Transfered to Jonesboro?

Happy 11th Month Milestone Monday! :D

So last week was full of meetings and conferences! There wasn't as much missionary work going on, but it was still fruitful! :)

May I just say that I love my companions? 

 

Mama Lester took this picture when she took us to lunch at last week's P-day.

 

I had to go to the doctor's last Tuesday during District Meeting because the next available appointment was on October 15th. I went with Mama Lester all the way up to Jonesboro while Sisters Freeman and Sullivan went to District Meeting. They walked in all silently, and sat down waiting for it to start. They asked where I was and they told them, "Jonesboro... She left this morning." They were all upset that I got transferred since that's exactly how it was when Sister Alofipo was transferred- no one knew except us. They go through the motions of District Meeting, and one of the elders mentioned that it sounded better with me singing because Sister Sullivan plays the piano, and only Sister Freeman is singing along with the elders. Finally my companions couldn't take it anymore and said out loud when they got a November calendar. "Yes, Sister SUDWEEKS and I, are moving apartments on this date!" I wish I could have been there when they realized they got punked since apparently it was priceless! One of the elders said that he was so mad, and that his stomach was just churning because he couldn't believe it wasn't true. I felt so loved by my district--they love me, hahaha! :)

I was so sad because the British guy D. had just moved in, and he didn't give us his correct address because he didn't know it. He gave us directions to get there, and we tried our hardest to figure out where he lived. We were literally doing a search and rescue as President Harding would say! We got a few new potentials while doing so, but he was nowhere to be found. Sister Sullivan has tracted that neighborhood before, so she said that it'd be easy to eliminate certain houses, and that we'd be able to find him again if we took the time.

It was pretty amazing since we met the mother of this one adorable family that was a potential last week as well. Sh. opened up to us completely about religion, and her life which was very powerful. The love that she has for her family made the spirit so strong--stronger than I've felt with an investigator in my entire time being out. Her family is super busy (just as Da. and Co. her children said) and that they're never home at the same time. But as I was getting my medication at Kaiser, we saw Sh. again there and I think God was just trying to tell her that He wants us in her and her families life for a reason. :)

R. B. (the man who broke his knee) texted us last week and said that he's going to be attending his wife's home church since they had a good time there, and that we don't need to come by anymore. It's amazing how Satan can really influence someone, even if they've had a baptismal date before. His wife wasn't supportive, which probably made him not want to come to church even more.

Another disappointing experience that happened this week was as Sister Sullivan and I were driving to an exchange, Ja.'s Mom, Jac. texted us saying that Ja. doesn't want to be baptized, and that she's not going to be taking the lessons anymore. Ironically I didn't have time to write about her last week. Two weeks ago she was praying and feeling confident about being baptized, but she realized she needed to read the scriptures more to have the desire to be baptized. We still have to teach Ni. and Ja. the new member lessons, so we'll still see her.

 

 

Our parking neighbor

During the exchange we experienced a miracle that just made my day. We parked by this plane that I got a picture with  and Sister Boyer, Hendricks,and I were contemplating for a LONG time if we should knock on this house where this boy lives who is the only member, since he's living with nonmembers. Finally, we knocked on the door and met G.. She later told us that she almost turned us away, because she's been excommunicated for 15 years. She told us on the doorstep that she was hungering for us and the spirit that we bring. G. let us in and she shared her story. The night before we showed up, she had knelt down and gave a heartfelt prayer asking what she should do, and to please direct her in her life. G. doesn't feel worthy to pray because of what she has done, but she wants to come to church, but the times that she has gone she feels judged, and that people will remember her past. It was amazing because scriptures and stories were popping into my head right and left that brought her to tears. All of us were able to testify to her that God loves her, and that He would answer all of her prayers. She is going to start going to ARP so she can continue repenting, and the missionaries there will be sitting by her at church. She actually knows people in the Fayetteville Ward, and I told her to visit us here, and she said she would. :) I barely know her, but I love her so much because I felt the love that God has for her as we were talking to her.

We had Mission Council and we were able to see Meet the Mormons early! I was so excited and it's seriously one of the best movies ever I've seen on the mission. (I've seen a few.) I know "Bishop" Sullivan, who is actually now the Stake President of Atlanta. I saw the Atlanta Ward in the documentary, and I was just a giggling mess the entire time he was on the screen.  So if you're curious to see where I went to church, go see the movie and see all of the amazing people in the Atlanta Ward! If not, go see it anyway. :) We have zone training tomorrow so we get to see the film again because all missionaries get to see it early so they can promote it. We're also going to the temple so I'm excited as well because we haven't gone since August.

 

Sister Burrow's and I at Mission Council.  We were companions at the MTC!  Wonderful reunion!

An. went to the Generals Women's Conference and she is the fiancee of a less active member that we're working with. We had the first lesson with her last week, and she was SO close to committing to be baptized on the 25th of October! An. told us that she would be, but she didn't think that she'd be ready by the 25th. We're excited to teach her because we feel that she'll help J. return to activity, as well as his entire family that lives in that house.

St. and H. are an adorable couple that Sister Freeman and Sullivan have been working with for a few months already. St. is a truck driver so we meet with them every Saturday, but they haven't been able to come to church. We've given St. the Book of Mormon CDs recently, so he's finally progressing along with Hi. Bishop Waldorf and his wife invited them over for the 2nd session of Saturday's General Conference, and it went amazing! There was some bold talks in there for them considering they aren't married, and how we should follow the Lord and trust him. It was the perfect session for them to watch. We're hoping that St. will pop the question soon, since I did mention to y'all that I wanted to plan another wedding on the mission. :)

One of my favorite talks for General Conference was Elder Hugo E. Martinez's who talked about how we can all have our own personal ministry. We should discover the needs, and tend to them. Observe, then serve. One of my other favorite quotes was, "Decisions determine destiny." Which also tied into the talk from Elder Godoy who had us think about this question: Will the lives we're living now give us the blessings that are promised to us in our patriarchal blessings?  I'm going to think of that question every day to make sure that I'm doing what I need to do, so I can reap the blessings that are mentioned in mine. 

-Sister Sudweeks

P.S.  This seems like a GREAT street sign to celebrate my mission!