October 23, 2013

This email was received on Wednesday.  I was starting to get a little worried.  Glad she is well.

 

 

HEY! Sorry I didn't email you right on Monday! Don't worry! I'd NEVER forgot to email you! We switched Pdays so that we could do an endowment session in the DC temple today!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! IT WAS SO COOL! I love that temple so much. It's so beautiful.

 

Okay so first off. 3 Ne 5:13.  Behold, I am a disciple of Jesus Christ, the son of God. I have been called of him to declare his word among his people, that they might have everlasting life. I have this scripture hanging on my wall where I can see it every day. I love it. It's just a simple but strong testimony the reminds me of the importance of this work!

 

Okay so I can't remember everything that happened this week. It's all running together. I can't believe I've been on my mission for over a month now. I feel like I just got here. SO WEIRD.

 

I have a few funny stories from this week.

 

1. I street contacted into a drunk lady. Oops. We were walking around a busy street. When we're walking around I don't really look at the shops because I'm looking at the people. So I didn't notice that I was right outside of a busy SPORTS BAR. Heh heh.... so yeah. It was actually really funny. I'm not really afraid of anyone, so I walked right up to a group of two men and a woman and asked, "Hey what's up guys! What do you know about the Book of Mormon?!" I had one in my hand and the lady took it and started flipping through it. The two guys got kinda mad and said they didn't want to talk to me. So I said, "Oh that's fine! I'll talk to her! :) :)" Hahahaha! I think I scare my companion sometimes.... But by the end of our 45 minute conversation we were great friends! She was cracking jokes and everything! She said that we should go and talk to every drunk person and give them our phone number and say, "Hey when you wake up in the morning and feel like crap, give us a call!" So that's what I told her when we had to leave. She thought it was the funniest thing. Oh boy... Hey, I mean, Jesus hung out with the drunkards right?

 

2. Our number one investigator, George, thinks he's going to marry my companion. He has always hinted at the fact that he came here from Kenya to find an American wife. We met with him one night before his graveyard shift for work. We were talking with another man who just randomly came up to us in the street (Also from Africa) about the differences in culture. As if right on cue, George turns to Sister McKenna and says, "If I had it my way, I'd take one of these back to Africa with me. Especially THIS one." ......BAHAHAHAHAHAH! I cracked up! Probably not the best thing to do in that situation...but I just couldn't handle it! He was so serious! And the look on her face was PRICELESS! I tried to cover it up by saying, "NAHHH George! You can't have her! She's MY companion!" Oh boy.... We decided that we're only going to teach him in the church building or on the street rather than in his home any more.... So funny. Hey. Sister McKenna has a free ride to Africa! I'm never going to let her live that down.

 

3. AH! So I was TOTALLY hit on. So gross. We were street contacting on Mt. Vernon St. We were trying to go back to our car so we could go to an appointment with one of the members. We walked by a man standing at the bus stop. As we passed him he said, "Oh what a beautiful lady!" And me, being me, thought he said something about the beautiful night! AH! So I replied, "Oh, it's beautiful all right!" As soon as the words came out of my mouth I realized what he had actually said.....OH MY GOODESS. So he got a kick out of that and started calling after us and making nasty kissy noises. We definitely picked up the pace. He yelled behind us, "Oh you like that huh?" I turned around and called back, "NO WAY!". We started walking even faster. After a few seconds the yelling stopped. I turned around hoping to see that he had gotten on his bus...but he was RUNNING AFTER US! I turned to Sister McKenna and said, "Oh boy. We've got an issue." He caught up to us and started walking next to me. Before he could say a single word I blurted out, "You must want a Book of Mormon I just know you do!!" Thankfully that caught him off guard and he stuttered a bit and said something about how Mormons were weird. I don't really want to know what he actually said... But right then we had to cross the street for the car so I shouted BYE and from the crosswalk called back and told him that we believe in Jesus Christ! He just stood there all confused...hahaha. Before I hopped in the car and drove away I told him to go to mormon.org! HAHAHAHAHAHA SO FUNNY

 

4. Okay. This isn't as funny. But one of the members made me eat an anchovy. Her name is Annette Antonelli. She's super cool. She told me that there were other missionaries in the world who were eating worse things. UGH it was gross. Haha.

 

 

So now for some miracles.

 

1. There's a lady named Katya. She's from Russia! And she is a less active member. She's had a pretty rough life and has been inactive for a while. Her first Sunday back to church was MY fist Sunday in the Potomac Mid Singles ward. Coincidence? NOPE. The spirit is amazing. It blows my mind every single day! I have been able to really get to know her and help her! She hasn't had very many visitors over, so she loves having the missionaries over! We went over one night and shared with her 2 Ne chapters 2 and 9, about the atonement. I was able to testify of the importance of the atonement and how we can use it for literally everything. Christ died to save us, but he suffered our pains, our afflictions, everything! He knows everything that we're going through. That was the first lesson that I walked out of and felt that I was used as an instrument in God's hands to help one of his children. It was amazing. During the whole lesson, I thought of Sierra and Tyler and Belana and how right before I left on my mission, they bore strong testimonies of the atonement during mission prep or when we were just hanging out. Man I just love being a missionary. I told Sister McKenna that if I didn't help anyone get into the waters of baptism while I was here it would be okay because I was able to help Katya remember the importance of the atonement in her life.

 

2. We got ahold of a former investigator!!! His name is Mauricio! He already knows everything a bout the gospel! So he's as good as baptized! ;) Just kidding. He's really close though! We'll be able to help him get there! I just know it!

 

3. Even though I'm in a Mid-Singles ward, I was able to see a Primary Program! And investigator that we've been trying to get ahold of for WEEKS invited US to another ward!!! (usually it's the other way around!) But as soon as he called us, we were there! And it happened to be the day of the primary program! I just love the testimonies of young children! They are so pure and simple! But they are strong! I thought of Brendan and started crying. :) Everyone around me probably thought I was crazy, but I don't care!

 

Oh hey! Just on another note, we get to do service once every week. We go to a place called Lindon. It's right across the street from where the church building is. They hire special needs adults. And we go to help them out! We were in charge of weeding a garden and planting bulbs! And oh my goodness! I just love those people! Most people look at my face and then my name tag and run the other way. But these sweet, sweet people don't care who I am, or why I'm there! They don't judge at all! They are so loving. I'm thinking that sometime in my life when I figure out what I want to do when I grow up, I'm going to work with special needs people.

 

Cool scriptures that stood out to me this week:

2 Ne 7:8 and the Lord is near, and he justifieth me. Who will contend with me? Let us stand together. Who is mine adversary? Let him come near me, and I will SMITE him with the words of my mouth!--Oh man. How cool is it that as I testify of Jesus Christ every day I am SMITING the adversary every day! It just makes me feel powerful. :)

 

2 Ne 4:16 Behold my soul delighteth in the things of the Lord; and my heart pondereth continually upon the things which I have seen and heard.--I am always humbled because of the work of my God. He really is all powerful. I have seen so many miracles every single day.

 

 

Oh hey. I was asked to pray in sacrament meeting this last Sunday. That was my first official Sunday in this ward because of general conference and the single conference. And also my very first time praying in sacrament meeting. Dad would have been proud. He likes to see me pray. Also, just for all of your enjoyment, being the new missionary means that you get to pray every time you meet a new member. So I get to pray a whoooooooooooole lot. So you don't need to add up all the Mondays I'm missing. Unless you really want to. :)

 

I decided that missionary work is Visiting Teaching on steroids. Like mega steroids. We go around and visit SO many people. And we go visit a lot of members and less actives in this ward because that's what this area needs right now. So yeah. Tell the Relief Society ladies that they are all missionaries!!!

 

Keep praying for George!!! He's so close to baptism! I have complete faith that he will accept this restored gospel of Jesus Christ and all its teachings!

 

Sorry if you asked me questions. I don't even have time to read all my emails today! I love you all! Have a great week!

 

Love,

Sister Anderson