My Third Transfer!

THIS WEEK WAS SUCH A GOOD ONE!
Sister Burdette and I went to town and taught 5 people on our first contact with them, either knocking on doors, or on the street and giving them the message of the restoration in 4 minutes, and were able to give 4 of them Books of Mormon.  One of them accepted a baptismal date upon invitation, and another one wanted to come to church right away!  We also got return appointments with all of them.   I have made it a habit to set a specific goal the night before when I know we will be out tracting. 

Maps of the two areas we serve

So Sister Burdette and I decided to search for and find a single parent who could use the gospel.  One of the doors we knocked on was opened by a nice looking woman who invited us right in and gave us water (so nice of her!). Her poor 19 year old daughter was on the couch with an ice bag on her face...she had just gotten home from getting her wisdom teeth pulled!  We shared a little about our faith and she told us we could come back on her day off the next week.  Later that night I realized she was that single mom we had prayed about and searched for.  The spirit is so great- it truly guides us during the day.

Then at church we ended up having 5 of our less active families, that we have been consistently working with, all come to church.  It was an amazing week of success and blessings.  I feel like I have truly grown into the missionary I have been wanting to become in this area.

These are all the people I have grown to love and will miss dearly!

I have learned to rely on the Lord and the spirit and by doing so have overcome my fear of talking with everyone.  FOR example,  we had to stop at a gas station during our afternoon of tracting (because I drink a lot of water and always have to go to the bathroom).  My eye caught on the guy inside the Fed Ex truck parked just outside...when we came back out he was still there.  I looked at him again.  I sat in the drivers seat with the key in the ignition having an internal battle on whether or not to go and talk to him.  Well, I did.  I got out of the car with Sister Burdette trailing after me probably wondering what was wrong with me, haha.  I introduce myself and start talking with him about normal things- he was sitting there waiting to switch trucks with another guy.  Of course I slip in that I am a missionary and we start talking about religions.  We shared the 4-min restoration lesson with him and gave him a Book of Mormon to take home and read.  He said he sincerely would and would ask God if it was real.  It is such a good feeling when you know that you gave your all that day. 

We know that the Lord doesn't give us anything we can't handle, "for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them" (1 Nephi 3:7). 
I have true gratitude for being a representative of Jesus Christ.  This will not last forever.  I have learned the precious principle of time this week- why it came so late in my mission I don't know. But I am glad it did.  We only have so long to do ANYTHING.  And I have an even shorter time to proclaim what I know to be true and help others find this joy the gospel has to bring.  This Mallory has been refined, buoyed up, and changed by Christ.  And for that I will always profess.

That was probably why it was so devastating for me to get the news....YES, transfer news.  I am being transferred somewhere else tomorrow. 

I was really upset at first.  I felt like I was being taken from this area prematurely.  Things were going SO well- I was more confident in the Lord and my abilities he has helped me gain more than EVER; I loved the people, and the places.  But I know I am needed elsewhere, and I will Go and Do. 

<3 Sister Golden