Asked to Train Again!

 Alright, so I am going to share a bit of news first before going on to the rest of my letter.  On Friday we got a phone call from President and was sort of freaking out.  We had just gotten back from our work out and I was all sweaty and short winded.  We answer and he asks to speak with me...he doesn't say anything for what feels like a minute.  I start to panic in my head and worry if it is bad news.  But then he goes on to say, "Will you train for us?" Blunt and to the point.  I say, "yes, President I will." And he goes, "I'm sorry."  I don't know how to respond and consider saying, "Thank you?" and "Why?" HA! He continues, "I am sorry that I only have a few people I entrust with the sacred calling of being a trainer.  And know that I can trust you completely to do this job. But I know you will be great."  I was glad to know that the Lord trusts me, and so does President James, but I was still nervous!  I feel like I don't know the area, BUT... I also know that the Lord compensates for what we cannot do, and we are endowed with power when we need it most.  So I am trying to just pray a lot and put my faith and trust in the Lord.

We love biking!

Someone gave me a basket:)

Anyways.  This week was a good one for teaching.  We started teaching three siblings, whose mother actually has been taking the discussions on and off since 2009.  We had one lesson with the kids last week and all of them plus their mom came to church yesterday.  That night we had another lesson with them and the SPIRIT was so STRONG!  They were all sincerely interested and asked to continue the lessons.  They said they would all study and seriously pray about baptism.  The mom said, "You know, now I can finally accept the Joseph Smith story.  I understand that these things can happen and that God speaks to people differently due to time period, personal reasons and what we need."  So I know that the Lord has plans for his children.  We needed to teach them at THIS time, because the children are old enough to understand, and that is helping their mom learn as well.  So neat :)

Another lesson we had this week was with a single mom and her three girls.  She has also been seeing the missionaries for years.  We had a heart to heart lesson and she opened up to us about her struggles as a single mom and we were able to share a scripture of comfort from both the Bible as well as the Book of Mormon.  She really appreciated that and said that it let her know that God will always talk to his people and never leave them abandoned.  This was a great leap because her religion doesn't really even read the Bible. 

Another lesson...with another single mother (I am beginning to see a pattern) was about the Strippling Warriors.  She said that she hated being a single mom and felt that she wasn't doing her kids any good by raising them alone.  I felt prompted to turn to Alma 56 and when we got to the part where the boys said, "for our mothers knew it..."  she teared up and said "I needed to hear that."  The scriptures continue to amaze me.  No matter what our life struggle may be, we can find hope, comfort, and solace when we open and read them.  Even if we don't get an answer in word form, the spirit that comes with reading can be an answer in and of itself.  I have found that to be true many times for me as well.  If it isn't a habit for you already, I would encourage you to try and read from the scriptures daily.  You will find more spiritual comfort as you do so. 

This week we had Zone training so we all got together at the Stake Center.  That is always a treat because we learn a lot...and we get to see the temple of course!
At the training we got a bunch of new information!  News that we can NOW do things with Elders!  Such as have a District or Zone Activity, and with permission drive to meetings together, and possibly being able to eat together after meetings.  It will be SUCH a weird change, but I believe that it will increase the unity of our mission and allow us to practice obedience on a higher level.  Just gotta' stay consecrated!  Ha.  Today we had our first Zone Activity and played football, kick-ball, and zombie ball.  That last one was interesting.  Haha.  We got a big zone picture which I will hopefully receive next week.  But it was great being able to mingle and create a better relationship rather than shaking hands and going in the opposite direction.

  Tuesday was our Deep Clean day last week.  And we went to TOWN!  We cleaned out our apartment SO good.  I felt very accomplished and actually miss being able to clean and organize.  Weird, I know.  But it is like a stress reliever for me!  I just turned the music on and we went straight for 4 hours!

So because of conference coming up we have been informing our investigators and less actives about the Sat. and Sun. sessions, as well as the Relief Society Broadcast.  We seem to be getting good feed back about people wanting to watch and attend.  I know how powerful conference can be; and for someone who is investigating or trying to return to church, this can be a crucial moment!  I love going into conference with specific questions I want answered.  1. It always works.  2. I feel more close to my heavenly father.  I want you to do the same! :)

So this cute little 80 year old man had been meeting with us on his door step for about two weeks.  He is the one who always calls us pet names, haha.  The last time we saw him he called us, "Sweet darling baby girls".  When we brought a couple with us to a lesson The Old Man said that he wasn't interested in learning anything further.  But we were SO charming and didn't know how such nice girls like us were in the world.  1. It made me feel good that we put a positive note on the 'Mormons' and 2. I now can say that an 80 year old man had a crush on me.  Ha! Too bad he broke up with us before it went any further. 

I am truly grateful for the gospel in my life.  There are many struggles that our investigators face- and others who refuse to listen to the message we have to share miss out on blessings that could help them through.  I want to quote a talk I was reading by President Monson.

"When the pathway of life takes a cruel turn, there is the temptation to think or speak the phrase, “Why me?” Self-incrimination is a common practice, even when we may have had no control over our difficulty. Socrates is quoted as saying: “If we were all to bring our misfortunes into a common store, so that each person should receive an equal share in the distribution, the majority would be glad to take up their own and depart.”
However, at times there appears to be no light at the tunnel’s end—no dawn to break the night’s darkness. We feel surrounded by the pain of broken hearts, the disappointment of shattered dreams, and the despair of vanished hopes. We join in uttering the biblical plea, “Is there no balm in Gilead?”  We are inclined to view our own personal misfortunes through the distorted prism of pessimism. We feel abandoned, heartbroken, alone.
To all who so despair, may I offer the assurance of the Psalmist’s words: “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.”
Whenever we are inclined to feel burdened down with the blows of life’s fight, let us remember that others have passed the same way, have endured, and then have overcome.
Job was a perfect and an upright man who “feared God, and eschewed evil.” Pious in his conduct, prosperous in his fortune, Job was to face a test which would tempt any man. Shorn of his possessions, scorned by his friends, afflicted by his suffering, even tempted by his wife, Job was to declare from the depths of his noble soul, “Behold, my witness is in heaven, and my record is on high.  I know that my redeemer liveth.”
As we each face different hurtles in life, let us see them as humbling blocks, not stumbling blocks.  I know that the Savior is in the details.  Although our mortal mind cannot comprehend the end of our challenge, our spirit knows that this life is just a place to learn and be tested.
"Yes, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, is our Exemplar and our strength. He is the light that shineth in darkness. He is the Good Shepherd. Though engaged in His majestic ministry, He embraced the opportunity to lift burdens, provide hope, mend bodies, and restore life."
I leave that testimony with mine as well.

Have such a good week :)
<3 Sister Golden