I am sorry that I didn't email you yesterday. Since it was a holiday the library was closed, but we still managed to have a fun day.
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| This is what mission fun looks like... the sisters unclogging their pores |
This past week has been awesome!! I have had so many AMAZING experiences, but only have time to write about one particular day.
On Saturday I was able to do exchanges with Sister Fankhouser (she is the sister I bought my bike from and is also the Sister Training Leader for the mission). It was FANTASTIC!
Friday night I drove to Jurupa (her area) and we stayed up late Friday night talking...we got along really well. :)
We woke up Saturday and had an hour of personal study and then we went to Lisa's house (a less active member) to help her paint her walls. We were only supposed to be there for an hour, but we ended up staying for 3!
We woke up Saturday and had an hour of personal study and then we went to Lisa's house (a less active member) to help her paint her walls. We were only supposed to be there for an hour, but we ended up staying for 3!
Lisa is older and has been married 3 times. Her youngest daughter is 21 and just had a baby out of wedlock. Lisa has been struggling for the past 20 years and she knows that it's because she has not been going to church.
She told us her whole life story and it's pretty INCREDIBLE. She is very much into food storage and has actually written two books about it.
Unfortunately, through a messy divorce with her second husband she fell away from the church. Now that she is older and is happily married and sees how her children are now raising her grandchildren, she feels guilty for leaving the church and not teaching her children gospel principles.
Unfortunately, through a messy divorce with her second husband she fell away from the church. Now that she is older and is happily married and sees how her children are now raising her grandchildren, she feels guilty for leaving the church and not teaching her children gospel principles.
Sister Fankhouser and I listened and testified to her about temples, the plan of happiness and the atonement. It was great. She had some personal questions and met with the Relief Society President right after we left.
She couldn't come to church this week, but I think she will go next Sunday. The spirit was so strong...she couldn't deny it.
She couldn't come to church this week, but I think she will go next Sunday. The spirit was so strong...she couldn't deny it.
After that we went to the ghetto (I was in HEAVEN :)) to go get our OYMs. We pulled up to an apartment complex that Sister Fankhouser and her companion had been to a few days earlier where they had left a Harvest Blessing with a woman named Flower.
I guess after the blessing, Flower asked what church exactly they were from and they said "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, sometimes known as Mormons."
Flower said "Mormons? I was baptized Mormon once."
So, we wanted to go back and check up on her and commit her to taking the lessons and invite her to church.
I guess after the blessing, Flower asked what church exactly they were from and they said "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, sometimes known as Mormons."
Flower said "Mormons? I was baptized Mormon once."
So, we wanted to go back and check up on her and commit her to taking the lessons and invite her to church.
When we got out of the car there was a man waving at me like he knew me. I waved back with a big smile, but out of the corner of my mouth I said to Sister Fankhouser "please tell me you know that man?"
She said "Uhh I think that's Flower's husband?"
We walked up the steps and he was so nice and insisted we come in.
Just so you can get a better picture, this apartment was very OLD and pretty BARE except for a black Ikea couch and a really big flat screen tv.
Gregory, Flower's husband, is Hispanic and a larger man with a lot of tattoos. He would probably scare Sister Pack, but those are my FAVORITE people to talk to. :)
He was limping around because he has back pain and was actually going to go to the hospital that night for surgery. (We later found out that his back pain is from a bullet that is stuck in his spine.)
Flower is Hispanic with really thick drawn on eyebrows, a piercing between her chin and lower lip with BIG hoop earrings.
She said "Uhh I think that's Flower's husband?"
We walked up the steps and he was so nice and insisted we come in.
Just so you can get a better picture, this apartment was very OLD and pretty BARE except for a black Ikea couch and a really big flat screen tv.
Gregory, Flower's husband, is Hispanic and a larger man with a lot of tattoos. He would probably scare Sister Pack, but those are my FAVORITE people to talk to. :)
He was limping around because he has back pain and was actually going to go to the hospital that night for surgery. (We later found out that his back pain is from a bullet that is stuck in his spine.)
Flower is Hispanic with really thick drawn on eyebrows, a piercing between her chin and lower lip with BIG hoop earrings.
So, as we continue talking with them, Gregory is telling Sister Fankhouser about the other night when they had chatted, but she couldn't remember what he was talking about. She looked all through her planner to jog her memory and finally everything had made sense.
A few days ago when she and her companion were tracting the complex, they had talked to Gregory and Flower on the side of the road. They agreed to a blessing and then gave the sisters their address.
The address Gregory gave was actually his brothers address and since it's in a different area, the sisters had referred them to some other missionaries.
Later that night when they decided to knock on doors, the first one they knocked on was Flowers! Gregory wasn't home and they didn't recognize her from earlier that day so they gave her the blessing.
When Gregory found out, he thought that his brother gave them the correct address, which wasn't the case. (I know this is confusing...I hope you are following me.) :)
The address Gregory gave was actually his brothers address and since it's in a different area, the sisters had referred them to some other missionaries.
Later that night when they decided to knock on doors, the first one they knocked on was Flowers! Gregory wasn't home and they didn't recognize her from earlier that day so they gave her the blessing.
When Gregory found out, he thought that his brother gave them the correct address, which wasn't the case. (I know this is confusing...I hope you are following me.) :)
As we sat there and clarified the situation with him, we told him that this whole experience was NOT coincidence. He agreed and then told us his life story and said that everywhere he has moved the missionaries have found him.
There was even one time where he saw some missionaries coming down the street so he hopped a fence so that he didn't have to talk with them, but there was ANOTHER pair on the other side!
He said that he has never really committed to them because he was getting in trouble, was in and out of jail and knew that it wasn't the right time for him. But, now that he has a child, he wants to change his life and knows that we were sent to help him do that.
There was even one time where he saw some missionaries coming down the street so he hopped a fence so that he didn't have to talk with them, but there was ANOTHER pair on the other side!
He said that he has never really committed to them because he was getting in trouble, was in and out of jail and knew that it wasn't the right time for him. But, now that he has a child, he wants to change his life and knows that we were sent to help him do that.
We asked him what his religious beliefs were and let me tell you...Heavenly Father truly does PREPARE people to hear the gospel!
He testified about being a child of God, about Christ's Atonement, that he can live with his family forever and that everyone needs to be baptized to take on Christ's name.
Seriously! We talked with him for a while and he even said the closing prayer. He has committed to take the lessons and get baptized if that is the answer he receives from Heavenly Father.
He even got after Flower for not going to church and told her that she needs to get back on it.
He testified about being a child of God, about Christ's Atonement, that he can live with his family forever and that everyone needs to be baptized to take on Christ's name.
Seriously! We talked with him for a while and he even said the closing prayer. He has committed to take the lessons and get baptized if that is the answer he receives from Heavenly Father.
He even got after Flower for not going to church and told her that she needs to get back on it.
I have so much love for the both of them. As we were sitting there the spirit was so strong and I felt the love that Heavenly Father has for them.
I could clearly see them in white clothing and I know that Gregory will be baptized and their family will be sealed for eternity. I am so sad that they aren't in my area, but am praying I get transferred there in a few weeks.
If that is the ONLY spiritual experience I have while I am here, it will be WORTH the 18 months of service. Miracles really do happen everyday, you just have to look for them.
I LOVE this gospel and never want to leave the mission. There are definitely hard times, but they are nothing compared to the joy it gives me when bringing others to the gospel.
I love you all so much and I am so grateful for all of your letters!! They mean the world to me.
Mucho grande love,
Sister Nelson
(email received May 28, 2013)
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