Sullivan in the face! Okay, exaggerating a bit much. A bird hit her on the side of the head, hit the door, and flew inside the house. We didn't know there was a nest next to the front door, and we're guessing she felt threatened because there was eggs in it. We originally thought that she was injured, and we all scrambled to try to catch the bird to put it outside. It was funny since the family had a lot of little kids and they were going CRAZY. The bird wasn't injured, just frazzled. :)

We were unable to get a hold of G. (the grandmother) and her family this week. We had an appointment with them and G. wasn't there so we couldn't come in. We've been calling and calling and she's never home. Thankfully I got their home phone so maybe we'll be able to catch her sometime this week. It's hard to stop by because they live out of our tracting area, so if they aren't home we waste miles that we could have used to go to one area, and see many other people. But we're still in contact with S. (her granddaughter), so I refuse to give up hope!

E. got baptized, and it was such a great day! The Relief Society room was packed, and the entire program included boys he goes to scouts with, the Campbell Family, and people we've brought to his lessons. His Mom, grandpa, brother T., and his brother's girlfriend S. all came to the baptism. They were all excited for it to happen, and I know that they were able to feel the spirit. After E. was baptized, he was just so happy. He's an 11 year old boy so he's really not going to tell the missionaries how he felt. But as we were socializing and having refreshments with everyone he was just running around with a smile on his face with all of the kids. I could barely catch him so I could have a picture with him! 

 

 

E. and Brother Campbell

Just a few of the people who love E!  What a happy day!

I was also so excited to see that S., A. (E.'s mom), and T. (his brother) went to church as well! A. stayed for all three hours, and I think the other two had work. We taught S. (the brother's girlfriend) a little bit more about what our message is, so hopefully we'll be able to have a lesson with her and A.. T. is a member of the church, but he's very inactive so I can see great potential for this family. Their future is as bright as our faith! :)

Another T. who is a great potential investigator, has been taking care of his mother in law because she got more and more sick so we were unable to meet with him after he came to church a few weeks ago. We've been texting him uplifting scriptures, and staying in contact with him. The funeral was not last Sunday, but the Sunday before so we've been giving him some time to himself. But tonight we're having dinner with him in a members home, and hopefully we'll be able to teach him the Plan of Salvation. I pray that he'll be able to go to the Family History Lab on Wednesday, and go to church this week because he won't be on call for his job this Sunday (if my memory is correct.)

 

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We had zone conference this week (no temple sadly), and something stood out to me that Sister Harding (our mission president's wife) mentioned. She talked a lot about pioneers, and how they were just average people. But the thing is, they did extraordinary things! With the help of God, we too can do extraordinary things if we simply ask for the Lord's help, and the strength to go day by day on what he wants us to accomplish. My faith grew a lot just realizing that, and now I have no doubts that we all can achieve spectacular things in our lives.  I know that ALL OF YOU are just more than ordinary, so we ALL can achieve remarkable things in our lives!

This week has been just a change for the better versus the last month, and I'm so grateful for all of the prayers and support on my behalf. I'm truly grateful for each and every one of you, and I hope everyone has an amazing week!

-Sister Sudweeks