The potential investigator stat is really fun, and I think it makes me think a lot more about my contacting. Although I am pretty bold in talking to everyone and sharing the gospel with them, I could work on being better at inviting people to learn and asking for their phone numbers. I have faith that everything is going to work out this week with contacting. We are going to find people to teach! I'm ready. I'm slightly frustrated that we haven't been able to find people, but this week I studied PMG Ch 9 about service, have a couple goals and a plan to improve my contacting, and I know that as I do that and pray in faith, that no matter what happens, everything will be alright. It's interesting, I had a couple moments this week where I felt really strongly that we needed to do something to try and find new investigators that didn't turn into anything. However, I felt peaceful after because I knew that I had followed the spirit and done exactly what I needed to in that moment. God is in control of this work, and sometimes when things get hard, it's difficult to remember that. You want to fight and pull yourself down, but yet, you just need to work on one step at a time, and realize that as you ask God, "what lack I yet" and then keep going, everything will work out. I prayed actually for a really difficult last transfer, and one where I would really be able to stretch and grow and see weaknesses. I don't want to leave my mission not being able to know where I really need to change so I can become more like the Savior, and I've definitely felt that the last little bit! I've gotten better though at seeing all the small miracles, and am grateful for the small ways that I am able to see God's perspective on things, and see the good work that I am doing. And, I have found some really awesome weaknesses that I can improve on ;) The trick is actually applying the gospel, which I think takes a lot more work and effort than just talking about and testifying of the gospel.
This week, I increased my faith by trying to kick out all the negative thoughts that Satan puts into my head! I looked at it in Adjusting to Missionary Life, and I realized that Satan really does try and control our thoughts by putting things into our minds that we don't really like, etc. So, I increased my faith by "talking back to negative thinking" and having more positive thoughts! We had a great District Meeting on Faith this last week, and I studied it for Zone Conference, and I think I like how much of a mindset faith is - how it takes work and effort, and needs to be used every single day! And, when we do it every day, we are able to strengthen ourselves as we improve through repentance, solemnly commit to be better during the sacrament, and then ultimately have the spirit as more of a constant companion. It's a beautiful process.
The biggest miracle we saw this week was with our investigators lining up perfectly with our members who we brought to lessons. Sister Fuglistaler taught K W on exchanges and the member we brought was absolutely perfect. But besides that, we had a lesson on Sunday with P Q, and the member we brought, Sister G, had actually been a convert herself and everything she talked about was exactly what P Q needed to hear. She had been trying to get an answer if the Book of Mormon was true, while still holding onto a few doubts, and it didn't work. It was only when she let go of everything, that she got her answers. Hopefully P Q can put all his little doubts and uncertainties on the shelf, at least for a few moments, so he can get a more spiritual confirmation that the Book of Mormon is true!! We will be praying for that this week.
Another really cool experience we had this week was with our members. One of our members, Sister J, has a sister-in-law who wants to hear the discussions, however, because of her husband, the situation is a little bit difficult. Sister J asked us if we would be willing to help her by teaching her some of the discussions so she knew better what would be taught to her sister-in-law, so she could help with the situation. So, we ended up this week teaching Sister J and her husband about a 20 min. Restoration lesson, and it was SO POWERFUL. Before the lesson, Sister J didn't understand why the Book of Mormon needed to be such an important part of her testimony. Then, when we started reading the Book of Mormon introduction page, she couldn't even read because she started crying. It was such a wonderful lesson to be in. And, to top it off, at the end of the lesson, the husband said the spirit was so strong, and that he would invite his co-worker to hear the Restoration from us! A co-worker who he was only planning on giving a Book of Mormon to before the lesson. The spirit really is powerful, and I love seeing it operate in lessons.
Besides that, we are working with N M to help her desire to have the sacrament taken to her at work every week, helping the B teens have faith enough to read the Book of Mormon spiritually and prayerfully, and helping L stay strong! She is doing so well, and this week when things were rough for her, she prayed, and felt a clear prompting from the Holy Ghost that she needed to get a blessing from her home teachers. She did so, and felt great after. I'm so grateful that she is so connected to the gospel, and not the missionaries. A true golden convert! She hasn't missed a Sunday since we met, and she told us that after she heard the Restoration lesson, she wanted to learn more so badly, and was afraid that we wouldn't invite her to do so.
We worked with members this week by making a list of ways that our ward mission leader could better support us, and he wrote them all down, and is willing to do them! He literally fulfilled his calling to perfection on Sunday.
A cool opportunity I had this week was to accompany a song called "Gethsemane". It's really simple, but I thought I would put a couple lines into my letter because it's simply been stuck in my head all week -
"Gethsemane...Jesus Loves me...So He went willingly....to Gethsemane. He felt all that was bad, wicked or sad all the pain we ever would know. While His friends were asleep, He vowed to keep, His promise made long ago...." "The hardest thing that ever was done, the greatest gift that ever was known, this was done by Jesus...this fight was won by Jesus..."
I'm grateful for the power of music, and how wonderful it is to have a Savior who loves us.
Have a great week!
Love,
Sister Crabb
Also! We had a great service project this week where someone we awkwardly handed a card to as the doors were closing (one that didn't have our number on it!) came! He hunted down the church at Newton for a long time because he had nothing to do and wanted to come. SO COOL! God can totally do his own work. Even when the missionaries happen to not have a card with their number on it!
She didn't give a description or explanation of these pictures.....not sure who the person is getting baptized....maybe someone she knew from another area who is now getting baptized.
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