I couldn't have even predicted this week, even if I tried!
So
it was really amusing as we stopped by this one family who was formerly
taking the discussions. We were talking to the Mom for a good minute on
the porch, and we brought up Galatians 5:22-23 about how you will feel
when the spirit is testifying to truth to you. She asked, "Oh, is that
in your Mormon Bible?" Sister Buhler and I paused and looked at each
other because we thought that she was joking. Then we replied that it
was right before Ephesians in the Holy Bible... It was a bit awkward,
but she told us that she'd read more of the Book of Mormon, and that we
can call her in a few weeks to see what she thinks about it so far.
We
had dinner with the Reynold's family, and Brother Reynold's came by and
they brought their GT Mustang convertible that's a 'California Special'
because only 300 cars were made in the entire world. They thought it
was going to be the 'boy missionaries' and they were slightly
disappointed that we were girls. Little did they know that I L♥VE Ford
Mustangs, and I absolutely fan girled when I saw the blinkers and all
that jazz. They let us take a ride in it, and we told his Dad that we
couldn't be in the car with a male, so Sister Reynolds got in the front
and took pictures of us. It was the best ride of my life! The epitome of
windblown hair.
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| Loved the ride, which made the hair so worthwhile! |
Ya
know that phrase, "I was born a (insert religion here), raised a
(religion), and I'm going to die a (religion)?" Well, I guess since I'm a
true Southerner, I was born a trio, raised a trio, and now I'm going to
die a trio! I'm like a Utah missionary (sort of) because Utah
missionaries are over stakes, but now we're over two wards- Covington
and Conyers. It was crazy because when I was told that I was going to
stay in Covington my last transfer, I kept having this feeling that
certain people in another area needed my testimony to progress in the
gospel, and now technically I have four areas. :)
Elder
Savage (an AP) called us and asked if we were sitting down on St.
Patrick's Day, because he had big news for us. Come to find out, Sister
Ramirez's greenie, Sister Hill got her visa to Mongolia (the same
mission that Elder Mulder is going to) and is leaving the next day. I
took Sister Ramirez's place in Fayetteville, and now we get to go back
and forth between the two areas. We have two apartments, two phones, two
companions, and too much fun! There wasn't a sister that could take
Sister Hill's place, so now we get to be a trio for the next three weeks
and to see many mighty miracles, we're already seen a ton! :)
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| My two awesome companions-Sister Ramirez and Sister Buhler! |
We got an
air mattress from the APs, and I used it the first night and it felt
like a water bed, except it wasn't. I probably got the worst night sleep
my entire mission because of that deflated air mattress. Sister Buhler
has been sleeping on the floor since!
So we got an air mattress from the APs... Except it really didn't work out too great.
So
the coolest thing happened as we were weekly planning. A man named
Chris called us who lived in Georgia five years ago, and referred us to
his friend Ri. who's ready for the gospel. He gave us his number, and
where he worked, so we called him right away. Ri. asked us to come to
his work, and so we did 15 minutes later. All three of us taught briefly
about the Restoration, and invited him to be baptized, and he accepted.
We taught his entire family on Saturday, and his wife Mi. was a little
more leary about the Book of Mormon, but they all accepted to be
baptized if they knew it was true. I'm sad because they committed to
come to stake conference yesterday, but didn't. We were hoping they'd be
baptized before I left because they have three kids, but I guess
they'll get baptized after I leave!
We
stopped by J. when we were in Covington, and the spirit told us that
she read the Book of Mormon and prayed about it, and found out it was
true. But the sad part was that she's afraid of change because she's
been Methodist her entire life. J. asked us not to come over 'all the
time' since we've done our job, and she knows where our church is
located if she ever wants to check it out. I told her that I was leaving
soon and if it was possible that we could visit before then. She agreed
and said that we could come by every now and then, but not too often.
Thankfully J. said that she was still going to continue to read the Book
of Mormon, and we referred her to her neighbor who was a do not
contact, because she majored in comparative religion, which is something
J. is now interested in due to us coming over and teaching her.
Sister
Ramirez has been working with this part member family since she's been
in Conyers, and she helped baptize the Mom and the youngest daughter. We
stopped by to see Jo. and Ma. which are teenagers to help resolve their
concerns on why they aren't baptized yet. The parents weren't home
because they were out on date night, so Jo. and Ma. were really able to
open up to us about how they don't feel perfect enough to be baptized.
They already answered all of the baptismal interview questions when the
rest of the family got baptized, and they answered them all correctly.
The spirit was really strong in the home as we testified about what the
word perfect really meant, and how it's through grace and the Atonement
we're made perfect through Christ. It was exciting because they're now
on date to be baptized this Saturday, the 28th! The parents came home,
and now the family is on board to help them feel like they're ready to
be baptized, and to read the scriptures every night as a family. :) We
went by last night to play Jeopardy with them about the first three
lessons, and Team Burrito won (That's for you Uncle Daniel!) We went
over the baptismal questions, and they're ready for their interview
today!
We
had stake conference in Jonesboro this week, and had a YSA conference
at 8am before it started on Sunday. It was SO embarrassing because I
forgot my name tag because it was raining, so I put on a cardigan before
I left, but forgot to put it my name badge on! We met Elder Zwick of
the Seventy, and I got to shake his head and tell him that I'm not
Sister Ramirez, I had forgotten my name tag my first time ever my entire
mission. He laughed and reassured me that my countenance shone brighter
than any name tag. Best comment to make me feel better that my name tag
said Sister Ramirez on it! Apparently he knows the Sudweeks family that
works with a printing press (Jenny Sudweeks?), and he's friends with
them. Elder Zwick talked about how the YSA age is the greatest rising
generation that the world has ever seen, and then referred to the
missionaries as young spiritual lions as he was speaking to the stake,
and that's a pretty cool analogy to call missionaries as. :) Elder Zwick
met with Jo. and Ma.'s family on Saturday, and he offered to seal them
in the Atlanta Temple in 10 months from now. How sweet is he?! :D
Va.
and Sha. came to conference, but apparently Sha.'s job at Waffle House
doesn't fulfill the requirement for a job to get married, so we're still
working on them getting married. Va. didn't get the yellow dress at
Goodwill, and I'm pretty worried because apparently one of her cousin's
friends is making her dress.. It's in two weeks and people can hardly
make wedding dresses alone. Hopefully meeting with bishop this week will
help the wedding planning come along smoother. We taught them the last
bit of the lessons, and now we need to fast and pray that the wedding
will go through!
One
of the things that the Zwick's talked about during conference was,
"Don't allow the world to get into your heart." and I've really been
thinking about how I'm going to continue to have the spirit with me
after I go home and adjust to being home. Satan's influences are in so
many things, that we all need to be leery of what we're choosing to
allow into our thoughts, lives, hearts, and actions.
Love y'all!
-Sister Sudweeks
P.S. Sister Hill and I. She's not allowed to wear her name tag and missionary
clothes because of anti Mormon propaganda in Mongolia. She's an
authorized English teacher
P.S.S. Random picture that Sister Buhler got. We ran after the guy and he became a new investigator. Sister Buhler had to park the car
Love the last picture!! Priceless.
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