Learned a valuable Lesson

Learned a valuable lesson from our sister training leader sis Houston the other week. (random...she's from Georgia but just happens to be super good friends with Kira Cheney from Lehi, small world eh?) Anywho, she said that all missionaries are alike in the fact that they don't know what they're doing. It's just that the ones going home are more comfortable with not knowing what they're doing, and the fresh new missionaries aren't as comfortable. The Lord knows that we learn most when we're in unfamiliar territory, so as soon as we get to a point where we know what we're doing, he blesses us by throwing us curveballs so that we can improve, progress and choose to react in a Christlike manner.  

So this week NOT in my comfort zone, here's what was a happening!...

Today (Sept 3) I am grateful for something I never anticipated I would be. We set up an apt with John Ritch and had arranged to have Sis Denise Edwards come with us, we were super excited because he had promised he wouldn't stand us up this time. As I was on the phone with…somebody, there was in incoming call from John Ritch. By the time I finished my call he had hung up. DAH! He would only be calling to cancel. We frantically tried to call him back multiple times to see if we needed to bother picking Sis Edwards up at all but he never answered. DAH (x2)!! We said a quick prayer and decided to go grab her anyways. We picked up Sis Edwards and received a voicemail from him. Sis Makin threw out that maybe he had accidentally pocket dialed us. I listened to it while I was backing the car and **SIGH** was so relieved to only hear faint voices, the TV and crumbly-rumbly noises. Today I am grateful for pocket dials!

Sister Rosemary Carroway is the best, she went out with us to visit our investigators and it makes a HUGE difference to have a “real person” explain the blessings of the gospel. It’s especially beneficial because almost everyone is a convert so they can entirely relate to what our investigator is going through-it’s beautiful, member present lessons are just a gift (heh heh, present…gift) I kill myself sometimesJ

We made our way over to Marilyn’s for an apt we had made, and oh ye of little faith Sis Smith wasn’t thinking too much of it, Little was I expecting 2 miracles. First we stopped briefly to talk to this guy who turns out had been meeting with the missionaries but they were transferred and no one ever came by to see him, even though they told him that they had put his info in the area book. But now he had moved to Hartsville so we could run into him, get his info and start teaching him again! Miracle number 2-marilyn was home and let us in (sis Makin said she rarely would do that in the past) and then after being entertained by her dancing 2yr old grandson we had a bomb lesson and committed her to be baptized. YEEEES! Can’t wait to teach her again, and get her the come to church Sunday.

We had the fireside tonight, I was super pumped! Our song was solid, all of these people we had invited said they were coming, a bunch of ward members were going to be there and had told us they’d be bringing friends, there was going to be cookies for afterward, it was gonna be great! We got there early to set up and warm up and by the time 6 pm rolled around the only people there were the ward members who were performing and a few other families. I was so bummed, and anxiously glanced behind us every few minutes praying someone would show up…nothing. Even the elders had only one investigator show up. Otherwise is was real nice though, our song went really well and the other numbers were perfect. But my favorite part was when bishop McDaniels offered some last minute remarks. He mentioned a few things. He told the ward that Mormons need to stop being so stuffy. We weren’t at the temple and this wasn't sacrament meeting, so it would have been entirely appropriate for us to applaud and congratulate those who participated tonight. He also told us this wouldn’t be the last time we’d be doing this, and that next time he fully expected the ward to invite friends, bring missing ward members and to have more energy. I loved it! I was feeling a little bit sorry for ourselves because no one had come, but ya know what-that doesn’t matter. We’re not giving up, we’ll try harder next time. No good effort is a wasted effort. Take that Satan! I will NEVER give up, this is too important. The fireside theme was “Come Unto Him”, and all of the musical numbers were centered around Christ. It is such a beautiful thing to sing and praise our Savior. He is the most important person to have ever lived, and he’s my older brother who performed the most important thing in the world for me. I love him so much, and I want to do everything he’d done. Just like how growing up I wanted to be just like my sister Jamie. She was my idol, I didn’t wear pink because she never did, I swam and played soccer, because that’s what Jamie did. The more I come to know and learn about my savior the more I want to be like him so I can better know him, and come closer to him. I know that my Redeemer Lives, How Great Thou Art, I Stand All Amazed, what would I do If The Savior Stood Beside me, would I more valiantly proclaim I Believe in Christ?

DISCLAIMER-we have a limited amount of time to email, so I have been perfecting the art of typing like mad woman, so I apologize for any typos or other errors of the sort...also it proooobably doesn't make much sense most of the time. So use the spirit to discern my intent. LOVE Y'ALL!

Sister Lindsay Smith:D:D