achieved standards of excellence and surpassed all the goals we had set for
the week before. In doing all of it, we just had a lot of fun. We taught
lots of lessons with member support, many people accepted the invitation to
be baptized, found many new, great people excited to learn about the
gospel, and had lots of people show up to church. Hard work well worth it!!
First things first, my new companion in Hermana Harmer! She's from South
Jordan, Utah and has been out almost 6 months. She was Hermana Richey's
companion in the MTC and was trained by Hermana Mohr in Marysville (where
Hermana Richey is now). Hermana Mohr and I basically just did a comp swap.
She's super fun and we laugh a lot and work hard. It's great. She's
literally just like my best friend...so it's awesome. Like serving with my
bestie. Can't beat it!
I don't even know where to start on this week...I will just share a few
things...
We had a lesson with the a member's uncle who has come to church for two
Sundays. We set up an appointment and brought our new branch mission leader
and his wife to the lesson with us. Oh what a lesson it was...So here's the
story.
We initially had asked for the branch mission leader and his wife to come.
The day of the lesson our BML (branch mission leader) called and said he
was going to work late, but that we could take his wife. So we did.
We got to the lesson at 8:15 right on time and began to teach. We had begun
teaching the Restoration and the BML's wife's phone kept going off. The
investigator finally just said, go ahead and answer it. She did.
It was her husband trying to find out how to get where we were. Then they
hung up the phone.
We resumed teaching.
Approximately 3 minutes later, the front door flew open and our BML bounded
through the front door, crazy hair and dirty from work, but super excited
to be there. He plopped himself down on the couch and we resumed teaching.
We began to teach about the Savior's earthly ministry and lead into the
Great Apostasy. We asked the investigator a question and before we had a
chance to respond to his answer our BML chimed in.
He basically retaught everything we had already taught from the beginning
while adding much detail and teaching just about every principle known to
man...To give you a feel for what he was talking about...
"...Our father, Abraham, paid tithes to Melchizedek. The higher priesthood
bears his name, the Melchizedek priesthood. Now, this priesthood originally
was called the Priesthood after the Holy Order of the Son of God, but to
avoid vain repetition, they changed the name to "Melchizedek priesthood..."
As he is continuing his discourse, we see flashing red lights outside the
trailer. Didn't think much of it. A few minutes later they get brighter and
brighter. They turned around and noticed it was the tow-truck, or the
"grua". Everyone got a little anxious and got up to go see who's car was
being towed, but our BML didn't seem to by phased and continued teaching.
My companion and I were secretly praying that our BML's car was being towed
so he could stop talking and we could get things back on track.
Another person that was with us jumped up and went to see what was up.
Well, turns out it was the BML's car getting towed and the guy motioned at
our BML to come so they could try to move the car before it gets towed.
Prayer answered...we thought.
Our BML continued his discourse as he ran to the door. We thought he was
going to have to go out, but the other guy offered to move the car, so he
tossed the keys, and without taking a breath, scurried back to the couch
and continued his discourse.
Despite the many added principles and details and the tow-truck incident,
he managed, in his 20 minute discourse, to eloquently link everything
together and end up right at the Apostasy where we had left off.
We took the opportunity to hurry and finish the lesson. We invited him to
kneel and pray with us, be baptized, and left in a hurry to get home on
time.
What a first lesson. But it worked. The Spirit was there. And he wants to
learn more and be baptized. All good.
Member referrals are the best.
We are also working with the sister and nieces of a member of our branch.
He has been working with his sister for a long time and finally felt she
was prepared and ready and introduced her to us. She's fantasic. He has
done a great job preparing her. She is so excited to learn and is willing
to anything to just know. She's excited to get a confirmation of the
truthfulness of these things so she can get baptized!
Hmmmmm...who else. Oh!
Luis Verde. His real name is Luis Lopez, but his favorite color is green,
so I call him Luis Verde. The last week I was with Hermana Richey, we were
in a complex contacting people and Luis was dribbling his basketball down
the sidewalk back to his apartment. We stopped him, taught him the
Restoration right there on the sidewalk, invited him to learn more and let
him on his way.
He mentioned to us that he had felt different since he met us.
I had a second lesson with him with Hermana Richey and introduced to him
the Book of Mormon.
We have had 3 lessons with him since Hermana Harmer has been here and he is
reading the Book of Mormon, the pamphlets, and using the Gospel Library
App. He asks great questions and wants to come to church so bad.
He continually tells us how different he feels. Yay for the Spirit! We are
having a family night with him and another family in the branch tonight. It
should be great!
We did some fun contacting in a complex on Saturday. We had only planned to
be there for an hour, but ended up being there about 2 and a half hours. We
only actually made it in to one apartment to teach a lesson (which actually
turned out great-she's now a new investigator). There were just so many
people outside that we contacted and taught outside for hours. It was so
fun. Yay!
Well...it really was a great week and there were so many more great things
that happened, but I will have to close for now.
Here's my challenge this week:
Work hard. Go the extra mile. Leave no regrets.
I promise you will feel more invigorated, reach your goals, and feel how
pleased heavenly Father is with you.
Have a great week!
Hermana Clark
Exhausted after reaching standards and goals
Hermana Harmer and I
Luis Verde