Monday, May 19, 2014

Full Heart!

Dear family,

My heart is full. I can't believe it is almost over, but I know I've done my best and that's all I can do! I have my departing interview on Saturday with President Anderson and go to the temple with the rest of the departing missionaries next Wednesday, then on to California on Thursday

We had some amazing miracles this Sunday. J and J both came to church (some nice ladies on the bus called us so J could get on the right buses:) along with L and her brother R. J is super solid to be baptized this coming Sunday. Earlier this week he crushed his cigarettes and sold the rest of the ones he had to pay for his bus fare! He is set to be baptized this coming Sunday. J has been out of contact most of the week (troubles with work and her daughter's visa), but finally made it to church! She is praying about being baptized this Sunday as well. L was baptized in 1977 at the age of 17 but went less-active in the early 80s. She contacted us wanting to come back to church, and this Sunday she came along with her handicapped brother R. We found out when she came that her records had been lost, so she will need to be baptized again and R wants to be baptized with her (he doesn't need to be baptized because of his disability, but he can be if he wants to). Ra sadly was down in Homestead visiting a friend in the hospital so her baptism didn't come through :( next week though. 

We had a lesson with the Ws and Brother W is not down with getting baptized on the 25th :( He will get baptized eventually, because this is the truth, but he still has a few things to work through in the faith category. (And we all know the process is faith, repentance, then baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end.) It was really fun talking to him though. I taught the lesson (mostly asking and answering questions he had) while Sister Merrill entertained the girls (they are 7 and 13, and so cute). Deep doctrine, so great. I realized how much more I have come to really understand the gospel on my mission.

Out of time, one more experience with an unnamed Sister on an exchange this week.
The spiritual highlight for the day for me was after a failed 12pm appointment, before we harvested. She mentioned to me that she was having a hard time feeling the Spirit as abundantly as she would like to. So I asked her how her reading in the Book of Mormon was going. She admitted that she wasn't reading it as much as she should - that she was reading it almost every day, but not always for a full half-hour (in our mission we're asked to read the BoM for 30 minutes every day, so it's an obedience thing). So before we went harvesting we sat in the car and read the Book of Mormon together for half an hour. We were uplifted, edified, and strengthened. The Book of Mormon is so powerful. I committed her to spend the first half hour of personal study on reading the Book of Mormon, every day.

I love you all so much!! Sorry this is short - I had a lot to write to President Anderson. See you soon!

<3
HH


Pics:

A not-widely-known occupational hazard of being a Sister Training leader - we spend 3+hours more per week harvesting (walking around outside knocking on doors) than other missionaries, so we get a bit more sun!
















Black Jesus! I've met some people on my mission who refuse to take the cards we give them with 'pictures' of Jesus because he's depicted as white... So it was fun to see this one :)












After a long day sister missionaries just like to have fun!



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