HELLO!
What an exciting week it has been! One that will go down in history!
It has been pretty stormy here! Monsoon season has arrived! What a blessing!
Monday we saw Lou, of course! At
3pm! Just like clockwork! He is loving church and really excited to be a missionary and shared what he is learning with others!
Tuesday we met with Tamara and had a real heart to heart about if she really did want to learn. It was completely inspired. She is committed to put forth the effort necessary to receive her own witness! We are going to meet with her every other day and call her in between days to help her stay on track! I know that this will really help her as she tries to get on her feet! She was in tears and so was the member that came with us! It was so uplifting! Later, we went over Lou's Baptismal Questions with him, along with choosing who he wanted to participate in the program. He is so excited and asked if I would speak on The Gift of the Holy Ghost! I am so excited! We had a few other visits that night! I love being here in Boulder City!
Wednesday I had Mission Leadership Council to attend, it ended up lasting until
4pm! It was so inspiring! They announced that Sister Training Leaders will be in a companionship and cover a whole zone, starting next transfer! That means, that I will be with another STL next transfer! It will be awesome! I didn't get to see Lou today, because I was at this meeting but Sister Nichols shared with me an experience he had, and I just have to share it with you!
Lou goes on a walk every morning and stops at Burger King. Before learning the Word of Wisdom he would get a cup of coffee or green tea. Since learning of the Word of Wisdom he orders a cup of hot water and brings a packet of herbal tea from home. He started doing this the past few days and he always orders from the same person. So we started a conversation with her and this is how it went...
Lou "You are probably wondering why I am ordering just hot water now, instead of my usual."
BK Girl "Yes"
Lou "Well you see, I am becoming a Mormon and that is against the Word of Wisdom"
BK Girl "I'm a Mormon too, but I haven't been for a very long time"
Lou "Really? You really should come to church. The people are so nice and they would just welcome you! We meet on 5th Street at
9:30. I am also getting baptized
on Saturday at 2pm, will you come?"
BK Girl "Sure! I will try to make it! Thanks so much"
Okay it was probably a little more interesting of a conversation, but that was the cut and dry version! Pretty awesome, huh?!
We also had dinner with Brother Norris and his 12 year old daughter Helena! They took us and another member out to Pit Stop! It was sooo good! They have been coming to church each week for the past month! They are going to work on getting to the Temple to do Baptisms! I am so excited for them! They are wonderful!
Towards the end of our night we met with the Gardner's they had their less active son, Cody, and his girlfriend, Samantha, over for us to teach Sam about the Gospel! It was one of the most amazing lessons I have ever been apart of. As we taught Sam she was holding back tears. Everyone else couldn't hold it together, even her boyfriend was crying. We asked her if she would pray to know if what we shared with her tonight was true and her reply was, "I already know that this is true!" The Spirit was so strong and we sat around the kitchen table. I am grateful that the Spirit is the true teacher and can pierce our hearts when we hear truth!
Thursday we did some service in the morning. Then we went to the Shattler's and watched the Restoration DVD with them! They loved and Tiffany keeps asking her mom when she can get baptized! Tiff's dad is pretty anti, so I don't know how soon that will happen! But we keep praying for them! Later, Lou had his interview with Elder Anderson. Both Lou and Elder Anderson are talkers!!!!! So a 20 minute interview turned into 1 hour! But they came out laughing and feeling very comfortable! Lou said that his wife will be at the Baptism! We also met with Tamara, and she actually read Alma 32, the chapter we left her!!!!!!! She's never really put forth much effort, BUT SHE DID TODAY! She loved it and understood it! Now all she needs to do is pray about it! Which she committed to do! It was the highlight of our day!
Friday we had Zone Training Meeting and I gave a training on Morning Studies! I started with a cool object lesson. I had a bowl of water and poured oil in it. The oil settled on top of the water and a put drops of food coloring in it. After a little while the some of the food coloring went into the water and spread. I compared this to our Morning Studies. The oil is our personal study, the water is our companion study, and the food coloring is our revelation. We talked about how our revelation expands during comp study and some of it stays with us from personal study. It was really neat! Then we had a great discussion about experience we have had during personal and companion study that helps us to be better. I love giving trainings! It is one of my favorite parts of the mission! Then we met with Lou and talked to him more about his commitment to be Baptized. I was in tears during the lesson as we told us that he wishes he would have made the decision 10, 20, 30 years ago. But no one ever invited him. He was surrounded by members at work and no one, not one person ever invited him to learn about the gospel. He was in tears as well. But then he said, "I know that this is my time. I need my Sister Davis to knock on my door." I know without a shadow of a doubt that I was sent here to Boulder City for Lou! After everything that has happened here, after having two companions leave, being in trios, and having so many personal trials, I know that it was all worth it and that it helped me be in a place where I could teach Lou. He is why I came on my mission. There have been so many amazing people that I have been touched by. But I know that Lou needed me and I needed him.
Saturday was the big day! Lou came to the church and so did his wife, Anne. This was the first time I met her and I just love her. She has such a sweet heart and Spirit. Lou was so excited and nervous. Sister Graff spoke on Baptism and then I spoke on the Holy Ghost. I compared the Spirit to the wind and how sometimes we have strong promptings or just breeze like promptings. I gave him a jar that had a quote on it that says, "There is no price too high, no struggle too severe, no sacrifice too great, if out of it all we receive and enjoy the gift of the Holy Ghost." On the front I wrote, "Collections of Spiritual Promptings" and invited him to write them down and keep them in a jar as a journal! It was so great! After Lou was Baptized he shared his testimony and his feelings of the Gospel it was so powerful! He will be a great instrument in the Lord's hands! About 30 mins after the Baptism we found out about transfers! I am being transferred to North Las Vegas! I will be serving in two wards, the Craig Ranch and Mountain Shadows ward. Sister Pence, who came out with me, and I will be companions! We will be the STLs over the North Zone! I am excited, but so sad! I went to Lou's home to tell him the news. It totally blindsided him. He just kept saying, "Oh no, Oh no, Oh no...." It was so sad. We visited a little bit and then he offered a prayer before we left. I felt as though Lou was giving me a blessing. It was the most powerful prayer! I went around to say some more goodbyes, but saying goodbye to Lou was the hardest!
Lou received The Gift of the Holy Ghost! It was wonderful! I bore my testimony along with several other members, that brought me to tears! This is going to be a hard move! I have grown to love it hear with all my heart, but I know the Lord has great things in store for me. I am going to be serving in a place that needs me and that I need. I visited a few more families later at night. It is so hard to say goodbye, so I choose to just say see ya later!
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