August 19, 2013

So this week has had its ups and downs, well more like it started down and ended up. So we had Glacier Monday right, then we had emails on Tuesday and Facebook training, (we are getting ready to start Facebook for the mission here) and so Monday and Tuesday we got like nothing done. Wednesday-Friday were ok, we had a ton of people cancel on us and it was really bugging me! I hate when people cancel last minute! urghhhh. But then Saturday and Sunday were marvelous. 

We had a Dutch oven potluck dinner with the Belt Branch, I ate so much I could barely walk, I have got to stop eating so much, and it’s just always so good! We also were able to teach some people. Then Sunday we literally ran from appointment to appointment, we had branch council, then church, then a lesson, then lunch and a lesson, and then we studied for an hour and then went to our dinner where we also had a lesson and then came back to Great Falls and had another lesson. IT WAS AWESOME! Exhausting, but awesome! 

The dinner appointment was cool; me and Sister Taylor have really been working on trying to share the lesson, like take turns and not take the lesson over, as well as involve the members there and ask questions. It was great.  It was our first lesson with the investigator, Darcy.  It was really cool cause her twin is a member, and she herself has gone sometimes, and we talked about the priesthood a little and I felt prompted to ask her about it, and it was so cool because this whole week I have felt out of tune, and like I have not been receiving revelation.  But that right there was an answer to my prayers to be able to receive revelation, because she told us she was in a horrible accident and was on the operating table in convulsions, her whole right side was supposed to be shattered, and then some doctor gave her a priesthood blessing before going in to surgery and she can remember the spirit she felt and the peace, and then later after out of surgery she found out that nothing was broken at all, and it should have been, and she knew that was a miracle because of the blessing :) how amazing is that? We of course committed her to baptism, cause we do on every first lesson, and it was so funny cause she was like "you’re asking me?" and then she was like "I know it’s true, like there is not a doubt in my mind, this is true, but.....I have commitment issues.." bahahahha that was the funniest excuse ever! Of course she is like 40 and not married so maybe she does have commitment issues :) love her though, she’s great, a very sweet lady and we are going to keep teaching her. (oh and a total side note, ya know in movies where it’s like a cute old house on a summer evening and like there is a nice table outside with a lace table cloth and like fancy crystal cups and stuff, and miss matched chairs, that was totally how we ate, and we had home made everything, it was like a total movie, and also Brother Urick, took us to her garden to pick peas before dinner :) do you realize how happy that made me, I have not picked peas since grandpa died :) I just loved it and it brought back memories, it was a sweet tender mercy).

Another experience I had this week was with Lois Johnson, a sweet 80 year old lady. So some background real quick, we received a referral for her from the elders, they helped her move into a condo in town, then after glacier while we were up with the Fair Field sisters they got a call from a member for a referral for us to, about the same lady, then someone else had a referral given to us for her also. Three referrals for the same lady in 1 week, obviously Heavenly Father shouting at us to go visit her. So we did. Her daughter Cathy Walker is a member and has been working with her mother Lois for years and finally after having so many people help her move from Fair Field to her condo, all people in the church, it really touched her and we were able to get an appointment. She moved down here because her husband is in an assisted living down here, but is coming home now and they wanted somewhere close and where they could get help. The appointment went awesome, and we committed her to baptism and it was so cute because I ask her and she just keeps nodding her head, and after like 10 seconds she's like..."Wait..what?  I didn't hear you." So we told her again and she was hesitant, and then we explained we could keep teaching her and that after she had gained her own testimony, and then she agreed. She is such a sweet lady, she is probably 4'10, she is itty bitty. I had to bend down to give her a hug. Anyways right before I started writing this letter I got a call from her daughter Cathy, who has really been an influence and wanted to be there for our next lesson, but she is from Iowa and has already been here for 4 months helping her mom and she has to get home now. She called me and it was an hour call, she told me all the background on Lois, and she started to cry. It just really brought it home to me. Lois is her mom, she loves her so much. I can't imagine having you, my mom, not being a member. It just made it so much more personal, and I am going to do everything to help this sweet lady. I can tell she is ready for the gospel, but she is scared to join because she doesn't want her other daughters to be mad, one is a Baptist and the other a Lutheran. She knows it's true though, she told her daughter "Well if I just don't learn now, then in the spirit world I can have a chance." She told her that a while ago, but it cracked me up cause she already has a testimony of the spirit world and plan of salvation even though she said she didn't need to learn now. It was funny. She told her daughter though after a spiritual talk they had "don't give up on me" and her daughter never has, and she even told me and sister Taylor that "don't give up on me" she knows it's true, she's just scared what her family will do. I just know we are supposed to teach Lois, with everything that has led to her, it is meant to be :) I already love her so so so much also :) She is a sweet heart!!!

Okay another quick story, so we were talking to Tony on the phone, he is at navy training, and he was telling us how since they don't have priests and bishops and rabbis and stuff at training they just choose the person who seems the most knowledgeable and dedicated to that religion and they put them in charge of them for setting up meetings and stuff. So apparently he was talking to someone and they made him it. And he was like "uhhh I’m not even baptized yet." and they were like "Well you seem to know a lot" and he was like "uhhh no I really don't" But he really does he just doesn't realize it. Anyways I thought that was awesome. And also him and Deena normally don't drink coffee and they don't drink alcohol at all, but like he was saying normally at navy things he does drink coffee, and he said it's been hard but he doesn't drink any, instead he watched a Mormon message every morning instead of drinking his coffee!!! How freaking fantastic is that!!! Tony and Deena are amazing. And yes we have talked to them about getting married, but they want a wedding, but I think the more we start bringing in temples and celestial marriage they will want to get married sooner. It will not be while I am here though, I'm pretty sure of that. Maybe not though :) haha oh and also so Amber and Kayli and Izaak, well we taught the law of tithing to them and Amber loved it.  It really scared her, because it will be hard for her, but we talked about the blessing that come from it and obeying the law of the tithe, and that is what convinced her to move her baptismal date up! Like she's been really tentative with her date, but is slowly growing more confident, and that lesson just boosted her confidence in her choice to be baptized, so much so that we moved her date from September 14th to August 31st!  Two whole weeks!! How awesome is that. Well that's it! Looking back it really has been a great week, just slow at starting haha :) I love you all and I know this gospel is true and our Heavenly Father loves us and loves to bless us, especially when we are having a hard time, just look for those tender mercies :)

                

-love sister draudt