Monday, January 6, 2014

Merry Christmas to all!

December 23, 2013

I don't know how much I want to tell you about this week because I get to talk to you guys so soon!!!!:) I'm getting a little stressed about things to say so have a list of questions and also all the news for me ready! I only get about 40 minutes, so keep me in check cause I know I'm going to want to for longer.
We have been teaching a woman named Alice for a few weeks now, she is old, black, and so sweet. We love teaching her, she just trusts us so much for some reason, when we told her about the spirit world or something I asked if that's what she believed and she was confused at the question and basically said, "if you say so." I get a little nervous about people like that who just so readily accept everything because they need to have their questions answered and find things for themselves through the spirit to be converted. But then she came to church on Sunday, and it was so good! She loved it. The Gospel Principles lesson was on Temples and Family History and she expressed how she always wanted to know where she came from and how she has a picture of her great great grandmother, "and she don't look black, and I got a picture of my great uncle too, and he don't look black either!" So she is already excited about family history and baptisms for the dead. We have a lot more to teach her but she is just so kind. There was a few tornadoes on Saturday, the missionaries in Monroe had no electricity and it was too dangerous to go out, some of the city got tore up, but we got a full day of work in. There was just one time when it got scary but we had just walked into Alice's house. She thanked us for coming, "even in the trrrible weather."
This week was bad and good with Christopher and Rebecca. Christoher did some backsliding one night, and had a minor heart attack the next so that kinda threw everything off. But we were able to meet with Rebecca alone for the first time, and it was so good because we could get such honest answers and he wasn't there to answer for her, or teach her. He does a great job, but we needed that lesson with her, did I mention she's only 21? The good news is she is thinking about doing the wedding on January 14th! So soon!! When we committed her to baptism last week it was a little rough because Christopher got frustrated with us for getting her hopes up about being baptized soon when she can't until they get married(and they didn't plan on getting married until March or April). She is back to her form though less than a month after having the baby, I seriously think the Lord is helping her drop the weight. Lucky duck...
Something funny is that Sister Taylor, same person I'm skyping from, read us the Night Before Christmas Cajun, it made me miss Dad reading it, but she did it pretty well since her accent is half way there anyways. 
I have just been loving the season SO MUCH! It is so great, I wish it would last longer, feels like Thanksgiving was yesterday. We've been really busy and haven't been able to do as much Christmas tracting as I would like, but what we have done has been great. People's hearts really are softened at this time of year! 
When we start/get in by sharing a Christmas message, this is what we share from President Uchtdorf--
like the Wise Men of old, we should seek the Christ and lay before him the most precious of gifts... we bring as gifts our best efforts to move ourselves, one foot in front of the other, walking in the ways He has prepared and taught. 
He extends to us many gifts in return every day. he promises to be with us, to come to us when we need comfort, to lift us when we stumble, to carry us if needed, to mourn and rejoice with us. Every day he offers to take us by the hand and help transform ordinary life into extraordinary spiritual experiences. 
That was super paraphrased but I just love it. No better time to serve him!

No comments:

Post a Comment