Hey all!
This week has been a bit...rough. But, ya know, just a day in the life on the mission. It can't all be upbeat and fantastic! Otherwise, it'd just be boring! :)
We had a couple pretty cool things happen, though. Heavenly Father definitely blesses our diligence. Often this week, after a whole day of struggling to see ANYTHING happen, after appointments falling through, no one being home, people being awkward (more awkward than me, and we all know that says A LOT) and cranky, He would bless us with a wonderful tender mercy. Tuesday, we went on exchanges. I stayed here and Sister Johnston came - I was companions with her my 4th transfer, when I got transferred to Port Orchard. It was WAY weird to spend a day with her. It was like a blast to the past, but it was really neat to see all the changes the two of us had made. She was way surprised to hear that not only were we going to be walking around nearly all day, but that we were going to be doing extra knocking as well. I kinda fought pretty hard against two of those things at the beginning of my mission...haha! I don't think it was an exchange of great learning - or really of great miracles - but just a fun time, where we were able to reflect on the past year of our lives.
Thursday was our park day. Since we've been walking around so much, we didn't really dread it like we normally do. It pretty much was like a normal day! Until: Sister Bayles has started having some MASSIVE back pains. She has some struggles with her back at the beginning of the year, but she thought she had gotten past it, but it flared up again. So, it was way hard for her to just walk around all day. Then, literally everything fell through, and NO one was home, except for a few cranky people who told us we weren't allowed to solicit in their community. Good thing according to state law we're proselyting! But, that evening, we went to go visit a less active family. Lo and behold, their non-member nephew was home, and sat in. We gave him a Book of Mormon and invited him to learn more. He isn't sure yet, but he said he'd read it for sure. He's about 18 and has lots of Mormon friends. I'm pretty confident we'll hear from him, soon. If not, we always have an excuse to visit his family!
Another pretty cool experience that we had happened on another night where we were just fed up. We visited everyone that we could think of visiting, and it was that awkward time of 8:40, when it's still to early to go home, but too late to just knock on someone's door who isn't expecting you. Sister Bayles just starts driving somewhere, not really with any specific direction, and I'm just absolutely fed up with not talking to anyone all day. We see someone and I turn to her and say, "We're going to car contact that guy." She says, "I've never done that before." I tell her I've only done it twice before and I hated it. So I roll down my window as we pull up next to him and I'm like, "Hey! I've got a question for you. Do you know anything about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints?" He says not really and then we proceed to give him a Book of Mormon, tell him a little bit about it, exchange numbers and then drive away, with our minds blown that something like that just happened. Just the fact that I did that just blows my mind. It just goes to show that Heavenly Father convinces us to do things we normally wouldn't when we are desperate. That was purely led by the spirit! Car contacting is not something I do just for fun...in fact I hate it. But, that was a pretty cool thing that happened from it.
We've found a couple of other pretty hopeful potential investigators this week, so we're hoping something good will come from that.
I'm not going to lie, it's been a little bit of a difficult transfer for me, but it's comforting to still see the tender mercies from God and the signs that He is doing His work, even if it seems like nothing is happening from what we are doing. And that's what matters! God is going to use our efforts, as long as we remain diligent. We have to do, in order for Him to use us.
It blows my mind that this transfer is coming to a close. It's the last week! transfer calls come this weekend! I think I'd take a few more difficult weeks if it meant I could prolong this transfer. Next transfer, a lot of sister missionaries that I've grown close to are going home. President and Sister Weaver are going home. There's just a lot of change going to be happening...and we all know I don't like change! haha
But, it'll be good. And things will still be awesome! Another really cool thing that happened this week: we got to teach mission prep yesterday! It seriously was just the biggest pump up ever! I loved it! I loved to just be able to express my love for the Gospel and for missionary work to youth preparing for a mission. Just a year and a half ago I was in their shoes. Crazy stuff! I now want to teach mission prep when I go home (mom, dad, you should tell President Johnson! haha!) But it just helped to just fill me with an intense desire to just finish my mission strong. To just go out and work till I drop, each and everyday. Because I'm so lucky! We are so luck to have the Gospel. It's the best! I love it!
Thank you for all you do to help me out, out here. Know that I'm so grateful, and that I'm loving my mission. It's the best thing ever! Love ya'll!
Sister Beth Ann Root!
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