A Mapping Week

This week went by fairly slow, but it was still good. Since we are low on miles near the end of this week, we decided to do a lot of map work to get to know the area better. For hours, we also put in the addresses for the GPS, since last transfer, the previous companion here used her GPS and not this one.

We had a good lesson with Tina this week, and we taught the Book of Mormon.

We had a miracle lesson this week! One evening we called some potentials and one of them was Curtis. We scheduled an appointment and the appointment didn't fall through. We brought a ward missionary with us (who was 18) and the lesson went well. We were able to schedule another appointment. Later on, we talked to the Elders about this person, and they They told us his name was Alston, and his last name was Curtis. We described this person and they said it was the same person. We even talked about the living room and what was in it. The Elders told us that they haven't been able to get a hold of him for weeks. Sometimes, when a person is taught by Elders for so long, sometimes they just need the Sisters to teach them to get baptized. I mean this in a way that when someone just needs to be taught by the another set of missionaries in order to get baptized. 

There was a baptism on Sunday and Sister Brakey and I made the program. We didn't teach him but I've heard that this ward relies on the missionaries for a lot of things. 

A good experience:

I experimented with making home-made chocolate pudding in the microwave (gluten free/ dairy free). It has saved me about 13 minutes (it takes about 15 min to cook it on the stove). I love chocolate pudding. 

. . .

I have 57 days left (9 weeks) until I'm home!

-Sister A. Marshall 

The Lord Truly Blesses Us When We Keep Trying

-Our Baptism with David fell through, last minute:

David, our investigator, had gotten his baptismal interview. His testimony was very strong, and he passed the interview. He came to church that Sunday, and his baptism was announced in church. That following Monday, he called us up and told us that he was second-guessing his baptism, and how he wasn't so sure anymore. He stumbled upon anti-doctrine and he told us some of the things he read, over the phone. The spirit instantly left, and there was a very bad feeling that my companion and I could feel. He asked us why we didn't tell him things like that, and we told him that is because those things of which he said, are NOT true! Later that week, he left us a voice message saying that he wanted us to rip up his baptismal record. We talked to you about what we should do, and we followed your counsel: he has his agency, and we must do as he wishes. Wither he will be interested in five, ten, or even twenty years, I know that there is hope that he may accept the fullness of the  in this life when he is ready.

I took the Color Code Test: 

I am a Blue/Red. The next colors go in this order: white, then yellow. 

After I took this test, I feel like this has been a big help to help me understand myself, and how I can better respond to others. 

Craig A. Cardon (of the Seventy) Came and Visited us in Stake Conference:

-He said some powerful things: 

+There is a better way to parent our children. He gave a personal analogy of when he was raising his children. If a child came home late, instead of condemning them for their behavior (such as - 'how dare you be late! I thought I told you 10 PM!' Or something like that), he pointed discipline to their spirituality. He would ask questions along the lines of asking if they had felt a prompting to go home. If they hadn't felt it, then they were doing something that dulled their spirituality. If they had felt that prompting, he would ask them about what was preventing them to follow that prompting. He would then talk to them about helping his children understand the importance of listening to that prompting of the spirit. Then he was going to take away privileges, and to have his children close so [that he would work with them on this particular challenge] and to keep them close. He made it more of a bonding and teaching experience - something that would help the child grow, rather than a condemning experience - something that would inhibit their child's learning and trust. 

-During the conference, there was a comment made about how children do come with manuals - there are a lot of parenting opportunities in the scriptures! 

In my studies: 

I have learned why there are Isaiah Chapters in the Book of Mormon! It came to me by an impression. In the headings of the chapters in 2 Nephi, it said to compare with that same Isaiah chapter in the Bible. The Bible has been translated and put together so many times, and the Book of Mormon, in English, has only been translated only once. The fullness of Isaiah is in the Book of Mormon. When I compared these chapters in the Book of Mormon to the Bible, I have observed that the Bible has taken out so many things, and even added some new phrases. One example would be from comparing 2 Nephi 7 to Isaiah 50. 

Anyways - I hope y'all have a great day! 

-Sister A. Marshall 

64 Days Left   

Call Me? Tap Tap!

My Goodness, what a week. I cannot express in my entirety of how I feel right now. So many things have happened!

Yesterday was my 16th Month Mark! I have 2 months left!

Wednesday - we met with a Former (A previous investigator), and her name is Tina. She said she has met with Missionaries before, and that she has gone through 7 Sets of Missionaries. She believes the Church is true, but she is living with her boyfriend and has children, and doesn't see a need a piece of Paper to express that. 

+We found Sister Brakey's drivers License today - it got lost this day, but we eventually found it!

Friday - I accidentally ran over a dog's foot while backing out of a drive way. The member we went to go see told us that we couldn't meet today, since she was so busy. She backed me up and I watched her for most of the time. Her dogs were so wiggly and had surrounded the car because I went over the 'invisible line'.  She said the paw was fine, but I was certainly startled for the rest of the day. 

Saturday - Our Investigator, David, has gone through the interview process and he is getting Baptized on August 22nd! 

+Sister Brakey and I met with a woman named Kelly. She is a former investigator and she told us how her husband died when she was 19. Her husband's death was portrayed in the movie "Platune" and her husband was the one who was put on a cross and shot with his military helmet on. He is also in the Book "My Gift to You" by Jerald "Jerry" W. Berry. I don't remember what his name is. Within this visit, though, she has told us that she has this strong desire to be baptized, but she is still soul searching. She has burdens that she wants to remove and they have been weighing her down for years (She's older than her 50s I think). 

Sunday - 

+We had an investigator come to church! Also, our recent convert passed the Sacrament!

Annabelle, the girl we have been teaching the lessons to, got baptized and confirmed yesterday. She is a Child of Record (age 8). I am so happy for her and her family!

+I encountered one of the most interesting things I've ever endured in my mission. It seems the moment I set foot in Goldsboro, I have been flirted with. This is moreso than any other area I have been in, and this experience which I'm about to share just tops off all of the other experiences.

+ So I was at a stop light (I'm driving this transfer), and there was this old red truck (to the left of us) with two teenage boys in it. My companion and I noticed that they were staring over at us. The one in the middle Seat looked over, and he made a phone with his hand and lip-synced the words "call me." I looked over to my companion. "Did you see that?" She told me no. I was flustered, and I looked at those boys, and I tapped my name tag twice. Within the next second, the light was green, and I sped off. My companion laughed her head off, and with that she said that just made her night.  

Things I have learned this week: 

-We talked more about the 'Tree of Life' in the Book of Nephi. It has been said that those who cling to the rod for dear life become less active [because eventually, when we cling to something, our hand eventually loosens in strength], and those who have the rod in their hand but hold it loosely stay active [because they will have energy to cling to it when they need to]. 

-I have understood what Jesus Christ has done for me, but this week I truly felt it. A lot of people, as my companion has explained to me, experience this at different moments in their life. After I have felt more of what Jesus Christ has done for me, the more I just feel absolute love for my Savior. 

-My companion is very yellow on the Color Code. She's starting to rub off on me! 

-It is easier to get IO's in a parking lot than at any other place. 

Anyways - I'll talk to y'all soon! 

-Sister A. Marshall 

*71 More Days* 

From Virginia Beach, VA to Goldsboro, NC

This week of transfers was rather exciting! On Thursday, the whole mission met up at the Benett's Creek Chapel in Smithfield, VA. The spirit was very strong and powerful. We received more council which pertained to us as missionaries. We received 30 new Missionaries, and this was a large number for the mission. There is a total of 186 missionaries and 9 senior couples. 

Some of the thoughts that came from the meeting are:

-Serve the Lord without expecting a 'Thank You' from those around us - It's all about serving because we love Him.

- As we serve Him, we increase our faith 

- 

We were told to do these things, in this order: 

1.) Take good care of yourselves

2.) Take good care of your companion - treat our companion like we would treat the Lord

3.) [Take good care of those you serve] 

And then the work will flourish. 

-Those thoughts of "I'm not good enough" "Oh, I can never do this", "This will never work out" "This is hopeless - what's the point of trying?" are not from the Lord. That is the adversary trying to bring us down. 

+ Uplifting thoughts of "I can do this" "I will do better next time" "I don't need to worry about this right now" "I can continue forward" are from the Lord. 

There will be correction as missionaries, and as long as we have positive thoughts, those will invite the spirit. Positive and wholesome thoughts are part of the Christlike Attribute Virtue, and those type of thoughts will help us in the work. 

---

Also - I read some of President Boyd K. Paker's Memoriam, additional to the August 2015 Ensign and in small print under the picture where he was sitting in a chair by himself, it said that in his teachings, he taught about how reverence invites revelation. A light bulb came into my mind this morning - it makes sense why for most of my life I have been quiet, and especially reverent. I can hear my thoughts, and also the whisperings the Holy Ghost. It is good to sit in church, to be there early, and sit there with reverence. 

. . . 

So - with transfers! The day before transfers, I was with Sisters Charlesworth and Rudy as a companionship (Sisters Charlesworth and Rudy are going to be companions now - it was a trade off, and then I became the spare. It's ok, though!). It was difficult when both of them were trying to back me up in the car (it's a mission rule that the companion has to back up the driver). Sister Charlesworth was sitting inside the car, and Sister Rudy was backing me up, trying to help me get closer to the gas pump. They both told me different things and oh goodness. That was quite an experience. 

Goldsboro. It's more humid than Virginia Beach, and I am more thirsty! 

Also - This is my second to last transfer!

I have 78 days left. I have 78 more days to finish off strong. 

-Sister A. Marshall 

Transfer Calls!

Hi, Everyone! 

So I got a transfer call on Saturday and my new area is going to be Goldsboro, North Carolina. Transfers are on Thursday this time because there is a large group of missionaries coming in. The whole mission is going to meet up and have a wonderful training. My new companion will be Sister Breaker. I haven't met her yet, but I heard she is a wonderful and diligent missionary. 

Last week I got blonde highlights. A member was willing to do that for me; I feel better with my hair being a little lighter, especially for the summer. 

We had two investigators show up to Sacrament Meeting - Ali and Timberly. 

Since it was the first Sunday of the month, it was Fast and Testimony Meeting. This is where we fast with a purpose (for somebody, spiritual strength, for investigators to receive answers to their prayers, etc) and where we go up to the microphone and share our testimonies of the restored church. One of the greatest things that happened was when our investigator, Timberly, went up and told the whole congregation that she had been church searching and she feels like this is the true church. She declared that she wanted to be baptized on August 22nd, and how excited she is for that day. When Timberly went up, though, one of the Elder Missionaries who sat near the front row looked back at us, with his mouth dropped. My mouth was dropped, and my companion's mouth was dropped. That was OUR investigator! WE are so proud of Timberly for her decision to make a sacred covenant with our Heavenly Father (God). 

I also bore my Testimony; As missionaries, at least, in my mission, it is not a common tradition that Missionaries go up and bear their testimony. But, in this ward, I guess it is. I bore witness that Jesus is the living Christ, that he lives, and that with Him, anything is possible. 

A lot of people, when they go up to bare their testimony, feel it's a time to preach to the people or to share a personal experience only, instead. But - that is not the point of Fast and Testimony Meeting. When the little children go up to share their Testimony, they are setting the example of how it should be - brief, simple, and to the point. When children give their testimonies of how they know this church is true, that Jesus is the Christ, and that Thomas S. Monson is a prophet - those things, regardless if they are very simple - or even just simple phrases of serving their siblings - bring a very powerful spirit into the room. That spirit comes because they mean what they say, and that what they said is a true principle. 

....

More great Miracles - this week I had been praying for service opportunities to help our neighbors out. I hear them through the walls a lot of the time and I just wanted to do something nice for them. A few days ago, though, the wife of the family had a lot of groceries and she was making several trips to her apartment. We asked her if we could help, and she let us take some things! She finished her grocery trip run with us helping her. When we dropped the items off, she told us that we had very bright countenances, and how she really enjoyed being in our presence. Her comment truly made my day. 

-- My companion and I didn't have enough MSF money to buy groceries last week. A family was so kind and bought us our groceries, and even things we didn't ask for! I was so trilled, and so grateful. 

-- My companion and I are now implementing something that we like to call 'Drive-thru Tracting' where we give out Mormon.org cards from our car windows. We stop by people who are talking to others out on the street (Did I ever write about the time where we did that, and someone's baby went from their carseat and went to the driver's seat, and put the car in Neutral? The car almost hit us but we backed up just in time. The mother and her friend were standing outside talking to us from our car. This all wasn't our fault though; my companion and I truly believe that it was God who saved us from a car wreck). 

Anyways! This is all I can say for now!

-Sister A. Marshall