After 2 Hrs Tracting; Froze Nose, Froze Toes, Froze hair, Don't Care
Monday, February 10, 2014
Twas a Wonderful Week 2/10/14
On
Tuesday I contacted this guy and it was amazing. Most spiritual contact
ever. So we've discovered bus stops. And so, we had nothing else to do
before we went in and we went to the bus stop to contact. There was this
really nice African American man standing there and I approached him
while Sister Andrus approached another person. He began talking about
how it's sad people use religion as a barrier. They allow it to seperate
themselves from other people, etc. And he said that it's just
confusing. So, I began talking about the apostasy and Joseph Smith. I've
never felt the spirit so strongly while reciting the first vision. And I
didn't even have to ask him how he felt or anything, he just looked and
he said, "That's real stuff. No gimmicks. That was real. I could see it
in your eyes. I felt the spirit." ! He knows what the spirit is! Then I
felt like I could just shove the Book of Mormon in his hands right then
and just scream I was so excited. Of course, I remained calm and
described the background of the Book of Mormon and then gave it to him.
He wanted me to put my name it saying from: Sister Smith, To: James. I
even dated it just in case. It was really cool.
Then on Wednesday we taught a lady who is a single mom
with two sons. She's super tiny, like Ashley's size and really sweet.
We brought this wonderful woman with us and it went really well! There's
more to her story, but once we get all of the information on Thursday
I'll email more about her next week.
We had dinner with a family that is active but
they're really struggling with their testimony. I connect with the wife a
lot and it's awesome. So we'll be having dinner there this week and
have another lesson. I love this family, I feel really comfortable and
myself when I'm with them. And they have a 16 year old daughter that is
hilarious! she reminds me of the teenage girl in Dan in Real Life.
Don't know what else to comment on. Shahrad's lesson
was really good this week. He's solid. He'll be baptized. He's probably
the most committed person and he doesn't even speak English. We
absolutely love him and he loves us so it's awesome.
Love y'all
Sister Smith
Deep Freeze in the Deep South 2/3/14 Roswell GA
This week went by so fast! I don't even know what happened.
So
Tuesday was cool. We all got a call from President telling us that we
cannot drive after noon because a snow storm was coming in around then.
So we had district meeting early and then went to lunch a little earlier
than usual. After that we parked our car at the apartment and were on
foot. So we tracted while is was snowing. My hair was froze, that's
fine. And my toes were froze. But it was fun. I seriously love the snow.
I know everyone else moans and complains about it, but California probs
includes just loving the snow. AH it's so pretty! And white and clean, I
just loved tracting in it.
Anyway,
basically when we got to the last house on the street we got a call
that we all had to be inside and not walk anywhere. So we went inside
and I tried updating my journal... so boring! But I'm basically caught
up so that's good. Then we met up with the Spanish sisters at the gym.
That felt so good! To just be at the gym longer than an hour and sweat.
Happiness. Then the sisters came over and we just talked. I love the
Spanish sisters. The four of us sisters in the district all just get
along and we can talk about anything it's great.
Then
on Wednesday we couldn't drive again because the streets were pretty
much ice, especially in and out of neighborhoods. People were in
gridlock traffic for 5 to 13, sometimes 15 hours! So crazy! People slept
in Target, Home Depot, Nursing homes, you name it. It was cool though
because the next day it felt like we lived in an apocalypse. There were
stranded cars, some were against another car because they hit. It was so
cool. Then everyone was just walking around to the different stores and
stuff or to their houses because they left their cars on the freeway
and walked home. So interesting. And it was awesome because we doubled
our daily contact that day because it was so easy to just talk to people
and everyone was just so nice.
Finally
we were back on the road on Thursday. We had a lesson with that one
girl Elisabeth and it was really good. Felt the spirit. Brought and
awesome team up that got along with her really well and we had a church
tour with her on Saturday.
We couldn't meet with Shahrad this week because of the ice. :/
Then
we had a lesson with the Mayes family...! The husband has totally
changed!! He wants to come to church every Sunday and their family has
already come twice now! And yesterday in fast and testimony meeting,
Elder Scott's brother got up and spoke about eternal families and temple
marriages, etc because of his wife's death and it was sooooo good!
Definitely felt the spirit. So then everyone else testified of eternal
families and the temples and Danielle Mayes told us that she teared up a
little bit during some of the testimonies. She said it's good to be
back. They are so cool, they're from Detroit so they've got the BEST
accents! I can't even imitate them because they're so cool. I love that
family. They have the most adorable kids as well. Seriously, they're
amazing and the coolest. Everything just lined up for them. God loves
them. He loves everyone.
Then
on Saturday we had a lesson with another less active family and Sister
Andrus was totally inspired! The wife has been coming to church and all.
I just love her, she's super classy and has the classiest southern
accent. So cute. But her husband hasn't been in years. And Sister Andrus
read from Alma 5: verse 26 I believe and she asked them,"When was the
first time y'all felt the Spirit." And her husband answered first and
told us his whole conversion story. Then we offered to say the closing
prayer! Leaps and bounds my friends. Leaps and bounds.
I
feel like we work with less actives really well! They've grown so much
and it's amazing to see their testimonies restore and light up and they
really do change. It's legit and I can't get enough of it. I love the
people we work with that are prepared by the Lord. He knows all and it's
amazing to reflect on that.
There
were definitely some hard points this week, but we were totally
blessed. I love it. I love being here and I love the people we connect
with.
Love
y'all tons, love all the pictures. Tegan and her family look as good as
ever. It was weird seeing a picture of Tegan and Benji, I'm so used to
seeing all the kids every week.
So much love. The most love
Sister Smith
Working Hard in Roswell 1/27/14
This week was good. Nothing fantastic, but nothing too horrible. I like
those weeks, they're consistent and don't freak my emotions out too
much. Which reminds me, we had interviews this week and President talked
about a quote from Spencer W. Kimball or something (I'm probably
totally wrong, it could be someone else...) which says something kind of
like that consistent, steady work is better than overworking in a
frenzy and then crashing. So true! It's just like working out. It's
better to at least work out everyday for just 30 minutes than to work
out for 2 to 3 hours one day a week because that won't get you
anywhere.
Tuesday we had a lesson with a less active family. The
Spanish sisters were tracting in their apartment complex and they
knocked on this family's door and let them in and even fed the Sisters
food. So the Sisters told us to contact them. We tried and no one
answered their door, so we figured we'd try again. Well, the next day we
get a call from a lady in Primary asking about that very same
family...! Weird. And she said she had spoken with the wife and gave us
her address, which was different than the one in our area book. Finally,
we make it over to their house and talk with the mom for a good while,
just to know a little bit about her background and such. She and her
husband are converts of about 2-3 years. The missionaries knocked on
their door and that was that. They became really close to Isiah, the guy
who introduced us to Dayjah.
Well, so finally it's Tuesday and we have an
official lesson with them. We brought Isiah's brother with us because we
figured he'd be a good team up and went with that... The husband has
quite a few things he needs to work on in order to get to church hahaha.
He's holding a LOT of grudges and can't get past the fact that people
within the church are in fact imperfect... who knew?! So we taught him,
and I feel like we actually made some headway.
They told us they would possibly come to church,
which it was stake conference weekend so we made sure they knew time and
everything. THEY CAME! WHOOOO HOOOO! Honestly, I was nervous, I didn't
think they would come. So that was awesome.
We taught Shahrad, he's our Persian, and we got
through an entire lesson! Most of the time we end up answering his
questions, because he has a lot. He wanted to tell us more about himself
this week and that was way cool. Turns out, he went to a university
that's basically equal to MIT in Iran, and by his junior year when the
Islamic government took over after the Shah (so this was back in like
'79 or 80 or something) they began forcing the students to have
religious classes. Shahrad refused to take the classes and by his senior
year he could not graduate with a degree because he didn't take those
religion classes. He really sticks to what he believes in. That's why he
has so many questions, he wants to ensure that it's nothing like the
Islam he experienced in Iran. (That's not to say I'm dissing on it, I
really like the Muslim religion and what I have learned from it, but he
just didn't like what he saw back at home, which makes a lot sense). So
he's cool.
We met this girl this week that is really awesome.
She struggles with a lot and we taught her on Thursday. She cried during
our lesson because she felt like some of the answers she's been
looking for for years were answered. It was really spiritual and really
cool. We have a lot to work on with her on a many levels, but she's a
gem. (Also, fun fact: her boyfriend is the zombie that bites off
Hershel's leg in the Walking Dead).
The stake conference broadcast was awesome. Very
inspiring and lots of notes. I seriously love Elder Russell M. Nelson!
He spoke last, of course, and he was hilarious! He made so many jokes,
pretty sure I was the only one laughing most of the time, but it was
great. But he focused on the nine doctrine that members need to
concentrate on and it was such a sound talk. Nothing too crazy, just
right. He said that for fun he wanted to count the number of times
doctrine and doctrines is used in the scriptures. During this search he
discovered that the non plural "doctrine" in the scriptures applies to
the Doctrine of God, or the Doctrine of Jesus Christ, etc. And that the
plural "doctrines" was negatively associated with the doctrines of man,
the doctrines of the devil and so forth. Though he said he didn't want
us to freak out over one letter or the plurality or singularity of
either, he just wanted to point that out. Then he discussed the facets
of the Doctrine of God. Super good. Overall, I received a lot of
inspiration and have a little bit stronger of a testimony.
Well, can't think of more.
Love y'all
Jocelyn
Roswell 1/20/14
So this week was fantastic! It started off with tons of drive from
Sister Andrus and I because the previous two weeks were rough. We even
had 5 contacts on a Monday, which rarely happens. But the best day was
yesterday. I'll take most of my time explaining yesterday and its
miracle.
We met some awesome people. I love Hindus. I always leave
contacts with Hindus so peaceful. If that's what people feel when they
meet us because of the Spirit, then we're doing something right. Either
they live up to their spirituality, or culturally they just emanate
peace, but I just feel to so calm every time we talk to Hindus. They're
so cool, and typically really nice. Increased love for so many cultures
on the mission. I feel like that's why I'm in Georgia. It's SUCH a
melting pot of cultures, and God knows how much I love people and
learning about them, and He knew that I would just soak these people in.
It's just amazing. God would want us to all to worship and love
together. I think He loves seeing all the different races come together
and live among each other.
So yesterday. We had a referral the Elders gave us
from last week and we've been trying to contact them, and we said,
"okay, if they don't answer their door today we're just going to drop
the referral." And we went, and an older lady answered, and I knew that
she wasn't the contact we needed, and it turns out that the contact
actually lived next door. We had been going to the wrong address. Well,
we go over, meet the lady for two seconds, she told us to come back in
10 minutes because she had literally just gotten out of the shower (she
was still in a towel! Hahaha!). So we went back ten minutes later and
she answered. She was with her fiance and they were about to go out to
eat. We just talked to her for about 15 minutes and set up a return
appointment for tonight.
Then we called a lady that was a referral and set up
another appointment to have with her tonight. Then, we went tracting
and we tracted into this wonderful single mom of a 14 year old girl. We
taught her about the Book of Mormon and she was so intently listening!
She said that she grew up Christian, but only in the last 1 and a half
did she come back to Jesus. She said she just wants to follow Christ.
She would only need her daughter and Christ, nothing material. And we
told her that we can help her learn more. And we set up an appointment
with her to have tonight. So the cool thing is that last week we made a
goal to get three new investigators and we did not make the goal at all
throughout the week. We honestly tried so hard to ask people if they
could meet with us again and set up a time, and everyone had all these
excuses or just said to text them, etc etc. And then last night we got
three new in one hour! How does that even happen?! #blessed.
So we're super thankful. And then we had a lesson
with Dayjah last night. Isaiah came into town for the weekend because
his older brother was being endowed. Remind me to tell y'all their
story, it's so inspiring it should be in the Ensign or something. And we
had this awesome lesson with Dayjah. I don't think I'll ever forget
that lesson. The Spirit was so strong and I felt like I was with family,
with people I just knew and we could all understand and uplift each
other. It was such a peaceful feeling. And we just taught her about
faith in Jesus Christ and repentance. We extended a date to her and she
said yes, if she feels prepared. That lesson was definitely led by the
Spirit, no doubt.
Love the work. These weeks are the ones that get me through the hard ones, and it's all worth it.
Love y'all!
Jocelyn
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