First of all! We have a baptism on September 26th! Yay! I have set several baptismal dates in the past with people, but there is no doubt in my mind that this one will go through. We taught her a lesson last night and planned out the program. She will complete the lessons in only four weeks, but she has been searching ever since she turned 18, and knows this is true. She bore her testimony last night and everything is super exciting. Yay for my first golden investigator!
Second of all, we taught one of our investigators this week. She is incredible, but she needs to have the courage to tell her husband and children about what she is learning. She told us her conversion story, and how she first got the Book of Mormon when she was 19 from a friend and carried it with her from move to move, and then finally read it all the way through. She told us that even before she knew about eternal families, she knew that this life only makes sense in terms of eternity. And that family is worth fighting for. I’m praying for a miracle in this family this transfer.
Another family we taught said that LDS church felt short. Really? Short?!? NO ONE says that. Ever! (Not even members sometimes!) But they felt at home there and very welcomed. So that’s good!
We decided to write a sidewalk-chalk-message on one family’s driveway on Saturday. It’s a long story, but my companion and I traced each other’s bodies on the pavement and told them the missionaries stopped by. Apparently they were inside the whole time…video taping us! I bet the footage is ridiculous. Oh boy. Missionary Anthem: Just open your doors people!
We also talked to a homeless family this week. Sister Lamb thought it would be a good idea to give them a Book of Mormon, so we pulled over and talked to them about it. Apparently, they carry a Book of Mormon and Doctrine & Covenants with them everywhere they go. The wife was familiar with our pamphlets as well and LOVES them. But they aren’t members because they think all religions are true. (That's basically what we gathered. It was very difficult to understand her husband’s accent) and we think they also believe baptism isn’t necessary. They go from city to city preaching the word of God without purse or script. So yeah, that was a pretty interesting encounter.
Oh yeah! There is a family in the Paradise Hills ward that moved to Albuquerque a few years ago after having lived in Tokyo for some time. They totally know the Metts family! Small world! They e-mailed the Metts family on Saturday, and told them, and they said to tell me "Hi" in return. Pretty fun!
The members here are wonderful! They bend over backwards to help the missionaries, and so many of the women here served missions themselves. It’s a wonderful area and I love it a lot. Members are inviting people to learn left and right!
Well I love you all very much. I am so grateful to have such a wonderful family. I’m very lucky to be so blessed with such talented, funny, hard working, loving people in my life, which makes me miss you even more. But time does fly by. I’m already at eight months. I hope the school year is going well and that everyone is in good health. I love you more than I can say.
Sister Waters
Friday, October 2, 2009
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Greetings From Albuquerque
Wow! I’m in Albuquerque! I have to admit, it was a little bit of a culture shock to be in subdivisions, drive on highways (with lots of cars), and have a map so detailed you have to go to Kinkos to blow it up! But it feels a little bit like home here in Albuquerque, aside from the adobe architecture, I mean. Nonetheless, it is weird getting used to living in a new place!
Sister Lamb is a wonderful new missionary. She doesn’t even act new at all! I am very excited for this transfer, because she’s a hard worker and a good teacher. I think we will get to see miracles this transfer!
We cover two wards here in Albuquerque. We had four “official” investigators at church on Sunday, and another non-member that one of our investigators brought with them. Hopefully we’ll get to start teaching her soon. But let me just think abut this for a minute…FOUR investigators at church on the first week of the transfer…before we even know how the area works ourselves! It was super exciting.
Most of our investigators are sincere in their desire to learn. They aren’t just too nice to tell us not to come back, or intellectually curious, or lonely. They aren't crazy either! They actually have been searching for the truth and have a hunger to learn! These are the kind of people I have been hoping to teach my whole mission…and even when I was still contemplating the decision to serve, I hoped I'd find people like this. I am so grateful to be here.
As I said last week, I have been seriously considering the Lord’s declaration that the field is white already to harvest. He has promised that there are people ready for the gospel. Before I even left Bloomfield, I prayed very hard that the Lord would prepare people here in Albuquerque to receive the message, and that more importantly, we would recognize each other. I find it fascinating to see how many church headquarter referrals were generated during that same time I was praying. And we have gotten three member referrals this week as well. Once again, it is clear that Heavenly Father really does hear our prayers!
President Anderson always tells stories about how through the Spirit, missionaries can have a profound influence even when we think we’re failing. I always love those stories and hoped that I could have similar experiences. Well, I had one this week!!
There is an amazing recent convert in our ward. Our ward mission leader told us about her and told us how at stake conference a few weeks ago, President Anderson and the Temple president had both invited her husband to take the missionary lessons. Well, naturally, that made our ears perk up, so we stopped by the house on Saturday afternoon.
Her husband opened the door, and we chatted with him for a while. He told us that his wife wasn’t feeling well, so we said we’d try back again another time. As we walked back to the car, I remember telling my companion about how I got the impression he wasn’t too excited to see us there. Oh well. We’ll keep trying, I thought.
Then on Sunday, his wife bore her testimony about how her prayers are beginning to be answered and that her husband is taking an interest in the church. She said that after we knocked on the door, he told her that there were new sister missionaries and that they seemed very nice. Then later in the day, he asked if she could get out her DVDs on the history of the church. They watched them together all day. And he asked her what she thought about them. She bore a simple testimony and turned the question back to him. He said he thinks they are very good, and asked that they watch more of them after she got home from church.
I realize, that we didn’t really play a role in this…she had been praying for the past few months that this would happen, and that so many other people have played a role, the Holy Ghost being the most important factor. But I appreciated that she mentioned us. Even missionaries need encouragement sometimes!
Then, oh my goodness! We went to see one of our investigators! We went to visit her, and she told us her whole conversion story, about how she was raised Catholic and came to a point where she knew it wasn’t quite right. She didn’t believe in the Trinity so she started attending a non-denominational church. Gradually, she brought her husband and family along with her to this church. Then a few months later she started reading the Book of Mormon. She read it in about a week and knew it was true. It filled in so many pieces, she said! She’s read the Book of Mormon twice and has read the Pearl of Great Price and is now in Section 80 something of the Doctrine & Covenants. She knows so much about the church and loves it…but wants to bring her family along with her. She said she’ll point out bits of Mormon Doctrine, but she doesn’t want to freak them out by making them think she wants to switch religions every few months. So she said it will be a gradual process, but she isn’t afraid to be the leader! Amazing! Some of her extended-family has expressed some anti sentiments, and she deflects them off and defends the church even though she isn’t a member…yet. I hope we get to see a miracle in this family’s life this transfer!!! I hope they develop a curiosity of their own. This woman says she tries to attend the LDS church once a month (she wants to join) but at the same time, she loves attending church with her family. The church they attend together has a rock band and is very new age, so her teens seem to like it. She said the LDS service is very different from that church. Our services weren't as emotional, but “do you know what it was?” she said. “It was sweet. It felt like home.” When she imagines what it would be like to be with God, she imagines that it would be very much like home, and peaceful. I am so excited to be here!
These are just two examples of the people we’re working with! I didn’t even talk about the people who DID attend church this Sunday and who have already expressed a desire to be baptized. The list could just go on and on. As the mother in our lesson last night said, “I feel that God just has a pitcher full of blessings waiting for us, and He’s just wondering when we’re going to start!” She too, feels like she knows the Book of Mormon is true and she hasn’t even read it yet. But when her family started dissing on it, she was amazed at how passionately she defended the book! She said “I don’t get passionate about ANYTHING really, besides my family, so I feel like there must be truth to this.” Her husband has a light in his eyes, and you can just tell he absorbs everything he learns.
THEN… There’s a sweet 20 year old girl who has been searching for the past three years. Wow! I keep thinking of other stories I could share, but I am seriously going to run out of time!
This is the best time to be in Albuquerque. The Balloon festival is around the corner, and it’s chili season. We helped one of our part member families peel green chilies on Saturday. And I am converted to all things spicy! They grew up in Santa Fe, and told us about all the festivals and folk legends that are happening there this time of year. So it was a super fun day. I'll have to tell you about the Black Arroyo, and Zubrona (sp?) later!
Before I left Bloomfield, two of our investigators gave me the sweetest gifts. One of them gave me a book about the Navajo creation story, and wrote his testimony inside. WOW! I am amazed at how much he knows! He said, read this book as a conversation starter, but don’t believe it! Because it’s silly. The other investigator gave my trio matching Navajo necklaces. So sweet of them!
I miss you all a LOT!
Gotta run. But have a wonderful day!
Sister Lamb is a wonderful new missionary. She doesn’t even act new at all! I am very excited for this transfer, because she’s a hard worker and a good teacher. I think we will get to see miracles this transfer!
We cover two wards here in Albuquerque. We had four “official” investigators at church on Sunday, and another non-member that one of our investigators brought with them. Hopefully we’ll get to start teaching her soon. But let me just think abut this for a minute…FOUR investigators at church on the first week of the transfer…before we even know how the area works ourselves! It was super exciting.
Most of our investigators are sincere in their desire to learn. They aren’t just too nice to tell us not to come back, or intellectually curious, or lonely. They aren't crazy either! They actually have been searching for the truth and have a hunger to learn! These are the kind of people I have been hoping to teach my whole mission…and even when I was still contemplating the decision to serve, I hoped I'd find people like this. I am so grateful to be here.
As I said last week, I have been seriously considering the Lord’s declaration that the field is white already to harvest. He has promised that there are people ready for the gospel. Before I even left Bloomfield, I prayed very hard that the Lord would prepare people here in Albuquerque to receive the message, and that more importantly, we would recognize each other. I find it fascinating to see how many church headquarter referrals were generated during that same time I was praying. And we have gotten three member referrals this week as well. Once again, it is clear that Heavenly Father really does hear our prayers!
President Anderson always tells stories about how through the Spirit, missionaries can have a profound influence even when we think we’re failing. I always love those stories and hoped that I could have similar experiences. Well, I had one this week!!
There is an amazing recent convert in our ward. Our ward mission leader told us about her and told us how at stake conference a few weeks ago, President Anderson and the Temple president had both invited her husband to take the missionary lessons. Well, naturally, that made our ears perk up, so we stopped by the house on Saturday afternoon.
Her husband opened the door, and we chatted with him for a while. He told us that his wife wasn’t feeling well, so we said we’d try back again another time. As we walked back to the car, I remember telling my companion about how I got the impression he wasn’t too excited to see us there. Oh well. We’ll keep trying, I thought.
Then on Sunday, his wife bore her testimony about how her prayers are beginning to be answered and that her husband is taking an interest in the church. She said that after we knocked on the door, he told her that there were new sister missionaries and that they seemed very nice. Then later in the day, he asked if she could get out her DVDs on the history of the church. They watched them together all day. And he asked her what she thought about them. She bore a simple testimony and turned the question back to him. He said he thinks they are very good, and asked that they watch more of them after she got home from church.
I realize, that we didn’t really play a role in this…she had been praying for the past few months that this would happen, and that so many other people have played a role, the Holy Ghost being the most important factor. But I appreciated that she mentioned us. Even missionaries need encouragement sometimes!
Then, oh my goodness! We went to see one of our investigators! We went to visit her, and she told us her whole conversion story, about how she was raised Catholic and came to a point where she knew it wasn’t quite right. She didn’t believe in the Trinity so she started attending a non-denominational church. Gradually, she brought her husband and family along with her to this church. Then a few months later she started reading the Book of Mormon. She read it in about a week and knew it was true. It filled in so many pieces, she said! She’s read the Book of Mormon twice and has read the Pearl of Great Price and is now in Section 80 something of the Doctrine & Covenants. She knows so much about the church and loves it…but wants to bring her family along with her. She said she’ll point out bits of Mormon Doctrine, but she doesn’t want to freak them out by making them think she wants to switch religions every few months. So she said it will be a gradual process, but she isn’t afraid to be the leader! Amazing! Some of her extended-family has expressed some anti sentiments, and she deflects them off and defends the church even though she isn’t a member…yet. I hope we get to see a miracle in this family’s life this transfer!!! I hope they develop a curiosity of their own. This woman says she tries to attend the LDS church once a month (she wants to join) but at the same time, she loves attending church with her family. The church they attend together has a rock band and is very new age, so her teens seem to like it. She said the LDS service is very different from that church. Our services weren't as emotional, but “do you know what it was?” she said. “It was sweet. It felt like home.” When she imagines what it would be like to be with God, she imagines that it would be very much like home, and peaceful. I am so excited to be here!
These are just two examples of the people we’re working with! I didn’t even talk about the people who DID attend church this Sunday and who have already expressed a desire to be baptized. The list could just go on and on. As the mother in our lesson last night said, “I feel that God just has a pitcher full of blessings waiting for us, and He’s just wondering when we’re going to start!” She too, feels like she knows the Book of Mormon is true and she hasn’t even read it yet. But when her family started dissing on it, she was amazed at how passionately she defended the book! She said “I don’t get passionate about ANYTHING really, besides my family, so I feel like there must be truth to this.” Her husband has a light in his eyes, and you can just tell he absorbs everything he learns.
THEN… There’s a sweet 20 year old girl who has been searching for the past three years. Wow! I keep thinking of other stories I could share, but I am seriously going to run out of time!
This is the best time to be in Albuquerque. The Balloon festival is around the corner, and it’s chili season. We helped one of our part member families peel green chilies on Saturday. And I am converted to all things spicy! They grew up in Santa Fe, and told us about all the festivals and folk legends that are happening there this time of year. So it was a super fun day. I'll have to tell you about the Black Arroyo, and Zubrona (sp?) later!
Before I left Bloomfield, two of our investigators gave me the sweetest gifts. One of them gave me a book about the Navajo creation story, and wrote his testimony inside. WOW! I am amazed at how much he knows! He said, read this book as a conversation starter, but don’t believe it! Because it’s silly. The other investigator gave my trio matching Navajo necklaces. So sweet of them!
I miss you all a LOT!
Gotta run. But have a wonderful day!
Transfer News
Well, you may have thought the day would never come, but I am being transferred out of Bloomfield. President called us on Saturday morning, and I will be training another sister fresh out of the MTC. I hope she is as good as my last “greenie.” Sister Lotulelei hardly needed training in the first place. I think new missionaries have such an enthusiasm and spirit about them that I actually LOVE to serve with them. There is even more motivation to work hard. Some people dread training, and yes it’s a little stressful, but I didn’t mind it this last transfer. Although I loved the trio I was in this transfer (it was a ton of fun, and I absolutely adore these sisters), I think it will be a LOT easier to train when it’s a normal companionship…fewer ways to get distracted.
I am a little nervous about my new area, but President said it was a good area, and that he received the impression we would do well there. Where am I going, do you ask? Should I finally get to the point? Ok. I am going to Albuquerque! I will be covering the Paradise Hills Ward as well as the Bandelier Ward. This is in northwest Albuquerque, just outside of Rio Rancho. We are opening the area to sisters, Elders have served there in the past. I loved opening Bloomfield, so I’m excited about this, but also…Bloomfield was just a tiny town. A greenie and I now have to navigate the city! I bet this will make for lots of good stories. I have felt a LOT of peace with going to Albuquerque. I feel like this is where I am supposed to be. As a result of our Zone Conference, I decided to pray and then fast yesterday that Heavenly Father would prepare people to receive the gospel, and that we would recognize who they are. I’m excited to see what happens. Albuquerque was the ONE place that I dreaded going. Sisters who have served in other parts of Albuquerque all told me that they had almost NO investigators and would tract at least 5 hours a day. Which is quite an adjustment from being in Bloomfield, where you don’t have to do much tracting. I like to tell people I am terrified of going to Albuquerque…but really…. when I think about it, I’m not. Like I said, I had a strong feeling that things would be good here.
The Elders said that Albuquerque is booming right now, and that it should be a good place to find people to baptize. They also said that President Anderson sometime attends those wards, but I don’t know about that, maybe they were just trying to scare me.
I’m driving down to Albuquerque tonight. It’s amazing how much more “stuff/clutter” or whatever you want to call it, I have collected. When I got here, everything fit into my suitcases…and now I have no idea how I’m going to carry everything to Albuqerk. I think I’ll just throw everything in the back of the truck.
Ok in other news…well. Transfer news is kind of the biggest news and everything else pales in comparison.
We met a lady who has a Pit Bull, a Doberman and a Wolf in her yard. Yes, people in New Mexico sometimes keep wolves as pets. How crazy!
One of our investigators attended a baptism with us on Saturday. I think he really liked it! Another of our investigators came to Church for the first time yesterday. It’s amazing how excited we get at little baby steps like that. The ward was super nice to him, I just hope it didn’t make our other two investigators who came to church jealous! Those two investigators are starting to progress beautifully and attend church regularly. Which is a first! Usually investigators attend church sporadically. I am so excited for these families and will miss them.
But I am excited for a change!
Love you all dearly!
Love,
Asdaan To (The Navajo nickname one of our investigators gave me. Apparently, translated it means “lady water.” I think I’ll miss her nicknames.)
I am a little nervous about my new area, but President said it was a good area, and that he received the impression we would do well there. Where am I going, do you ask? Should I finally get to the point? Ok. I am going to Albuquerque! I will be covering the Paradise Hills Ward as well as the Bandelier Ward. This is in northwest Albuquerque, just outside of Rio Rancho. We are opening the area to sisters, Elders have served there in the past. I loved opening Bloomfield, so I’m excited about this, but also…Bloomfield was just a tiny town. A greenie and I now have to navigate the city! I bet this will make for lots of good stories. I have felt a LOT of peace with going to Albuquerque. I feel like this is where I am supposed to be. As a result of our Zone Conference, I decided to pray and then fast yesterday that Heavenly Father would prepare people to receive the gospel, and that we would recognize who they are. I’m excited to see what happens. Albuquerque was the ONE place that I dreaded going. Sisters who have served in other parts of Albuquerque all told me that they had almost NO investigators and would tract at least 5 hours a day. Which is quite an adjustment from being in Bloomfield, where you don’t have to do much tracting. I like to tell people I am terrified of going to Albuquerque…but really…. when I think about it, I’m not. Like I said, I had a strong feeling that things would be good here.
The Elders said that Albuquerque is booming right now, and that it should be a good place to find people to baptize. They also said that President Anderson sometime attends those wards, but I don’t know about that, maybe they were just trying to scare me.
I’m driving down to Albuquerque tonight. It’s amazing how much more “stuff/clutter” or whatever you want to call it, I have collected. When I got here, everything fit into my suitcases…and now I have no idea how I’m going to carry everything to Albuqerk. I think I’ll just throw everything in the back of the truck.
Ok in other news…well. Transfer news is kind of the biggest news and everything else pales in comparison.
We met a lady who has a Pit Bull, a Doberman and a Wolf in her yard. Yes, people in New Mexico sometimes keep wolves as pets. How crazy!
One of our investigators attended a baptism with us on Saturday. I think he really liked it! Another of our investigators came to Church for the first time yesterday. It’s amazing how excited we get at little baby steps like that. The ward was super nice to him, I just hope it didn’t make our other two investigators who came to church jealous! Those two investigators are starting to progress beautifully and attend church regularly. Which is a first! Usually investigators attend church sporadically. I am so excited for these families and will miss them.
But I am excited for a change!
Love you all dearly!
Love,
Asdaan To (The Navajo nickname one of our investigators gave me. Apparently, translated it means “lady water.” I think I’ll miss her nicknames.)
Thursday, September 3, 2009
What Would You Think If You Were Interviewed by a General Authority?
This week was one of my favorites so far!
In my weekly e-mail to President Anderson last week, I mentioned that we have an investigator on probation, and that we’d have to wait for him to get off before he could get baptized. President immediately called us and let us know that if our investigator would meet all the qualifications for baptism, he would personally write the First Presidency and ask for him to get baptized. He has had about 4 people be approved so far. Well, we ran over to tell this man, and he was SOO excited. It gives him the incentive to really prepare himself for his baptismal date…which is October 16th. He picked the day himself because:
1. It will give him enough time to get ready, and
2. It is his birthday and he thinks it is symbolic of being born again!
We are so happy. He recognized that he has a big opportunity here and has prayed everyday. He is even helping us teach another investigator about the gospel, and he likes to talk about how he came to know the Book of Mormon was true. He said something to the effect of, “I really want to get baptized, I prayed about it, and this is my biggest dream.”
Other exciting things:
Who do you suppose got the rock stuck in their yard first? Yep. The Squirrel Meat Family. They totally had it coming.
Also, I had investigators and less actives try to set me up at least twice this week. SUPER awkward. Ha ha.
Also. Yeah, I’m leaving the best for last. I was interviewed by a General Authority yesterday. We had our general authority tour yesterday, and President Anderson selected several missionaries to be interviewed, and lucky me, I fell into that lot.
In my interview, Elder C. Scott Grow asked me if I had any thoughts or questions that ran across my mind when I found out he would be interviewing me. I told him: “I was basically terrified to death.” He just laughed and laughed and laughed. He asked why I was terrified (I think being interviewed by a General Authority needs no explanation as to why it invokes fear.)
He told me I reminded him of his daughter in law. (Which always gets me curious…) He asked about my family, and their callings. And he mostly just asked me what I learned from Zone Conference which I will relate below.
He talked about section 76 of the Doctrine and Covenants. Joseph Smith said that the same visions are available to EACH member of the church according to their desire, faith and purity. He asked us to expand our visions.
It became clear to me that there are literal miracles waiting to happen. I need to have the faith to seek them, and work for them. I often get in the mind set of just Do. Just Work. But there is so much more possible, if I but FIRST learn to seek inspiration. Ask to see where to go! This takes time.
My whole mission, there has been an emphasis on NOT dropping investigators. Elder Grow made it clear that there are elect people prepared. We don’t need to waste time with those who aren’t willing to progress. Simply leave them and go back later. Find those who are ready now. Have the faith that they will be prepared. I talked to Elder Grow about this in my interview, and I told him that not having a baptism was very discouraging, but that there are some specific things I can do to increase baptisms. One of them is to leave those who don’t progress. Another is to have more faith in the goals we set.
He told us about when he was a Mission President, there was a new elder who felt like he could have 23 baptisms in the transfer. The elder said he had prayed about it and felt like this was a good number. President Grow was a little bit shocked at this. The missionaries senior companion didn’t see it really being possible, but the young elder had the faith that if the Lord said 23 baptisms were possible, then it would happen and people would be prepared. In his interview with the mission president, he said “we didn’t meet our goal. We only had 20 baptisms this transfer, but three more people are being interviewed this afternoon.”
Elder Grow also told us that the Lord often takes His Prophets to a high place to show them visions of the world and of the Plan of Salvation. Look at Nephi, Moses, etc.. The lord tries to reveal the same vision of the Plan of Salvation available to each of us in the temple. I hadn’t thought about it that way before.
I better run, I’ve only got ten minutes to write a letter to President Anderson, but I love you all dearly. Thank you SO much! Have a wonderful week.
In my weekly e-mail to President Anderson last week, I mentioned that we have an investigator on probation, and that we’d have to wait for him to get off before he could get baptized. President immediately called us and let us know that if our investigator would meet all the qualifications for baptism, he would personally write the First Presidency and ask for him to get baptized. He has had about 4 people be approved so far. Well, we ran over to tell this man, and he was SOO excited. It gives him the incentive to really prepare himself for his baptismal date…which is October 16th. He picked the day himself because:
1. It will give him enough time to get ready, and
2. It is his birthday and he thinks it is symbolic of being born again!
We are so happy. He recognized that he has a big opportunity here and has prayed everyday. He is even helping us teach another investigator about the gospel, and he likes to talk about how he came to know the Book of Mormon was true. He said something to the effect of, “I really want to get baptized, I prayed about it, and this is my biggest dream.”
Other exciting things:
- Crystal said she would accept a calling when she gets baptized.
- One of our part member families broke out the Book of Mormon this week.
- We taught a 1st lesson to a woman who said she was super curious about the restoration!
Who do you suppose got the rock stuck in their yard first? Yep. The Squirrel Meat Family. They totally had it coming.
Also, I had investigators and less actives try to set me up at least twice this week. SUPER awkward. Ha ha.
Also. Yeah, I’m leaving the best for last. I was interviewed by a General Authority yesterday. We had our general authority tour yesterday, and President Anderson selected several missionaries to be interviewed, and lucky me, I fell into that lot.
In my interview, Elder C. Scott Grow asked me if I had any thoughts or questions that ran across my mind when I found out he would be interviewing me. I told him: “I was basically terrified to death.” He just laughed and laughed and laughed. He asked why I was terrified (I think being interviewed by a General Authority needs no explanation as to why it invokes fear.)
He told me I reminded him of his daughter in law. (Which always gets me curious…) He asked about my family, and their callings. And he mostly just asked me what I learned from Zone Conference which I will relate below.
He talked about section 76 of the Doctrine and Covenants. Joseph Smith said that the same visions are available to EACH member of the church according to their desire, faith and purity. He asked us to expand our visions.
It became clear to me that there are literal miracles waiting to happen. I need to have the faith to seek them, and work for them. I often get in the mind set of just Do. Just Work. But there is so much more possible, if I but FIRST learn to seek inspiration. Ask to see where to go! This takes time.
My whole mission, there has been an emphasis on NOT dropping investigators. Elder Grow made it clear that there are elect people prepared. We don’t need to waste time with those who aren’t willing to progress. Simply leave them and go back later. Find those who are ready now. Have the faith that they will be prepared. I talked to Elder Grow about this in my interview, and I told him that not having a baptism was very discouraging, but that there are some specific things I can do to increase baptisms. One of them is to leave those who don’t progress. Another is to have more faith in the goals we set.
He told us about when he was a Mission President, there was a new elder who felt like he could have 23 baptisms in the transfer. The elder said he had prayed about it and felt like this was a good number. President Grow was a little bit shocked at this. The missionaries senior companion didn’t see it really being possible, but the young elder had the faith that if the Lord said 23 baptisms were possible, then it would happen and people would be prepared. In his interview with the mission president, he said “we didn’t meet our goal. We only had 20 baptisms this transfer, but three more people are being interviewed this afternoon.”
Elder Grow also told us that the Lord often takes His Prophets to a high place to show them visions of the world and of the Plan of Salvation. Look at Nephi, Moses, etc.. The lord tries to reveal the same vision of the Plan of Salvation available to each of us in the temple. I hadn’t thought about it that way before.
I better run, I’ve only got ten minutes to write a letter to President Anderson, but I love you all dearly. Thank you SO much! Have a wonderful week.
Monday, August 17, 2009
Stories From Off The Reservation
It has come to my attention, that I haven't written many stories in awhile. I will try to remedy that in this e-mail, although I cannot guarantee that I will be successful.
Bloomfield continues to be the same. We showed one of our investigators the film "Finding Faith in Christ" earlier in the week. This particular investigator always likes to ask a lot of questions, most of which are repeated from week to week... Sigh. But there was one line in the movie that stuck out to her. The Apostle Thomas was explaining that Christ had the ability to perceive the hearts and thoughts of men. After the movie was over, there was a pause.
"So," she asked. "Jesus had mental telepathy?"
We thought the wording was pretty funny.
We were talking to a man this week who was telling us exactly how the reservation is like a different country. In Arizona, at least, the U.S.police cannot cross reservation lines to issue a ticket. One particular person knew that if he could just out-drive the police and get across the boarder, he wouldn't be arrested for a DUI. As soon as he crossed the reservation line, he swung the car around, popped open a beer and stared right at the cop on the other side of the line. This story shows that the "wild west" stereotype is still very much in effect, even years after the typical western cowboy and Indian images we think of. I love hearing stories from the rez!
On a more serious note, we had a wonderful experience at church yesterday. Three of our investigators in Bloomfield came to Sacrament meeting. In our gospel essentials class, we were talking about signs of the second coming, one of which is that the Lamanites would blossom and become a great people. Sometimes I get nervous when the Lamanite issue comes up around the Navajo people I teach, but this topic ended up being amazing!
One of our investigators told us that his grandfather was a medicine man. He and his cousins would sit around their grandfather and listen to him preach. He remembers his grandfather telling them as children, about the latter days, about desolation and famine and other things. But the thing that gave me goose bumps was the fact that his grandfather told him that the day would come when they would all need to join a white man's church.
Our ward mission leader was in the class with us and said "Read 1 Nephi 8. In it, you will read about Lehi, who is another one of your grandfathers. He is begging you to come to the tree of life and partake of the fruit. And after you are baptized you can do the temple work for your own grandfather. He is up their just waiting for you! He is cheering you on!"
I love this part-member family; they both have a strong testimony of the restored gospel and will be absolute power houses in the church.
We also talked about how when the Savior comes the second time, his mission will be different. He won't be here to preach the gospel. He did that the first time and has entrusted that role to the apostles, and also the missionaries in preparation for his return. Now is the time to prepare. Our ward mission leader made that comment. And it hit me. I have a mission to fulfill that the Savior himself came to the earth to perform, but has since been entrusted to us...as members.
We are teaching an investigator who already took the missionary lessons, and wanted to get baptized, before recently moving to New Mexico. She knows everything, and is so eager to move forward! She is in Farmington, along with most of our progressing investigators. So after September 1, I won't get to see her anymore, but it is so nice to teach investigators who are accepting of the doctrine!
That is most of the news from this week. There are a few other silly things that happened, but they probably won't fit into print very well.
Oh. I got an envelope in the mail this week that was missing the card inside. I know that some of my mail gets lost as well...so if I don't respond to letters, I probably haven't received them.
Well. I think that's pretty much everything worthy of an e-mail. I love you all dearly. Have a wonderful week!
Sister Waters
Bloomfield continues to be the same. We showed one of our investigators the film "Finding Faith in Christ" earlier in the week. This particular investigator always likes to ask a lot of questions, most of which are repeated from week to week... Sigh. But there was one line in the movie that stuck out to her. The Apostle Thomas was explaining that Christ had the ability to perceive the hearts and thoughts of men. After the movie was over, there was a pause.
"So," she asked. "Jesus had mental telepathy?"
We thought the wording was pretty funny.
We were talking to a man this week who was telling us exactly how the reservation is like a different country. In Arizona, at least, the U.S.police cannot cross reservation lines to issue a ticket. One particular person knew that if he could just out-drive the police and get across the boarder, he wouldn't be arrested for a DUI. As soon as he crossed the reservation line, he swung the car around, popped open a beer and stared right at the cop on the other side of the line. This story shows that the "wild west" stereotype is still very much in effect, even years after the typical western cowboy and Indian images we think of. I love hearing stories from the rez!
On a more serious note, we had a wonderful experience at church yesterday. Three of our investigators in Bloomfield came to Sacrament meeting. In our gospel essentials class, we were talking about signs of the second coming, one of which is that the Lamanites would blossom and become a great people. Sometimes I get nervous when the Lamanite issue comes up around the Navajo people I teach, but this topic ended up being amazing!
One of our investigators told us that his grandfather was a medicine man. He and his cousins would sit around their grandfather and listen to him preach. He remembers his grandfather telling them as children, about the latter days, about desolation and famine and other things. But the thing that gave me goose bumps was the fact that his grandfather told him that the day would come when they would all need to join a white man's church.
Our ward mission leader was in the class with us and said "Read 1 Nephi 8. In it, you will read about Lehi, who is another one of your grandfathers. He is begging you to come to the tree of life and partake of the fruit. And after you are baptized you can do the temple work for your own grandfather. He is up their just waiting for you! He is cheering you on!"
I love this part-member family; they both have a strong testimony of the restored gospel and will be absolute power houses in the church.
We also talked about how when the Savior comes the second time, his mission will be different. He won't be here to preach the gospel. He did that the first time and has entrusted that role to the apostles, and also the missionaries in preparation for his return. Now is the time to prepare. Our ward mission leader made that comment. And it hit me. I have a mission to fulfill that the Savior himself came to the earth to perform, but has since been entrusted to us...as members.
We are teaching an investigator who already took the missionary lessons, and wanted to get baptized, before recently moving to New Mexico. She knows everything, and is so eager to move forward! She is in Farmington, along with most of our progressing investigators. So after September 1, I won't get to see her anymore, but it is so nice to teach investigators who are accepting of the doctrine!
That is most of the news from this week. There are a few other silly things that happened, but they probably won't fit into print very well.
Oh. I got an envelope in the mail this week that was missing the card inside. I know that some of my mail gets lost as well...so if I don't respond to letters, I probably haven't received them.
Well. I think that's pretty much everything worthy of an e-mail. I love you all dearly. Have a wonderful week!
Sister Waters
Bloomfield
This week in Zone Conference we were committed to do a new type of planning program. We are now planning out every hour of every day ten days in advance. President Anderson basically gave us permission to get creative with our time. Instead of tracting, we could do things like give soapbox lessons like they used to do 100 years ago, plan creative projects etc. He wants us to be crazy and creative. I am really excited about this. Usually, I get frustrated with planning because I just figure I will work as hard as I can and then things will just fall into place. But recently, I have come to the realization that there are just too many things to do on the mission, too many expectations, and that planning allows us to prioritize our efforts in a more focused direction. The problem here in Bloomfield isn’t a matter of NOT having things to do, but rather making sure the most important things get done first. I have been feeling very overwhelmed the past few transfers, and hopefully planning everything out ahead of time will help me make sure I’m not forgetting anything or anyone. I feel like there is so much to do, and I can’t do it all. We’ve let the ball drop a few times this week… thank goodness it was on less important things dealing with members and logistics and not on our progressing investigators.
Sister Lotulelei and I were talking about the challenges of being in a trio, and I think we finally pinned down what was frustrating us both. The problem is, we are working, but it is very difficult to keep our minds focused on the mission because there are three of us. It is so easy to get to talking, and end up on a tangent that has nothing to do with the work. The Spirit is the most important thing in this work, and it has been a struggle to have it with us. It is scary to feel like you’re flying by the seat of your pants.
One thing that stuck out to me from Zone Conference was the quote, “Without the spirit, you will never succeed regardless of your talent or ability…with the spirit you can do miracles for the Lord in the mission field.”
I think I’ve hit the point in my mission where I KNOW I can’t do it by myself. I feel like we are always working…but we don’t utilize the Spirit to its fullest potential. I feel like I have to WORK to get the Spirit there.
Two of our baptismal dates backed out this week. One of them dropped us yesterday because she wants to go back to her traditional beliefs and her medicine man. She would like to learn how to be a medicine woman. This is really very painful for me. I feel like in the seven months I have been out, very little good has happened. I love this area so much! And I know I should be grateful to be in such a wonderful area with so much potential. So many missionaries would kill to have the investigators I do…but you see that’s the painful part. I see the AMAZING potential in these people, and I just can’t get them to progress. I just want to be a better missionary, but changing is difficult. I have all these goals of how to be better, but even the goals seem overwhelming.
We got a new investigator this week, that normally I would be elated about. He accepts the idea that God would prepare someone like Joseph Smith to lead his people in the latter days. We are teaching him in a member’s home, and he has come to church. He even said that he could accept the Book of Mormon as a companion to the Bible. This is EXCITING! He is basically golden. But I have thought this same thing about so many of our other new investigators, that I am beginning to expect rejection before it even happens. I do not want to be this way!!! I need to remember to be grateful, and focus on the good things that have happened here, like how many new investigators I’ve picked up since being here, and how one of the referrals I gave to the Spanish Elders got baptized, and how some of the other referrals are getting close. Intellectually, I know how to have a good attitude, and intellectually I know how I should respond to these pitfalls. After all, true conversion to the gospel isn’t an overnight phenomenon…testimony building takes time. But emotionally, it’s another story.
For the most part, the area is good. Our ward has really started to do well with the L.Tom Perry Mission Plan, and I have the most fun companions ever! The ward wrapped their arms around us yesterday when they found out we had been dropped by one of our investigators. I think we’re all just momentarily 'bummed' by Pam telling us she wants to go back to her medicine man ways last night. Even though this email is kind of a downer, we will make a healthy rebound. This work is too important not to!
In other news, we helped our investigator with her wedding on Saturday. She asked us to help, and we thought it would be easy. Yeah, Sister Boisselle and I have basically both sworn off big weddings. They can be a lot of work! But it was beautiful, and the food was great!
Anyway, I love you all dearly. Thanks for praying for our investigators. I know Heavenly Father answers prayers, and it will be interesting to see how they are answered. Maybe this week is a blessing in disguise!
I love you all so very much. Thanks for the letters. I don't have much else to say!
Sister Waters
Sister Lotulelei and I were talking about the challenges of being in a trio, and I think we finally pinned down what was frustrating us both. The problem is, we are working, but it is very difficult to keep our minds focused on the mission because there are three of us. It is so easy to get to talking, and end up on a tangent that has nothing to do with the work. The Spirit is the most important thing in this work, and it has been a struggle to have it with us. It is scary to feel like you’re flying by the seat of your pants.
One thing that stuck out to me from Zone Conference was the quote, “Without the spirit, you will never succeed regardless of your talent or ability…with the spirit you can do miracles for the Lord in the mission field.”
I think I’ve hit the point in my mission where I KNOW I can’t do it by myself. I feel like we are always working…but we don’t utilize the Spirit to its fullest potential. I feel like I have to WORK to get the Spirit there.
Two of our baptismal dates backed out this week. One of them dropped us yesterday because she wants to go back to her traditional beliefs and her medicine man. She would like to learn how to be a medicine woman. This is really very painful for me. I feel like in the seven months I have been out, very little good has happened. I love this area so much! And I know I should be grateful to be in such a wonderful area with so much potential. So many missionaries would kill to have the investigators I do…but you see that’s the painful part. I see the AMAZING potential in these people, and I just can’t get them to progress. I just want to be a better missionary, but changing is difficult. I have all these goals of how to be better, but even the goals seem overwhelming.
We got a new investigator this week, that normally I would be elated about. He accepts the idea that God would prepare someone like Joseph Smith to lead his people in the latter days. We are teaching him in a member’s home, and he has come to church. He even said that he could accept the Book of Mormon as a companion to the Bible. This is EXCITING! He is basically golden. But I have thought this same thing about so many of our other new investigators, that I am beginning to expect rejection before it even happens. I do not want to be this way!!! I need to remember to be grateful, and focus on the good things that have happened here, like how many new investigators I’ve picked up since being here, and how one of the referrals I gave to the Spanish Elders got baptized, and how some of the other referrals are getting close. Intellectually, I know how to have a good attitude, and intellectually I know how I should respond to these pitfalls. After all, true conversion to the gospel isn’t an overnight phenomenon…testimony building takes time. But emotionally, it’s another story.
For the most part, the area is good. Our ward has really started to do well with the L.Tom Perry Mission Plan, and I have the most fun companions ever! The ward wrapped their arms around us yesterday when they found out we had been dropped by one of our investigators. I think we’re all just momentarily 'bummed' by Pam telling us she wants to go back to her medicine man ways last night. Even though this email is kind of a downer, we will make a healthy rebound. This work is too important not to!
In other news, we helped our investigator with her wedding on Saturday. She asked us to help, and we thought it would be easy. Yeah, Sister Boisselle and I have basically both sworn off big weddings. They can be a lot of work! But it was beautiful, and the food was great!
Anyway, I love you all dearly. Thanks for praying for our investigators. I know Heavenly Father answers prayers, and it will be interesting to see how they are answered. Maybe this week is a blessing in disguise!
I love you all so very much. Thanks for the letters. I don't have much else to say!
Sister Waters
Monday, August 3, 2009
A List for My Weekly Letter
This week was full of challenges, but it is easier to handle them when you have fun companions!
In summary:
- Our car battery died.
- The air conditioning went out.
- It sounds like our investigator might want to wait for her husband to get worthy to baptize her which would be a long delay in her baptism date-the whole situation is getting frustrating.
- Our investigator Ben gave us a list of 11 reasons why Mormonism is wrong, and
- We helped one of our investigators move out of her house so that they can move into a storage shed.
But when they say the mission is an emotional roller coaster, they don’t lie. Here are the high points of the week.
- We got to eat dinner with the sweetest German lady!
- I followed a prompting to knock on a particular door that ended up being the daughter of our investigator who is supposed to get baptized this month!
- We prayed that our investigator would make the effort to find her Book of Mormon and she did!
- The sweetest deacon/teacher? in our ward made us dinner this week. He passes the sacrament each week and is saving up for a mission even though his dad isn’t active in the church at all. He invited us over and made the meal basically by himself.
- We made brownies to bribe someone to come to church…it worked!
- We committed a young man to stop smoking …WITH a PINKY PROMISE
- I got to fiddle with Mr. Brown, while he played guitar and Sister Boisselle sang…we finally got him to open up.
- The spirit helped us so much with one of our lessons in particular and the investigator came to church!
- Pistachio home made ice cream!
Thanks for the letters and especially for the See’s chocolates. My companions and I especially needed them last night! This transfer is so much fun. We laugh all the time and get to teach so many people every day! For Preparation Day, we are having lunch with the Sisters from Shiprock, and helping one of our investigators make centerpieces for her wedding. It should be a fun day.
Love you more than you know!
Sister Waters
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