We changed our p-day to today so that we could go to the temple! And it was
fantastic!! After 15 months without the temple...wow it was nice to get
back there! The Seattle temple is HUGE! It looks a lot like the Provo
temple on the inside. There's like 4 escalators...it was great. The peace
we felt as we walked in was...for lack of better words: awesome. It was fun
to sit in the Celestial room and think about all those we work with one day
being there and feeling the peace that comes from the temple. Yay!
Anyways...it's been non-stop work!! Busy, busy, busy!! Many investigators
have made great progress, we have had great member support in our teaching
efforts, and we just don't have enough time to do everything there is to
do! It's great! I wish I could put into words the things that happen each
week...for this week I will send a few pictures and give 'em captions. I
mean, a picture is worth a thousand words, right?
Picture 1 *Andy*: We called and asked Andy if he could come to a few
lessons with us one evening last week. He agreed. Fast forward to an hour
before the appointment. We get a string of texts that say:
*Hey. Bad news. *
*Steph and Jeff are going to be using the car for mutual.*
*So I won't have a car to drive myself to the appointment.*
[At this point we are a bit bummed and thought he wasn't going to be able
to come...but then...]
*But it's ok.*
*I have a bike.*
*Send me the address and I will map a route to get there.*
We thought he was kidding...but he wasn't. He biked to 2 different lessons
to help us out. Oh how we love members! Especially ones who are willing to
sacrifice and go way out of their way to help in this work!!
Picture 2 *Sandy*: Sandy is the 5 year-old daughter of Olivia and Apolinar
(investigators). Their whole family came to church for Father's day and it
was awesome! It has been such a blessing that we have recently been able to
teach them all as a family. Yay families!:)
Picture 3 *The Irfan Special*: Yesterday we had a few hours before a lesson
with David (an investigator), so during our dinner time I told Hermana
Richey we should run into Subway and buy some cookies to take to David's
(because he likes cookies). So we go in and the guy who makes the
sandwiches asks what sandwich I want. I replied that I will make his life
easy--I just wanted cookies. He looked at me a little funny, then proceeded
to get the cookies I requested.
As he did so, I saw that his nametag said 'Irfan' and I thought of a
classmate I had in Elementary school with that name that was from India. I
told him this (that I had a friend named Irfan from school). That comment
for whatever reason seemed to make him very happy (he was also "Irfan from
India") and we talked a little as he rang up the bill. He gave me the
cookies and I took the receipt and left.
As we were walking out to the car, I got the district impression that I
should have shared more with him. Anyways, we drove to the church building
where we had our next appointment, but I told Hermana Richey that I felt
like we needed to drive back there. I was driving, so I didn't even wait
for her response and started driving back.
We walked into the Subway again and Irfan was gone. WHAT? We had only been
gone 10 minutes. We then found him in the back getting ready to leave. I
got his attention and told him that I came back because I regretted not
getting a sandwich because he seemed so good at making them. He seemed
delighted that someone would request such a thing.
I figured it couldn't hurt to make him feel good about himself. He asked
what I wanted. I said, make me the best sandwich you can: an Irfan special.
He paused. "Really?!" He lit up. Really. I said. And then he went to work...
Oh my goodness this sandwich. It was chicken with every single condiment
and literally every sauce Subway has to offer...I kind of cringed as I
watched him make it, but I figured the few bucks was worth letting him feel
good about himself.
He finished the sandwich, beaming and proud. I paid and gave him a
Restoration pamphlet with an invitation to an event the mission is having
on Sunday. He was delighted.
I hope it turns into a good referral for the Elders...but oh that
sandwich....
More pics to come!!
Hermana Clark