Sunday, January 19, 2014

It Must Be Something In the Water

1-13-14

I guess since you asked about the water situation... I'll start out with our day in Charleston on Friday. We only spent the day, not overnight. The WHOLE mission got to come and see Elder Nielson. He is HILARIOUS!!!! As the meeting began, before it really got going, one of the AP's was announcing a few things and as he was about to sit down, Elder Nielson gets up randomly, gets this big smile, and looks out at all of us and all he says is... "Exclamation point!" He's my new favorite general authority. And yes, we drank bottled water. 

This week has been full of miracles because Sister Pierson and I have got our heads in the right place and we are being SO obedient. And it's been amazing, we have seen so many blessings that I know are directly related to our obedience. We found a woman to teach this week, and her name is I----. And it's an experience I will never forget. We were trying to contact a referral we had gotten, and we finally found her, but she was totally uninterested. When we contact referrals, President Pitt has asked us to knock on the doors of the homes right next to the one we tried to contact, and right across the street, We call it 2 by 2ing. We were in a slightly sketchy area of town, and after we left the door of the referral, Sister Pierson asks me, "This is kind of a bad part of town... and right over there is where we saw that party… do you think we should 2x2?" She obviously didn't want to... but this feeling just came over me, and I thought of my district leader in Kentucky, Elder Higley, and thought of him bearing his testimony of 2x2ing and doing what President has asked of us, and I knew we had to. And so I said, “I honestly feel totally fine.”  This doesn't sound crazy, but I never really question anything Sister Pierson says. Like. Ever. She is so great, and always knows what she's talking about... and she is the senior companion.  I said,  “C'mon. Let's do it. And so I, without thinking, walk over to the house to the right. I just walk right up and knock on the door.... and I wasn't afraid. AT ALL. Which was even more weird, because, let's be honest, knocking on doors still scares the crap out of me. I thought I would get over it one day.... but I doubt I ever will now :) . But at this door, I wasn't even scared. I knew I was supposed to knock on it. Then something else crazy happened. When the woman answered, a weird thought about Preach My Gospel went through my head, and how we need to focus on the message of the restored gospel, so at the last second, I changed what I was going to say from something about Christ, to "Hey, we're missionaries from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and we were wondering if you would like to hear a message of the restored gospel." That is such a lame door approach! Super cliche. I have no idea why I had the thought to use that. Until the woman looked up at me and said, "Yes. I would. Come in." 

THAT NEVER HAPPENS. No one ever just lets you in to give them a message! Ever! But she did. And we taught her the restoration. The whole thing. And at the end, she cried telling us how she's searching, so hard, for something more. And she said to us, "This just might be it." There wasn't a dry eye in that room.

I'll write more in a letter because I have tons to say! We've worked so hard this week! Love you all!!! Pray for I-----!!!




No comments:

Post a Comment