Happy Monday Morning!
I hope you all are having a good start to your new week, it's March already! I seriously can't believe how fast the times is flying. I have officially been on my mission for over six months, but I still feel like I just started, and that I have so much I want to do in ONLY a year! I seemed to think that if I went on a Mission I would come home a perfected, angelic being like everyone else seems to. So, please don't get your hopes up! I still feel pretty much about the same, which I don't know if that is good or bad. I was happy with myself before, so I guess this'll have to do. I really have gained a testimony of goal setting, hard work, a positive attitude, relying on the Lord, and so much more. I've been able to understand more personally how all of these things are so important, but I'm still not perfect at any of them yet. I think that is the point though. We have to learn that we can't do anything without the Lord's help- we reach up to Him and he reaches down to us. We have to do everything we can, and THEN it is by his grace that we are saved after all that we can do. So, if any of you get frustrated with yourself, (wow, this just got cheesy) just remember that the Lord is there to help you. My companion and I have thought a lot about this during this past week. For some reason, we got jaked alot this week (jake means like cancelled on). I think I scheduled over thirty meetings this week, which is just about everyone in our Area Book that could meet with us, and then we received only 16 meetings. Our mission goal is to get 20 meetings each week. However, my companion and I worked so hard this week that we both started feeling really down with all the cancellations, like, do they not like meeting with us? Are we a burden? Blah blah blah... So, we just kept working though and used up the extra time to contact this week and call people out of the Area Book. Sunday comes, and we called a less-active I have been working with here in Chili for two transfers now, Alla. Every week she promises to come to Church, and every week she doesn't show up. So, my companion and I call her and tell her we will be there at 12, we've called like this before and she always says she is sick, busy, etc. But, this time we tell her, not ask her. So, we go pick her up and she's ready to go! I couldn't believe she was actually at Church, neither could a lot of the members. Then, an investigator we contacted on the streen, Natalia, shows up and brings her friend who is also interested! Then, another investigator I contacted on transport comes, and loves it! So, we had four people at Church yesterday! I feel so lame for being so excited about four people, becasue I know it doesn't sound like a lot, but for us it was pretty much a miracle. I know we can get even more coming too. The members were so impressed, and I could tell they were excited by having four new people at the branch. And, I could tell they started to trust me and Sister Hansen more, which is so important. I'm sure they think me and Sister Hansen are just two really young, inexperienced, American missionaries. They're always nice and come on meetings when we ask them to, but I'm sure they which we were more experienced or Russian. Anyways, about five or ix different people came up to us after Church and thanked us for all of our hard work and service, and that they were so proud of us for having four new people at Church. Sunday, yesterday, was such a little blessing for me and Sister Hanson after a long week of rejection. So, I think that is why I wrote the things I did at the beginning of my letter. When you start getting down on yourself, look for the other opportunities around you. I know the Lord had another plan for us last week, he wanted us to find people. So, like they say, when one door closes, another one opens! So anyways, we have two new investigators this week, prospects of more next week, and one baptizmal date with the Chinese guy again. He wasn't ready for his last date becasue of the language barrier. He believes and follows all the commandments, but sometimes we get the impression that he has no idea what we are talking about. So, he should get baptized soon, but we want him to have all the scriptures in Mandarin before then. Just so we can know he knows things for sure. The investigator I contacted on transport is named Lev. He is GOLDEN. He believes everything we say, and is so prepared, he doesn't even drink! That's a big deal here. He's about 28, successful, and searching for truth, which is key. The members befreinded him so well at Church yesterday, and I know he just loved the experience. The day we found him on transport was a day we got three jakes. We were so bumbed! But, lo and behold, we found him. If we hadn't been jaked, we would have gotten on a different bus that day. So, like Kimball said, I'm starting to really see the little "entanglings of the Spirit". Such sweet spiritual experiences every day : ) Ok, gotta go! Love you tons. I'm doing well and am SOOO EXCITED for the warm weather! Hope all is well back home.
Dad, the story of Mom just made my cry from laughing! I can just picture it happening. Mom, thank you for being you haha! I can't believe I missed HB's record month of sales and Meesa's Phil concert weekend. Sounds like everything is going well. Carrie, don'e get sick! And, thanks for the Olympic updates. The Russians all seem pretty disappointed around here, especially becasue Pluwenko (sp?) didn't get the Gold. He's on the cover of all the tabloid magazines and seems to be a pretty big national icon here. He's on billboards for Nivea too, I can tell you that : ) That's the extent to my Russian current culture though, tabloid covers and billboards. Dad, I hope all is well with you and you're busy calling! Mom, I'm sure the models look gorgeous and I really do want to see pictures if/when you get a chance. Cassi, A girl! I rote you a letter that expresses all my excitememnt for you and Kelly. Kimball, you're awesome, hang in there.
Could some one give me Victoria's email address, home address, or SOMETHING? Mom, what you said about a testimony of the BOM is so true. It really is the keystone of our religion.
Love you all,
Sister Hakes
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