Tuesday, August 18, 2015

Week 5--Half Way Through Training

Week 5 :)
So basically this week was amazing! It went by so fast!!! I can't
believe I'm on my half way mark for training:) We had our last
district meeting with Elder H and during the meeting my mission president
called us out one at a time for our interviews! It was so good to
see President Johnson and his wife this week, they can always
brighten your day! I love President Johnson and he always knows just
what to say. He works so hard to help us missionaries and truly loves
the Lord.

We also had Zone training and a zone activity this Wednesday which was
really good! We talked about The Book of Mormon and how important it
is in conversion. The Book of Mormon is what truly helps us come
closer to Christ and endure to the end. I have a new found love for the
 Book of Mormon and I get so excited to read from it each morning! 
I know that there is true peace and joy that can only come through the 
Book of Mormon.

We contacted our referral from Church Headquarters, the one that we
brought a Book of Mormon to. We were pretty nervous about what he would say,
but when we called he was super nice and said that he read the whole
first chapter of the Book of Nephi!! Oh man I was so happy to hear
that he had actually started reading! He said he wanted to read the
rest of it before he met with us to discuss it, but that is totally fine
by me, if he's actually reading. I mean the scriptures can teach him a
hundred times better than I can:)  I just hope and pray he'll keep
reading!

We were able to finally have a lesson with one of our less-active ward members
that we've been trying to get in contact with for week s and it went
so well. The spirit was so strong and I really grew to have a true
love for this woman. I know Heavenly Father is aware of each one of us
and the things that we are going through. He sure is aware of Sister
B:) She said she wants to come to church, but she is worried that
people will judge her for smelling so strongly of smoke. I told her
that church is like a hospital and that if someone is sick at the
hospital and coughs, we don't ask why they coughed, because you're at
a hospital where people need help. It's the same thing with the church.
We are all spiritually sick and seeking help. I know there will always
be people who judge, but maybe that is the "sickness" they are working
on. We talked a little about the talk, Latter-day Saints Keep on
Trying by Elder Dale Renlund. It's such a great talk and if you
haven't read it, you totes should :)

The stake has put together an addiction recovery program and they have
two service missionaries who run it, but they also wanted all of the
missionaries in the area to attend as well. It was such an incredible
experience to see how the Atonement can truly heal each of us. I loved
hearing the experiences of the people there and how they had such a
strong desire to change. It reminded me of that talk, Latter-day
Saints Keep on Trying and where he quotes President Thomas S. Monson
by saying, “One of God’s greatest gifts to us is the joy of trying
again, for no failure ever need be final.” It's so true and as we
really turn to our Savior I know he can help us overcome anything!

Service at the ranch was brutal... once again! Sister Hokafonu said
they didn't used to do such labor intensive work until the new elders
and I got there. The lady that runs the ranch probably took one
look at me and thought, "Oh man, this girl needs some work" haha!
Elder R was really sick so the elders couldn't come with us...they
only missed sweating out in the sun while shoveling rocks into this
huge crack by the barn wall! Let's just say I was really tired when we were
done with that project ;)

We had a pretty busy Sunday and had a few appointments with some of
the less-active members we've been working a lot with. Sister R
is turning 86 tomorrow, which she's not too happy about... She's a
funny lady, yesterday was the first time we were able to stay on topic
for about half the visit, and I think she's actually considering on
coming to church after not having gone for like 35 years! It's a
serious goal of mine to get this lady back to church! I know it will
bless her life so much and she won't feel so lonely all the time if
she knew more of the ward members. The hard thing is that we think she
might have early dismissal because she's having a really hard time
remembering anything. But she will go... One of these days :)

Well I hope yins have a great week! Thank you for all of the prayers,
I truly can feel strength from your prayers and support!


Lots of love- Sister Douglas;)

We made Elder Hunsaker a cake out of Tastykakes doughnuts that he loves. Haha
good times! It's going to be so weird without him here! 


Scripture Power :)

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