Seriously such a great week. We had transfers so it was crazy! We moved out of the Kezele's house and into an apartment, I got a brand new missionary from the MTC to train, Sister Pohahau (po-ha-how), and we took over another ward and are white-washing that one (1st ward) as well as being in charge of 15th ward! Crazy week, but sooooo good. Sister Pohahau is great! She has such a strong desire to serve and has the sweetest testimony. She is from Tonga and is so great! I love her already and she is doing awesome. She doesn't even need me haha. I am so excited and privileged to be working with her. #lovethosepolys #islandfever :) P.S. Her grandma was super close to Elder Groberg from "The Other Side of Heaven." How cool is that??
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| Sister Pohahau |
Since we took over another ward that we know nothing about, we have been trying to meet people from the ward. People have been so great to us already. We met with our Bishop and Ward Mission Leader and we have a better feel for the work in this area. The sad thing is, the Elders that were in this area before weren't working with or teaching really anyone. They had no investigators. So we are determined and have faith that we will find the people Heavenly Father has prepared! Miracle: So we have been praying all week as we have been meeting people, that we will have the Spirit with us and that we may be led to find those people who are prepared in this area. We hadn't come across anyone all week, even though we were working so hard and praying and fasting. Then at dinner last night and at our new Bishops house we got 8 new referrals of their friends and neighbors. 8!!!! We were so excited. Even though we don't know what will come of each of those names, we feel like it was such a blessing and an answer to our prayers. Heavenly Father is like,"Okay, I gave you the names of the people I have been preparing. Now what are you going to do about it?" We are going to contact them and convert them, that's what we are going to do!!! Yeah!!! #overexcited #ilovebeingamissionary #tendermercies.
So we moved into an apartment! It is pretty nice and big. We like it so far! We are still on bikes. Since our area is bigger now it takes us so long to get places. From one end of the area to the other it is a good 40-50 minute ride #burningthosecalories #legsofsteel #poorSisterPohahau. We are still figuring things out in our new area, but we love it so far! We have met some great people and have been able to help people and do service. It is so great. It keeps us busier with two wards! And we love it. We go to both wards on Sundays now. And we have lots and lots of meetings on Sundays. #ijustwannawork haha. But it is all good stuff. #6hoursofchurch #doublethespirit #iloveit. And since we didn't know we were taking over another ward, we have two dinners every night. One from both wards! Yay! #i'mgonnaneedthatextrabiking. Haha. I know I say it in every email, but I just feel so blessed to be here and for this new opportunity and responsibility I have. It has been incredible and I can feel the Lord blessing us each day.
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| Goodbye Sister Nieto |
Spiritual experience of the week: So we teach this less-active lady named Sandra. She really wants to come back to church and learn more, but doesn't have the support of her family. We teach her every Saturday. We had the most amazing lesson with her this week. We have been talking a lot about faith and acting on our faith. We watched the video, "Finding faith in Christ" with her. She cried through the whole thing and the spirit really touched her. We had this whole lesson plan about faith and different things, but I felt really impressed just to testify of Jesus Christ. As I testified, I felt God's love so strongly for her and He told me that He wanted her to come back home to him after this life. I testified of God's love for her and of Jesus Christ and His sacrifice. I told her that I knew she was a daughter of God and that He loved her and wanted her to come back home to Him. I cried and we all cried and it was incredible. I have never felt God's love for His children so strongly or so clearly in my life. That is truly what this is all about. God loves ALL of His children so much and He trusts us to help them and to love them and to serve them. it was incredible. It is experiences like those that make all the hard time worth it. I love this and I am so privileged to be a part of this. I know this Gospel is true with all my heart and I love being able to share that with people and to testify of how it has blessed my life each and everyday. My testimony has grown and there truly is no better work.
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| Sister Dodds. I love her! |
This week in my studies I have been reading the book "Our Heritage" about the history of the Restoration of the Gospel. There is a story in the book of when the Saints were fleeing Fayette New York because of the persecution. Lucy Mack Smith, mother of Joseph Smith was to lead the exodus of the Saints to a safer land. When they got to the boat they were going to take, it was completely frozen into the lake and there was no way the boat was going to budge. The Saints were worried and didn't know what to do. Lucy Mack Smith said,"Brothers and Sisters, we need to have more faith. Let us call upon our Lord who has given us so much." And just as they began to pray they said they heard a "thundering" and the ice parted just enough for the boat to get out into the open water. And just as soon as they passed through the ice, it closed back up again. What an amazing example of faith. I have been studying a lot about faith recently. I think sometime it is easy to lose faith because we don't see these huge "miracles" everyday. But faith is key to everything. Especially as a missionary. I need to have more faith and I really have learned that as I have studied about it. Sister Pohahau and I have talked a lot about our goals and what we want to see happen this transfer. She has so much faith and is such an example to me of faith in the Lord. We KNOW miracles are going to happen and we know that if we work hard, and have hope and faith He will lead us to His children who are prepared to hear the Gospel!
I am so excited and so incredibly happy. I haven't felt this happy in my entire life! I love it and I am ready to take on this new challenge and adventure. I am so grateful for Sister Pohahau and the opportunity that I have to train her. I think my favorite part about training is being able to serve someone else and to help them. I definitely don't know a lot and I know I am not the best missionary, but I know that through my example of hard work and obedience, she will learn how to become the missionary the Lord wants her to be. I think the most important thing I can do to help her is to teach her how to love the people. That is the most important thing you can do as a missionary is to love and to learn how to love in a perfect Christlike way. Thank you so much for all your love and support. I feel your prayers everyday. I love you all! Make sure to keep 1st ward in your prayers that we will be able to find those people! Have a great week.:)
Love. Sister Bigs
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