5 New Investigators This Week

I don't even know where to start with this week!

This week, it started out a bit slow because for the first three days, I could not sleep at all, and I felt a bit discouraged. After that, I was able to sleep and the work picked up pretty quick! I'm impressed! 

We had some dinner appointments and I am so glad that the members are able to think of my dietary needs. I know it may be a little difficult, but I am thankful for their love and support. 

My companion and I have been to homes where there is smoke filling the air. This area is the first time in my life where I sometimes smell cigarette smoke, back to back. A lot of people we visit say they have had a stroke, or someone in their family has had a stroke. 

We went to Traci and Margy's house again this week, with one of our good friends, Jackie. The lesson went well, and we can tell that Margy is interested. Her daughter, not so much. She has chosen to stick with her Baptist faith, but I do hope that she may  be interested in the future. 

Sister Bowen and I are preparing Emma for baptism, and we just had another lesson with her this week, in their home. This is going to be super exciting, and will be my first Baptism as a missionary, on the 26th of June. 

We also taught Leah again, and the lesson went well. I made a smoothie for her mom and gave it to her Monday I think (it was Sister Bowen's idea) and I was glad she enjoyed it.

We visited a woman who is active in the church, and she wanted us to help her fold her family's laundry (for she has a big family and plenty of little baby and children clothes). That was a great visit, and I was able to give her the video clip with her baby's first birthday. 

After hearing so many negative stories this week, and a lot of family problems people are having, I decided to write a poem (well, it turns more into a poem near the end) about it: 

I am a missionary

I feel such great sadness

for the people who have lost their testimonies,

who have seen the light, and denied their cross

I feel anguish when I visit family after family

going through divorce (or, have been through divorce)

And it is more than 50% based on the amount of people I see

Oh how this strengthens my testimony

Of the truthfulness of the gospel

And how it blesses families' lives

Many lay their burdens upon our backs

And now we carry them, and take the toll

With the strength of half a man

Unlike Christ, I cannot carry them in full.

I can try to give them comfort

After they wipe and clear their eyes

But I can only offer tissues

In the words and spirit of Christ

Never in my life have I felt so much sadness

From those who have lost their way

Where Satan attempted more than thrice

To have their Hearts Shrivel and decay.

I am just a missionary

And I can tell you, with a sure and firm belief

That Jesus Died, for all sorrow and sins

In the garden of Gethsemane.

And these moments in your lives

Are just, but a small moment

And the best way to find peace, happiness and joy

Is to rely on the Gospel, and Christ's Atonement.

Some treat the missionaries like Therapy

And I take the bitter cup, and shrink

And as I preach, I speak of Christ

And mention how He's the missing Link. 

...   

We taught a lady named Leshanda, who we have been trying to see every Saturday, and we taught our first lesson with her. Her daughter had some great questions about what happens when we die, and where we go, and I got super excited to answer! We gave out another book of Mormon. her youngest Daughter was in the lesson as well. We have a return appointment, next Saturday. Three new investigators! 

We visited a Lunetta, who is a member referral, and this was our second visit! Within our first visit, she was super eager to learn, and she was the same way in the next. She asked us about some misconceptions about the religion (We do NOT believe in Polygamy, and Joseph Smith did NOT make up the Book of Mormon, and she asked where the Book of Mormon came from). The lesson went well, and I couldn't be more excited for the next lesson.    

Kitty finally got her large copy of the Book of Mormon! It came from our Mail Order, and we gave Rachel an audio copy of the BOM (this is all out of the missionary's money, by the way!). My companion and I are now on the search for a used CD player and Headphones and I know we can find some for her within the ward! there are a lot of people and there has to be an old one, somewhere!

Today is also Elder Adam's last day - meaning, his 2 years are up, and now he's heading back to Utah. It's so funny to hear that he lives a block away from Sister Bowen back at home, and they did not even know it, and did not even know each other. And the previous missionary who left my mission area, is in Utah  too, and they also live super close to each other, and they didn't know each other until the mission! It's crazy.

Yesterday, I finally made the recipe that Jackie (she is the lady who does our laundry) gave me from her sister, a couple of weeks ago: Pinto Bean Fudge. 

It had: 

1 cup of Pinto Beans, cooked, drained, and mashed

6 oz of bakers chocolate 

6 tbsp of butter/ margarine

2 lb bag of Confectioners Sugar 

1 tbsp of vanilla 

Mix all of the ingredients together (a mixer works great)

Chill for 1 -2 hours.

Oh wow, was it rich, and the texture was spot on. 

We also made peanut butter chocolate chip cookies, and for an egg replacer, I made a cornstarch/oatmeal/water (blender) mixture (which gives the cookie a nice, muffiny texture) and put it into the batter, but, I added an egg anyways. 

We gave some fudge and cookies to Elder Adams last night, since he was leaving the next day! Now I just need to give some to Jackie, because she was super afraid to try it.. Pinto beans? Oh yeah. It's good stuff. 

I told myself last week that by the end of my mission, I am going to teach myself the bass Clef so that I can play the piano well (sight read) like Sister Bowen. I can play the treble clef just fine, and I know a bit of the bass clef. The bass clef is just two steps upward note-wise and I just need to remember that when I read from treble to base. I just need to know the bass-ics and then there will be less treble for me. I know I can do this! I self-taught myself to play and memorize a couple of hymns already within the first months of me memorizing some hymns... I know I can do this again!

Our downstairs neighbor in our apartment, Dustin, has been a convert since January of this year. His parents came to church on Sunday! We now have another referral, and I am excited to teach his parents the lessons!

I LOVE seeing investigators gain more faith, and hope. I haven't been here that long, and I love watching them grow spiritually. This gospel is all about changing for the better. I have a testimony of that.

I could say more, and I am glad that I am serving a mission. Each week is getting better and better, but each day requires more work. It is not easy, but it is worth it. 

-Sister Marshall