Well,
I made it and I'm safe and sound here in Texas! Where to start...so we got here
and the first day was a little stressful! We went to the church as a group and
did some activities to learn about the mission and what we would be doing here
in Houston. I actually went out running with another two sister missionaries to
try and contact someone. So we found this man who was watering his lawns and
found out he was in the marines. He said he couldn't talk to his family during
the wars so we asked him how he got through the tough times. He said prayer. So
then we talked to him a little bit about faith and how Heavenly Father wants to
hear from us, and through prayer we can develop that relationship with him. It
was awesome! And I got to do it in English (: But then after that, we went to
the mission president's house for dinner and a testimony meeting, and I'm sure
you'll all be surprised to hear that I was asked to play the piano...they're
already putting me to work (: But it's okay because I love it! The first night,
the sisters stayed with a member and her house was so nice! That night there
was a big thunder storm and it poured rain!! What the heck! I make it here in
one day and it already starts pouring! But I'm already used to it and it's kind
of fun (: There are signs everywhere that say "It's Hurricane Season. Be
Prepared."
Then,
the next day (Wednesday) I met my trainer! Her name is Hermana Kennedy and I
Love Her!!! She is 22 and is going home in December. But then we were sitting
in the transfer meeting, and found out we were getting another companion! So
I'm in a trio again. Hermana Johnson is the other sister and we all have so
much fun! We laugh all the time and have so much in common! Hermana Johnson is
from Vernal Utah and this is her 7th week. So we're just babies (: Hermana
Kennedy is from Rexburg, ID and she helps us so much! She has been teaching
some people already, so that day we just jumped right in and started teaching
them! It was crazy and I was really nervous! But, it was fun! I love the people
here so much!! I don't want to leave! I hope my visa takes a long time because
I can feel that I am needed here for a while. I'm not sure what it is, but the
three of us work really hard together and our lessons are going really well! I
don't have too much time to tell you all the stories, but I'm writing them in
my journal so I'll tell you later! But I am seeing so many miracles every day
and I know that I was put with these two sisters for a reason! I'm in the
Missouri City SW part of the mission which was just opened 2 transfers ago and
Hermana Kennedy actually opened it. So now we are here to teach all the people
she found! We have 2 baptismal dates for the end of this month already! We got
one of them last night. Both of them are 12 year old girls. There are so many
people who would be baptized and are so ready, but they are having problems
getting married! Everyone says they are married, but they really just live
together with their kids, so it's been a little hard getting them to convince
their husbands to marry them. But with the Lords help and on His time, they
will come around sooner or later!So, it's really hot and humid, my hair is lovely, and I LOVE IT!!! I thought it would be annoying, but it's actually not bad at all! We have a car, and our apartment is super nice, so we have air conditioning. But I'm already getting some crazy tan lines haha. And the bugs here are HUGE!!! We were teaching a nonmember the other day and he didn't have air conditioning so all the windows and doors were opened and these HUGE wasps were flying all over! I'll send you some pics of them. There are bugs everywhere and I see deer a lot too! It's so pretty here and there are trees and open green land all over!
So, my Spanish is okay...the first few days were SO FRUSTRATING and I had no idea what was going on in the lessons. People would ask me something and I wouldn't say anything until Hermana Kennedy asked me in English and then I would answer. But I was praying constantly and really felt depressed. But on Friday morning in my personal study, I read Ether 12:27 "And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I will give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them." This was so perfect for me! I realized that I was letting myself be upset and would just pray and ask for help, but I wasn't doing anything after that! This scripture tells us that the Lord is going to try our faith first. I was being shown how weak I was, I didn’t know Spanish and it was frustrating, but until I started talking more and just taking that first leap of faith, I wasn't going to receive any help. So I made a goal to bear my testimony at least once in every lesson just so I was practicing what I knew. Literally thirty minutes later, Hermana Kennedy was teaching us how to roll our "r's" which I have been practicing my whole life! The very first time I tried I did it!! I know that as I try to exercise my faith more and really become humble, the Lord will help me do the rest. Each day I am learning a little bit more and better understanding the lessons. I'm far from perfect, but I remembered that I've only been here for 7 weeks and the Lord has already helped me so much! So that was a really neat experience for me! Also, Hermana Kennedy has been telling us that she has a really hard time speaking English now, and I kept saying how I couldn't wait to get to that point! Where Spanish came so easy, and that was all I thought about. So then in a lesson on Saturday night with a less active member (who actually used to be a member of the Seventy!) I was talking to him in English but could not remember the phrase 'endure to the end' to save my life!! All I could remember was how to say it in Spanish! It was really cool! So the Lord is blessing me a lot, and the people we teach are progressing!
Sorry this is so scattered, but I don't have that much time! Some cool miracles: We are teaching a family of four different families who all live in the same trailer park together. And on Saturday, they had a friend over and one of the investigators taught them the whole plan of salvation with a little bit of our help! It was awesome! Then, one of the husbands came home who we have never seen before, and he asked us why we didn't invite him to church last time with his wife haha so then we asked him to go and they all came to church yesterday!! So we had about 6 investigators come to church and 3 less actives came too. The work is really progressing and I love being a part of it! The people are so loving!
Well, I have to go, but hopefully you understood all of that! I'll write home with some more cool stories! Hope you are all doing well! I miss you all a lot and hope that you've been enjoying your summer! Happy Fourth! And I can't wait to hear from you all! Love you so much. Just remember to be happy! Mosiah 2:41 "And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness. O remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it."
Love
you,
Hermana
MoberlyPS- Note from Cory's Mom...you can send her mail to the mission office at:
Hermana Cory Moberly
602 Eldredge Road
Sugar Land, TX 77478-2804
No comments:
Post a Comment