Keep Moving Forward!

     Well, this week was really good! It's great to be able to get to know the area and the members better. We were also able to find three other investigators this week! Let me tell you about them.

 

     So we have this family in our ward. (They're so cool, they're Tongan!) And they've just started becoming more active again in the church. We went to go visit them to offer to teach their family, as one of their boys is preparing to serve a mission, and guess what! We met with Sister Hmm and she said that they have a non-member boy living with them that is her younger son's age. His name is David. So we began teaching him/the Hmm family! It's great! He's been receptive, but really wants to study out what he's learning. He doesn't want to commit to anything too quickly. Which is good. He's taking it seriously.

 

     We also were able to get a referral from a less-active in our ward this week! That was awesome! I didn't know him because hey, I've only been in the ward for two weeks, but we were going to visit another investigator and he called us over to go see him. We chatted with him, and asked if there was anyone we could go visit. He directed us to the neighboring apartment. She wasn't so interested, but her mom was! Her name is Robin. We've began to teach her, which has been good! She wasn't their for our second appointment though, so we're not sure how solid she is. We're excited though, and we're going to keep trying! :)  

 

    Our third investigator this week is named Heather! Ok, so do you guys remember those four investigators we found last week in the same appartment? Guess what! That's where we found Heather! Haha, I have no idea how many people live in that apartment, but it's great! :) She's the step sister of Bronco and Charlie! We were going over to meet with them, and they weren't home so we taught her instead! It was great, and she's interested in learning more! She's fifteen so she wanted to talk and pray about it with her mom. The sad thing is she doesn't live in that apartment, but she's there sometimes. So yes, we're going to try to refer her to the missionaries in her area.

 

    So yeah, this week has been kind of hard because as you can see not many of our investigators are solid. They're interested in learning more, but they have a really hard time keeping commitments and progressing. So Spencer's advice was just what I needed to hear, because we will most likely be dropping some people this week, and finding new people to teach. I've never legitimately dropped someone before, and I'm kind of scared to do it, but I know that in some situations is the right thing to do and that you can be blessed for it. So yup, more details on that next week!

 

    Things are going great with my companions! They are so awesome. Sister Morones has been pretty sick the last week. She may have to have her gallbladder taken out. :( But she's such an inspiration because she continues to work so hard even though she's in pain most of the time. Sister Winert is like that too! She has crazy migraines sometimes, but she just ignores the pain and keeps working hard! So bottom line is my companions are awesome. :) It's interesting being companions with a Sister Training Leader because she's gone to meetings some days, and two days of the week we are on exchanges! So we lose Sister Winert and a different Sister joins me and Sister Morones in Upland. It's great because I get to know a bunch of the other sisters who I wouldn't have gotten to know otherwise. Usually though we have the junior companion come with us to Upland, so it's a greenie-party most of the time in our area! Haha!

 

    I also got to meet President Hobbs and Sister Hobbs this week. They are both awesome! Wow, we are lucky to have to have them. They are from Rexburg Idaho, and President Hobbs worked at BYU-Idaho! Funny, huh? :) They are ready to come out and work. When we listened to them speak, I felt the spirit strongly tell me that they are supposed to be here. They are going to be great. :) And Mom, I think they're working on getting a new mission blog up.

 

     Things are going really well. I'm learning so much. Things happen each day that I learn from. My testimony is growing so much, and I'm working as hard as I can. There are times that are difficult, but I know that this is a great opportunity, and that I'm being stretched in ways that couldn't have happened any other way. I'm very grateful to be out here, and that the Lord trusts kids like us to be able to be a part of this amazing, amazing work. :) I've come to know for myself that "Whom the Lord calls, He qualifies." And I'm beginning to understand more and more how much God truly loves each of us. I don't understand everything, but I do know that He loves and cares about each of us so much. 

 

      I've truly seen that personal prayer and study makes ALL of the difference. When investigators don't study and pray, they don't progress, and receive answers. Heavenly Father asks us to study and pray because that is how He speaks to us. That's how He tells us He loves us, and knows us. In a way, all of us are still investigators. If we're not studying and praying personally and as a family, we are missing out on fully feeling the spirit, and Heavenly Father's love.