That's just a little something I learned in scripture study this week. :)
So Monday we had one of our final investigator lessons with Addy. We watched President Monson's talk about love being the essence of the gospel. We talked about it, and we asked her if she believed he was a prophet. Her response? With slightly glistening eyes, she looked at us and smiled and said "I have no doubt he's a prophet." BLOWN AWAY. This is the same woman who told had ZERO interest in the gospel 25 days ago... Keep in mind: just because people aren't interested, it doesn't mean they're not prepared or ready. Addy didn't realize she was interested until the spirit told her she needed to be baptized when we invited her. Then everything changed from there. Amazing.
A former investigator who had moved out of the area MOVED BACK! Melanie's 18 and from Ecuador. Well, last week SHE MOVED BACK! So we're preparing for September 27 for her baptism. This month has been filled with harvesting. People keep telling us "You're doing an amazing job!" But we're literally just doing our job in checking off lessons. These people are prepared. We also met her friend who wants to get baptized too! But she lived where Melanie used to live, so we're going to talk to the elders in that area and get them to teach her. 'Tis the season to harvest, I suppose!
September 10th: the first day I turned on the heat. Let it begin! I had to turn on the heat in order to defrost so I could exercise. Dude. It's going to be cold. It's starting early this year. Pray for me.
WEIRDEST THING OF MY LIFE: So when we were teaching Melanie and her friend Tamara on Wednesday, someone knocked on the door. Some guy was asking for someone who lived there. Melanie went back to see if she was there, and he just walked in and shut the door and started talking to us. Melanie came back and said she wasn't home. He saw that we were having a lesson and apologized for interrupting. Then he said "Well, I'll just stay for the lesson!" And walked across the room to move things off the couch so he could sit. Totally weird. Then we went on with the lesson, but I was so baffled at this guy's behavior. He welcomed himself in, and invited himself to stay for the lesson, and moved their things to sit. O.o It turns out, Heavenly Father sent him! I just don't know how... I'm still mind blown at how cool Heavenly Father is. We really wanted a member to be present in that lesson, and he turned out to be able to speak Spanish, and he shared a wonderful testimony of the restoration! ALSO, we learned after the lesson that he speaks Creole. Not French, like the rest of the world, but he speaks Creole. I may or may not have yelled at him out of excitement when he said that. Lesson with, AND he speaks Creole! So he's been an amazing fellowshipper for Stevens AND his brother Pedro, who is working towards baptism with Elder Visconti, an elder from France. This stranger who invited himself into our investigators home was an answer to two prayers, and continues to answer our prayers. I LOVE HELPFUL PEOPLE! :)
Friday night dinner: Food truck roundup! It was awesome. There were about 20 food trucks to choose from. I went with this weird hamburger place. One even had mac & cheese in it! The one I got was called "the nasty." Imagine. I don't think before I speak. This was me ordering my hamburger:
"I'm gonna do the nasty..."
*silence*
*notices companion, employee, and dinner host holding back chuckles*
*busts up laughing*
Please, choose your wording carefully at this truck. They have dangerously named burgers.
Oh, then Saturday we had dinner with a Chinese man! Well, and his family. His wife is American, but his kids speak English, Spanish, and Chinese! I was in linguistic heaven. I love the diversity of Provo! Mandarin is SO still on my list of languages. The husband asked if I like spicy food, and of course my eyes lit up and I enthusiastically said yes. He brought out this Chinese hot sauce type thing (it was peanuts and cracked pepper in oil I think). It was really good! Then after dinner he asked if we like trying exotic things, so my whole FACE lit up this time and I again enthusiastically said yes. He brought out fruit from China. I LOVE FRUIT! We had dragon eyes, dried lichi (Lai-chee) (like raisins, but GOOD), and dried dragon eyes. So good. And again... they invited me to come live with them. Hahaha They said "If you plan on coming back, you come stay here!" Hahaha How does one respond to so many invitations to live with them? I think that's the fifth invitation. I could just house hop every couple of months... Hahaha I love it when people like me. It makes me feel wonderful. :)
Ok, so Saturday night. Stake conference. The stake center has a big organ with the pipes built into the walls like the tabernacle (but not quite so big). But it still makes a difference! It shook the whole place. It was amazing. I could literally feel the music. Oh, and my talk? Not so amazing. I feel less uncomfortable speaking though! People said they enjoyed it, but I'll never feel like my public speaking is up to where I wish it would be. Oh well! I'll always have something to work on and improve. :)
Sunday! We had regional conference broadcast, and we got to go to the Marriott center! We couldn't contact the investigators who were supposed to come. -_- Then we saw a UTPM RM and he asked if we wanted him to go pick them up. He would he late coming, but he said "It's ok, I know how it is." He really wanted to help. ANGEL! He called and told us after he got there and told us they were sleeping and wouldn't be able to make it. Rats.
Elder Nelson and Elder Scott spoke. President McCune was down sitting with them, and I so badly wanted to go down and use my mission president as an excuse. First of all, I've never met Elder Scott, and I LOVE HIM. Do that would have been awesome. Second, ever since Elder Nelson came to the FJM (when we got to meet him), I've been wanting to ask him what he meant when he said "You've got a lot of work to do!" to Courtney, Sara, and me. I'm sure he won't remember, but I just want to ask! Hahaha
People I saw at the Marriott center: Jarna Knickerbocker! Corbett Williams (Ben!), (the following are UTPM RM's) Prettyman, Olson, and Guzman (<---the one who ran to check on the investigators). So fun. :) I'm still waiting to run into Heather Moss, but it hasn't happened yet. Haha
So Lenin! He had an interview with the bishopric so he can come to the Ogden temple re-dedication, and it was awesome! He asked again how long he has to wait to serve a mission. Hahaha I'M SO EXCITED! He's doing awesome.
We aren't teaching Stevens anymore, now that Elder Visconti and his companion are in the house. They're doing well though! Their WML still keeps us updated, and they're doing great in their ward! :)
Fun fact: food makes me happy. No literally. I don't mean "I enjoy eating food." I mean it literally can effect my mood and happiness.Close to finishing our fast yesterday, I was SO MAD. My companion didn't do anything, but it couldn't talk to her. I was infuriated. Not at any one thing, I was just MAD. Then I started shaking (like hypoglycemia, which I don't have), and she asked if I was ok. She said "If you need to end the fast early we can run home..." I said "Do I *need* to? No. Is it the solution to the problem? Yes..." She was all worried I would pass out, so we went home... Not even 5 minutes after eating, I was laughing and making jokes. Completely different person. My poor companion. She has either no more or two more fast Sundays with me. If she has two.... I need to apologize for my behavior more. Haha I tried to just drink water, but I was still mad as all get out. So back to my original statement. Food makes me happy. Literally. Hahah
We've been able to find so many new investigators this week! I'm really excited about them. Lot of potential! One of them is a part member family, and the husband is from Bosnia! He's lived in the United States for awhile, so his English is perfect, but he speaks four languages. I just want to pick his brain!
Another one is a former investigator, Blanca. We met her 15 year old son, and he seems interested :) Now we just have to work around her schedule to see her, because she works two jobs. There's also a recent convert boy in the ward who's mother we're trying to teach.
From the looks of it, October could be a month of harvesting as well!
Ok, so Addy's baptism and I'll be done.
So I was cool as a cucumber all day. Normally I get nervous about baptisms, because if something is going to go wrong, it'll be right before or during the baptism. I wasn't wracking my brain for things that were forgotten. This Spanish ward was on top of everything! :) So we get there and I realized we'd forgotten the baptism record. Still though, I maintained cucumber status! Amazing. We got a ride to the apartment and came back. We took pictures, and the baptism went smoothly. Addy was so excited to finally be baptized. I STILL wasn't nervous or anxious when I was told I was giving the talk on the Holy Ghost! Man. I can testify strongly of peace being one of the fruits of the spirit. I've never been so at peace while in a stressful situation in my life. And during the introduction of the first hymn, bishop asked me if I would lead the music, so I hopped up there and stole someone's book. Hahahaha It all went well though. It was amazing. The spirit was so strong. Then we went to their house and had tamales. Yes. The perfect way to end a day.
AND the perfect way to end an email!
Really. I am actually very sorry this is such a long email. I'M SO LONG WINDED.
I love you all loads and bunches! Be good, share your toys, and read your scriptures! :)
Hermana Willis
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