My Heart is in Texas: A Week of Exchanges

This week we had the opportunity to go and do YSA exchanges and it was awesome! We went to Sam Houston 2nd on Tuesday on the LoneStar Campus and contacted students there with the other missionaries. Then on Wednesday we were able to go to Texas A&M with some other sisters and contact students! It was so awesome to learn from eachother the things that work and get some new contacting ideas for YSA's.

Flashback

I also was able to go on exchanges with Sister Walker in Bryan. We had a great time together and had some great lessons. A couple experiences to share

Durda Family- The mom and daughter are working on a really cool YW Value project. They set up family history workshops for the ward and set a goal to find 73 names to go to the temple. Why 73? Because it is 73 miles from the church here in Bryan to the temple. And so they are going to do a relay race and run the names to the temple! They have far exceeded their goal and have over 200 names and so they are working to get 500 now!

Isaac- He is 60 something year old black man and investigator. One of the first things he said was, "I don't think I'm ready to get baptized (he has a date for baptism in a couple weeks)... I think I want to wait a couple more months. I don't know why these sisters are rushing me..."

And so I said to him, "Let me explain to you why they are so excited and want you to be baptized soon." I pulled out a piece of paper and drew him the picture below. We talked about how baptism is the gate and how after we are baptized we receive the Holy Ghost. Right now he is doing all the right things; going to church, reading the Book of Mormon, and praying... so right now all he is doing is banging his head up against the wall!

I then asked him when he felt like he would be ready to be baptized... and he said, "I think I could do it in a month... nah lets do it in a couple weeks!"

Baptismal Invites

This week Hermana Hoj and I decided to invite someone to be baptized everyday! It was amazing to see the miracles. Sometimes we would invite one of our investigators and sometimes we would just invite random people off the street or on campus. We would introduce the Book of Mormon, ask them if they would read it, and then when they received an answer of the truthfulness of the gospel if they would be baptized! And everyone said yes! It was amazing!

I think sometimes we are scared to invite people to be baptized, but I know that when we do it with the spirit and as we invite them to read the Book of Mormon, the spirit has touched them! Plus, here in the South aint nobody afraid to talk about baptism anyways!

We had a really cool experience with one guy, Jose. We went to visit a potential investigator, Dora because we had only about 30 minutes to find someone and invite them to be baptized on Monday. She seemed to be the fastest way for us to get an invite in. We went to her trailer, but when I got out of the car I saw this YSA standing outside.

So we went up to talk to him, Jose, and talked to him about the Book of Mormon and why he believes in Jesus Christ. How Christ has helped him in his life. We then invited him to be baptized, and he said YES! And afterwards he completely opened up to us about his concerns and problems he is having with his family. It was so great! And an even greater miracle is that 10 minutes afterwards we invited Dora's husband to be baptized too!

Revelations

Went to Revelations Bible Study again this week... Can I just say how much I am blessed with the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ and the priesthood Power! Gosh I just felt so sad that these people were not at all receptive to the messages we had for them.

They were asking a question in Revelation Chapter 3 verse 7 about what the key of david was. Well lucky for us there was a footnote on key... my eyes went to the bottom of the page and it says, Priesthood, Keys. A smile just cracked on my face and Sister Hassell and I just looked at eachother.... They completely didn't understand the full depth of the scriptures.

Now how can we just help them to do so as well? We were able to comment a bit on what we thought, and of course they loved it. I just wish we could have talked about the restoration of the priesthood with them.

Love this church and love y'all!

Hermana Loo