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| USS North Carolina Battleship |
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| Sleeping Quarters |
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| Frozen Yogurt |
So this last week, are you ready?
Highlights:
We found a new investigator! She let us right in her door and after a very powerful 20 minute lesson on the Plan of Salvation we invited her to be baptized and have a clean slate and forget all of her past mistakes she had been hanging onto. She immediately accepted and came to church with us the very next Sunday! She is grasping everything quite well- it is neat to see how the Lord prepares people for us to meet and teach!
Highlights:
We found a new investigator! She let us right in her door and after a very powerful 20 minute lesson on the Plan of Salvation we invited her to be baptized and have a clean slate and forget all of her past mistakes she had been hanging onto. She immediately accepted and came to church with us the very next Sunday! She is grasping everything quite well- it is neat to see how the Lord prepares people for us to meet and teach!
Second, we went out to Mexican food (yummy) with one of our investigators and a girl from the YSA in our ward to get some fellowship going on. They are both so cute and we had a great time with them. We taught a little lesson over dinner and then drove the young lady home who had accompanied us to meet the investigator. She told us that we were the kind of missionaries she had always wanted to meet and that she really looked up to us because we were always happy and shone when we walked into a room. She confided in us about the challenges in her life and said the lesson we taught really helped her. We don't always know it, but our examples and kind words can really make a difference in someones day. I didn't expect me, as my goofy self, to touch this girl who is struggling right now and say things she needed to hear because it wasn't in a formal lesson. But what we do and say all the time has the ability to effect someone else. Are we all living in a way that will bring others up? Or down?
Think about that this week!
Funny of the Week!
We went to the Library to check on FB (we are a Facebook mission and use the social media to proselyte) and people kept coming up to me asking me questions on where they could find certain books! I just assumed they thought I was cute and approachable and sought out my assistance because they saw me first when they walked in. Well I was wrong. The last lady asked me how long I had been working at the library since I looked so young, and I told her I didn't work there! She looked confused and told me she thought the name tag meant I worked there! Haha. I then explained to her what it was. It was quite humorous :)
Things in the South:
This weekend being Columbus Day and what not meant that there was a parade in the little town we are living in! Then afterwards there was a Festival! It is called the Mullet Festival. So here I am thinking there are going to be people walking around with mullets or wigs and I am trying not to judge or be weirded out. I was then told by our lovely senior missionary couple that the festival has to do with the Mullet Fish... this is usually served down in this area. Ha! I felt silly. They came and picked us up at our apartment and we jumped on a trolley that was transporting people down to the water front. It reminded me of Gig Harbor and the parade and fun things that happen during the summer each year. We had fried fish and hush puppies straight from the south and then toured around the street for a little while looking at all the vendors and things that they were selling. It made me miss home! Being right there on the waterfront and all. It was a great day!
Gratitude time:
I have come to realize that I grew up in such a great home with loving parents, fun siblings, and good resources. Here I have met a lot of broken families, financially unstable couples, people who don't have hope or purpose for their future. We try and teach them things that will bring light and love into their lives, such as the Gospel of Jesus Christ and His plan for us to live with Him again. But we still see the effects of agency and being human and the consequences wrong decisions can have on people. As I reflect over what has had the biggest impact in my life, I realize that this church really is the foundation of my family. I was so blessed to have parents who are strong in their faith and raised me to not only rely on God, but try and become better than I was yesterday. I cannot pray enough to thank Heavenly Father for the things he has blessed me with.
I have also come to realize that I can do hard things. Coming out on a mission IS the hardest thing I have ever done in my 20 years of life. But sometimes good things require sacrifice. I don't believe Heavenly Father would ask us to go on missions and endure the hardships if it wasn't for an extremely important purpose. I know that I would not have developed AS firm of a testimony in the Book of Mormon, or have the same opportunities to rely solely on my Savior since my family is so far away. I know that I will be able to use this experience as a wife and a mother because I have become truly converted in the gospel. I know that my Savior is there for me, and that prayer is a powerful tool we so often over look. In a period of 6 weeks I have grown and can't even imagine what 17 more months will do for me.
In closing, I only have 16 more fast Sunday's to go!
502 Days, 2 Christmases, and one summer to get through before I am home ;)
What a daunting Idea. I love you all and pray for you each and every day. Thank you for your support and encouragement- it really does make a huge difference in my life! I am so thankful for that :)
Love,
Sister Golden
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