"Don't do anything stupid"
That's what our district leader tells us on Sunday every week before P-day. Soooo....we decided to take a break from doing stupid things (like we ever:) and planned an uber boring P-day: cleaning....grocery shopping.... emailing..... laundry.....blah blah blah.
MY WEEKEND WAS FUNNER
But really. We had 5 investigators at church AGAIN!! Ah!!!!!! We also had a sister from our ward who's been less-active for over a year and a half, come back to church for the first time!!! We go and help out at her food pantry every week, and just a week before she came back we were wondering, "Is this all worth it? It doesn't seem like we're getting anywhere with her."
Yet, lo and behold.....the very next week, she came back to church! In Relief Society, she announced herself by saying, "BAVINA's BACK IN THE HOUSE!!" We love her:) It's crazy.....we as missionaries experience just as much joy over a less-active coming back into the fold, as we do an investigator!
This week's been another roller coaster ride.......yeeeeeaaaaaa.
Tuesday night, we come home to find our apartment FREEZING COLD. Needless to say, sleeping that night was miserable. (The high for the day was -2 so you can imagine what the LOW for the NIGHT was.....GAH!!! BRRRRR!!!!) Despite attempts to fix and seal the window....our apartment would not. get. warm.! We had ice all over our windows, snow and frost on the ledges, and even our butter on the counter stayed solid!!! Finally, the next morning, we called our ward mission leader and asked for help locating a space heater to borrow.
Well........lezzzzzz just say we turned into a ward charity case.
hahaha! Seriously, our ward is the bomb. Multiple ward members offered blankets, window sealing kits, space heaters, and even food:) gosh, I love em! The following night was h.e.a.v.e.n.l.y......I guess you don't appreciate warmth until you don't have it:) Thank the stars for amazing wardies!!!
And lest you think I didn't have a run-in with the police this week.....lemme assure you......yep, I did. For the first time, though, we didn't hit them up....they hit us up. Yeeeaaaa....ya guessed it.....I got pulled over:/ wahhhh ....wahhhh.....wahhhh...
On Friday, we set up a teaching appointment with Margaret and invited Sister Woodbury to come with us. Turns out, she and President were both able to come.....PRESSURE!! hahaha! We actually LOVED having them there! We taught Margaret the law of tithing, and she accepted the invitation to live it! The Spirit was very strong....and so is Margaret's faith!! She's an elect and we love her!! (She's experiencing some really challenging difficulties right now--Satan's trying everything he can before she gets baptized! Please pray that she will find help and that her problems can be resolved soon!)
We got to teach Evan and Yolanda this week as well. We told Evan and his younger brother, Emmanuel (age 6) the story about Joseph F Smith and his reaction when mobsters questioned his religion: "I'm a Mormon! Dyed in the wool, true blue, through and through!" After we were done, Yolanda asked Evan, "So, Evan, if someone comes up to you at school and says, 'Evan, you're a MORMON?! That's stupid! You actually believe in God and Joseph Smith?' what would you say?" Evan thought about it for a minute and then said,
"I'd say, YEA I'M A MORMON. YOU GOT A PROBLEM WITH THAT?!"
Oh man, I love that kid!!!!!!!!!!!! Seriously, they're never gonna leave my heart! They are SO precious to me!!!! Love 'em!!! It's beautiful seeing their simple testimonies grow and become stronger! They're going to do great things for the Lord!
Dawon is still doing great! He's not yet converted to the idea of becoming converted:) but we're working on it! We got to teach him in a member's home this week and the Spirit was a.m.a.z.i.n.g.! Noticeably stronger!!! And the members are really fellowshipping him and answering his questions when we can't be there:
AMULEK PRINCIPLE, MAYBE?! Check.
I've also come to appreciate (once again) the power of the priesthood this week. Earlier this week, we had a pretty rough couple of days. Eventually, by district meeting mid-week, I felt in need of a priesthood blessing.
Our awesome district leader and his companion, one of the zone leaders, and one of the AP's, were able to give me a beautiful blessing. It addressed specific concerns and struggles I was facing and gave me clear direction on how to receive help.
I was once again reminded of how true and powerful the priesthood is!! There is no other power like it! THAT is the message of this gospel! That the power of God--THE POWER OF GOD!!!--exists on earth today! It's SO real and SO true! And the authority and power of God, when used righteously, has the infinite ability to bless SO many lives and bring peace and comfort to those in need.
THE CHURCH IS SO TRUE, I CAN'T EVEN BELIEVE IT!
But really. Just think about what being able to tap into that power means! God entrusts men to hold and use His power.....that's saying a lot for how much He must love us!
I know He loves us. You!! He LOVES YOU! And nothing can keep that love from you!
There's nothing better in the world than that!
I love ya'll too!
Onward and upward!
Sister Anna Parker
