My Heart is in Texas: Summertime and the living is "easy"? Epic Week #2

OYM & 7 New Investigators

In Preach My Gospel, we are told: “The Lord is preparing people to receive you” (155). “Pray for the spiritual sensitivity to recognize opportunities” (156). “Talk to as many people as you can each day” because “God will place in your path His children who are being prepared to receive the restored gospel” (156).

This week there were so many miracles! I had set a goal to talk to everyone again this week and Sister Walker and I set a goal to find 7 new investigators and we did! Heavenly Father as a result have put so many people into our path who are ready to accept the gospel... and a couple others who aren't. But that's missionary work. :)

The best girlfriends you can have...

We went to go check up on a less active member. Well he answered the door and said, "Oh this is not a good time. We are not being very mormony here."

He told us how when Sister Walker and Sister Stepp came the first time to see how he was doing his non member dad said, "Travis! You have 2 girlfriends here to see you."

He was like "what girlfriends?"

So I said, "Ya we are the farthest thing away from girlfriends. *chuckle* "

And he responded talking to his friend. "Well these are the good girlfriends. The best ones you can have around."

Oh dear. I definitely was a little bold and just asked, "Are you interested at all in coming back to church? Do you have the desire? Because we don't want to bug you. We are not being judgmental at all."

And he is still interested... I gave him an easy out and he wants to come to church. :)

The one thing I remember from seminary.

So as y'all may know... I wasn't the biggest fan of my seminary teacher in high school... But we were teaching the Restoration to a new investigator, Sammy and he asked if the Book of Mormon had any examples of Pride and ego. So I answered that the Book of Mormon goes through a cycle of pride where the people are blessed, they forget Heavenly Father and are wicked, are humbled, and then blessed.

Afterwards Sister Walker said, "I liked your pride cycle answer. I was thinking of an answer and you said it way better. " And I said, "Well I'm glad that the one thing I remember from seminary finally paid off!" It was pretty funny!

Sammy is Muslim and reads the Koran. But he is open to religion and has a friend on a mission (Danielle's boyfriend. That guy is on fire with missionary work!). He really understands the language of the Book of Mormon and we are so excited to meet with him and see him progress.

Some great mini experiences... and investigator updates

We were teaching an investigator, Xavier, the Restoration and his neighbor across the street was mowing his yard. As soon as he was done he was getting ready to turn on his weed-whacker and it wouldn't. So as Sister Walker was sharing her part of the lesson I sat there and prayed and prayed in my mind that it wouldn't turn on. "Please Heavenly Father, make it not work. Don't let it turn on." And it didn't! Faith and Prayer work with the spirit of being a missionary.

Our ward like became 3 times bigger this Sunday. About 50 summer sales YSA's walked in the door for selling alarms and pest control. It was crazy! So we have about 10 girls and 40 guys... too funny.

Lauren: We taught Lauren the Plan of Salvation and invited her to be baptized on June 7th! We are so excited for her. She takes her Book of Mormon to work and reads it on her break. She even had sticky notes in the chapter we assigned her, Alma 32, on faith.

Jethro: We met with him on Lonestar Campus. He expressed to us that he has never received an answer to his prayers. I was so sad. So we are working with him to know how the spirit speaks with him.

Danielle: Taught the Restoration and she is already finished with 2 Nephi!

Faith. It's that simple.

We went over and talked with Viet, our Vietnamese friend. We asked if he had any questions about what he was reading and we started having a discussion about Faith from Alma 32: 21 "And now as I said concerning faith- faith is not to have a perfect knowledge of things; therefore if ye have faith ye hope for things which are not seen, which are true."

He loved that scripture and wanted more understanding. He believes in a God but simply what does faith mean and do for us? We talked about how faith grows and how the spirit speaks to us. We had a recent convert with us who used to be Agnostic and he was able to bear his testimony on how he received his faith.

Faith --> Action --> Confidence --> Perfect Knowledge

We testified that as he works to pray, read the scriptures, and understand his faith will increase and he will be more confident and come to know that God loves him so much.

So how does your faith grow? How does the spirit speak to you? What can you do to make sure that your faith continues to grow each day?

I know that as you do so that you will be blessed and as promised at the end of Alma 32 "Then, my brethren, ye shall reap the rewards of your faith, and your diligence, and patience, and long-suffering, waiting for the tree to bring forth fruit unto you."

Love y'all!

Sister Loo