February 23, 2015

 

Hey Y'all!

This week has been so wonderful and I can't believe it's already Monday again! So last Monday we had a great time at Fort Pickens.

Tuesday Sister Bracey taught in district meeting on exact obedience. That went pretty well. We left a purification challenge with everyone, a 30 day fast from some things you want to change. We taught how this challenge will help them want to be obedient missionaries. Because when we are obedient we receive miracles and miracles are stellar..  We also made paper airplanes in district meeting using them as an example, if we aren't obedient the whole plane crashes if both companions aren't in on it, then all the investigators crash and eventually everyone dies!

After our good meeting we went and saw the R. We taught them about church, prayer and reading the scriptures and how this CPR saves our spiritual lives. Then we went to this steak house with this member that was really good. Pricey.. members are so good to us.. Our waitress was super nice. I felt so strongly to leave her a card and I was going to and had one in my had when my awesome companion was unified with me and she pulled one out to leave as well. We wrote her a note. That would be really cool if she got in contact with us, she just seemed so sweet and really had some kind of light about her and I really want to teach her. After that nice dinner we tried to see some less actives and we got in with one. That went really well,  we talked to the daughter about missions. She was like "I don't think I could ever do what y'all do." We talked to her about it and by the end of the lesson she was considering going on a mission. She was like "maybe I should go on a mission." The gears were turning, they are a very sweet family.

Wednesday. we did service then we  had a great lesson with J. We taught her the Restoration lesson again. Just to make sure she got it the first time. She didn't get it too much so we were very happy to teach it to her again. She is improving so much! She prayed again in our lesson and that was really great! Her prayers are so awesome and you can really feel the spirit. She also said she wants to come to church, but she works every Sunday. We told her that Heavenly Father would bless her if she would try to get Sundays off. She really has come along way from when we first street contacted her and she said she was freaked out by organized religion, to now be praying and wanting to come to church! After J. we saw another investigator briefly. She was super busy with kids running around but we got to talk, testify and pray. That was good. Then we went with Sister G's to teach R. and E. Sister G. is her visiting teacher. That went well, we taught about faith. We received a nice compliment from her after the lesson. She said that her and her husband think we are a really great companionship and we teach well together and are good missionaries. That was really nice.

We had dinner with the M. Family. Their kids are so adorable!  The youngest daughter S. started to play with my hair and put it up into a ponytail, it was really cute! She  just really wanted us to play with her. She walked up to us and was like "You wanna paint my nails?" Sadly we had to leave.  Then we were able to go to the church and meet with a less active member there. We haven't met him before.  He went on his mission to Jamaica but has been home for a while, he is married and has a teenage son. We were able to get to know him.

Thursday we did planning and had dinner with some members, really the members here are so awesome! We then had a WONDERFUL member present lesson with B. and his son D. 

We taught them at the church. We did a church tour with them and that went really well. The son was very interested we asked them to pray about baptism. They agreed to, then one of the members that came with us asked the son to pray, at first he said no, then he was like "I don't know how to pray", So we went into the other room and sat down and taught him how to pray we were like ok one of us will pray then you pray then maybe your dad will pray.  B. said no to praying because he is super shy but D. said the prayer and it was amazing! The spirit was super strong and I think it really touched B. to hear his 13 year old son pray. I love being a missionary!! It is just so amazing to see how people really do change, we do get to experience these wonderful miracles everyday and being able to bring people closer to our loving Heavenly Father and our Savior Jesus Christ. It truly is amazing! 

Friday we had lunch with Sister Y. Then we went to see a newer convert to the church, Sister S. we then went to see another less active and she wasn't home so we went and tried to contact a referral. They lived in the back of this really long dirt/sand road, we knocked but no one was home and while we were leaving we got stuck in the sand, Sister Bracey was driving and I got out and pushed the car..  should of taped that.... hahaha but we were stuck in about at least 6 inches of sand, it was pretty exciting. We then went and tried to contact another referral but she wasn't home..  We then had dinner with a older single sister in the ward. Then we saw a less active family that we haven't been able to see before. The spirit was so strong in their home, it was really neat! They lost a daughter in a car accident about 2 years ago. (I had forgotten about that and Sister Bracey didn't know) but we ended up talking about families and how they can be together forever and how through Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father we can get through trials that we all face in life. We can find happiness and joy through them. When we got to the car I said to Sister Bracey "did I tell you about their daughter?" She said no.. it was truly inspired. It was really neat because the mom is here from Hawaii and she just thanked us for coming over, they came to church on Sunday! They hadn't been in over a year, it was so wonderful to see them, they are a very soft spoken family. He and his son and his mom are members the wife is not yet!  After that great lesson with them we had movie night! We had a big turnout this time that was really good, we watched some bible videos on the life of Christ. 

Saturday we did service for Sister K. the older women we ate with earlier. Then we had a really fun time at volleyball. Oh, I made a cake for the Elders to give to this guy who bought us pizza, it was the Elders idea. They just wanted us to bake the cake, it turned out pretty good, I think, who puts gummy worm smiley faces on a cake... this gal.... hahahaha
Sunday we had 3 investigators attend church with us. Some old ones that haven't been taught in a while. We were able to set up an appointment with them. Their dad is a member but they are just waiting for him to become active so he can baptism them. They are I think 13 and 11 and also E. J. is coming to church every week but doesn't really want to take the lessons right now because she is still dealing with stuff from the passing of her husband. We are giving her the time and space she needs, but we are still in contact with her. Oh, we got to go into the cutest primary class on Sunday to help K. R. out with his class, he asked us to come in and just bare our testimonies to them. Six year old boys are so cute! haha also the teachers  were so cute with them. I should have recorded that. haha... After church we did studies, then we to Pensacola to speak at a YSA, FHE. I spoke on the gift of Charity and Sister B. talked on taking the next step in life. That was interesting.

So today we just received a phone call from the assistants...... and found out that Sister B. is getting Emergency Transferred to Pensacola :( She will be leaving tomorrow.. I am so sad about that. My new companion is from South America. That will be really cool, I will let you know more about that next week. We don't have many details yet. I love y'all so much! Thanks for the support and the love! 

Love, Sister Hannah Seegrist