The Zone Leaders we work with:
Elder Hendrickson, Elder McCrudy, Elder Kamya, Elder Hainsworth
This week contained two exchanges. and I am so glad we are
done for the transfer! It will be nice to have a week break. Tuesday I was with
sister Elms. She is serving in Picayune. we had a really good day. We met some
awesome people who had great questions. I think that is one of my favorite
parts about missionary work, answering people's questions! Because it really does
change the way that people think about things.
Exchanges with Sister Elms
Wednesday we had dinner with our ward mission leader,
Brother Sones. That was a lot of fun! It was right before our correlation
meeting and he cooked mashed potatoes, gravy, and roast!
Thursday we were on another exchange and i got to be with
sister Winkel. She came out the same time I did and went to Snow college. We
had fun talking about our missions and experiences at Snow. She is an awesome
missionary and i got to learn a lot from her! I was so glad that we got to
go.
Exchanges with Sister Winkel
Friday we had another good day of tracting where we got to
answer a lot of people's questions. That alone helps me feel like a good
missionary!
When we got home that night it was pouring rain. Side
story... I really like to watch people from our window... i don't know why but
it like to know who lives around us and what cars they drive. Anyway the people
who share our bedroom wall are really loud. They are always yelling and mad...
at like 3 in the morning. It is awful. Sister Garry and I have been talking
about going over, then sharing the gospel with them. And when we got home we had
an opportunity to do so! She had left her truck window down. So we were going
to go over, ask her if she was the one who drove the red truck (didn't want her
to know we stalk them), and then tell her the window is down. So we walk over
and they are sitting on their balcony. We just yell up, ask if it is their car,
and then informed them the window was down. We walked back to our apartment and
watched from the window. Well she never rolled it up! I was so mad haha just trying
to be nice and get to know them so we could share the gospel and it didn't work
out... ha
Rainy Days
But i think that Saturday was my favorite day. We started by
trying potentials. We went to a lady sister Garry had tracted into on
exchanges. She wasn't home but her daughter was, she was older and just
visiting. She mentioned that there was a lot going on and she didn't know where
her mom was. We started to introduce ourselves and she goes, "Yeah, i
know, i met you at the Exxon." Well me and sister Hartley had met her one
of my first days in this area! We asked if we could share a message and she
said yes. We just shared 2 Nephi 2:25 and bore testimony that God loved her
and wanted her to be happy. By the end she was crying. She was eager to go
inside and so we just left her with a pamphlet. But it was cool to watch as the
Lord placed us there the same time she was so we could share a needed message
with her.
Then later that day we decided that we would go tract in the
really rich part of Diamondhead. We had prayed to know where we needed to go
and that is were we felt we were needed. It was really hard. People in
Diamondhead don't like us there very much as it is, so tracting in the ritzy
part made me nervous. We tracted for about 30 minutes and the few people that
answered the door made it clear we were not welcome. With five minutes left we
met Ruth! She was the nicest old lady. She didn't let us teach her anything but
she told us that her husband had dementia. We were able to bare testimony that
her husband would be resurrected with a perfect body and that they would see
each other again after this life. We got to talk to her for a good 15 minutes
before we had to go. But we gave her our number and told her to call us if she
needed any help. She was so appreciative of us coming and we were so glad we
listened to the spirit!
That night we went and taught Inia with sister Patrick. She
is the one that came to church two weeks ago. She enjoyed church and enjoyed
listening to our message. But she let us know that she was happy where she was
in her own religious beliefs. But she committed to read the Book of Mormon and
pray about it. And that is all we ask!
Sunday I spoke on seeking the best gifts. It was really
great to prepare. I read a talk from LDS.org while preparing. It talked about
how we are here for one reason, to prepare to meet God. The material things
don't/ won't matter. I shared the experience of when we did LIFE for youth
conference and had to drop all the material things at the door. Then i spoke
about setting goals to acquire those gifts. It was a great topic to
study.
Beauties of the South
That afternoon we went to contact a referral. That didn't
work out so we decided to tract the surrounding streets. We knock on this man's
door and invited him to a ward party. He didn't seem too interested in that but
says, "Are you going to leave a book?" Uhh... never had that response
before. He had friends that were members and had been wanting a book. Well
turns out we were given a referral at the beginning of March and the address
was wrong. But this was him! We found him tracting and were able to give him a
Book of Mormon. His wife was sleeping so we couldn't teach him but we will
definitely be going back!
Later that afternoon we went on splits with two members. I
went with Sister Grover and we were able to contact a less active sister on her
visiting teaching route. Sister Garry was with sister Clowers... well i thought
they were out visiting.. no everyone else was in on the plan but me. It was all
a ploy so they could set up a birthday dinner for me! The made steak, mashed
potatoes, and salad. With an awesome "better then anything" cake! It
was a great night.
Happy Birthday to me! Thanks to the Clowers
and my awesome companion!
With all the wonderful things that happened we had a not so
happy thing happen. Leighann decided that this church wasn't for her. She had
done some research and decided that it wasn't all true. She of course still
respects us and was very kind about everything. It was just hard to see someone
you have grown so close with turn away from something that means so much to
you.
But i know this church is true, with my whole heart. I know
that God loves us. and i know that Jesus Christ is our Savior. i am so grateful
for the experiences i am able to have on my mission. As well as the amazing
people that i get to meet.
Hope y'all have a great week! Thank you for all the birthday
wishes and gifts you have sent. Love y'all!!
Sister Erika Kelly
Yummy Lunch!!
I love this girl!!!
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