the
work is slowing down now that the 78 year old woman has been baptized. We are only
teaching one person right now consistently. so it is time to get to
finding! last week sister stone and i did our weekly planning and during
this process we pray about how many people are prepared to be baptized
within the upcoming month. we prayed about it separately and then came
together after to talk about it. i thought it was kind of crazy to look
for such a specific answer, like an actual number, but i went along with
it and prayed about it as well. it was the most inspired that i have
ever felt. we came back together to discuss it and both felt like there
were 6 people in our area who are prepared to have the gospel brought
into their lives. which seemed like an obnoxiously large number compared
to the baptisms that they have had here in the past. but, i now know,
without a doubt in my mind that they are there, waiting for us to find
them. and i know that heavenly father would only give us that answer if
we are willing to act on the answer that we received. it is september
4th and so far we only have one investigator. i have faith that they are
ready and close by - so it is time to find!
bishop carlson asked us to come into ward council
and to teach the ward a little on the purpose of ward council and what
they need to do to help us reach our goals. it was great, since i am
still learning the process myself. nothing makes you learn quicker than
having to stand up in front of 12 adults and teach them! bishop had
asked us to share our goal with the ward council. i was very hesitant to
do so. we had discussed it with him the night before, but i didn't want
to just throw out a number to them that wouldn't mean as much to them
as it did to sister stone and i, who had prayed very hard about it. i
didn't know how to portray this to them in a way that kept it sacred and
emphasized my firm belief in it and desire to achieve it. at the end of
the ward council, bishop looked at me and asked me to share. slightly
reluctantly, i began to recount the experience. i was so overcome by the
spirit. even thinking back to that moment chokes me up and overwhelms
me. heavenly father was there with me as i expressed sister stone and my
own desire to teach and the urgency that we need to act in to find
these people who have been prepared and are waiting to be taught. the
whole ward council was in tears after and i honestly cannot remember all
that i said. that is the first true time that i feel that i have been a
mouthpiece for the lord. he needed the ward council to catch the vision
of how they need to work and the spirit delivered through me. it was
incredible and the whole ward is now buzzing with the excitement of
missionary work.
not a whole ton happened this past week, we are
trying to find through our own efforts (knocking on doors, street
contacting, contacting previous investigators), but to not so great
results. there are a few promising return appointments, but not enough! i
am so grateful that bishop allowed us to talk to the ward council, it
was inspired timing as well. we really need help finding people to teach
and it is through them that we will be able to!
it is hard not being completely busy with teaching
all of the time, but we are trying ever so hard to be focused! things
are only worth it if they are hard, so why would this work ever be
easy?! anytime i start to get homesick i just remind myself that it is
because of my family that i am out here. i want people to have the
opportunity to be with their families forever. so there is no need to miss my family, i'll be with them for eternity! haha...it still happens sometimes though.
monday
was labor day and pday so we went and did some bowling with our
district. it was this junker, hole in the wall alley that was probably
106 degrees inside. it was so hot and sweaty in there. i was a little
whiny with my frequent line of, "It's hotttttttttt." Grandma Joyce will
understand that and can do a pretty incredible rendition of it herself!
also, i came in second place and broke a hundred! whattttt? then we went
to our ward mission leader's home and played ping pong
with him and his wife and son. it was so much fun. they are a wonderful
family and let us stop by whenever, like really, WHENEVER.
so tuesday sister stone had to have some testing done. well that meant that monday she had to fast all the day long AND take some laxatives that evening...it was funnnnnn! hahahaha, we had to stay up until 2 AM
finishing up her doses, all i can say is that i am going to be a really
good mom. also, i am now very good at the game phase 10. we played that
once, or 10 times, who knows? then we were up at 5:40
to get ready to go to the doctor's office. it was a pretty interesting
day, hahah, but we had a lot of fun! we truly have become friends and
are like sisters - for real. it all made it worth it though when i saw
sister morby the next day. she told me that she had spoken with sister
stone's mom about the procedure and then she got all choked up and said,
"she wanted me to thank you, sister kerr, for taking such good care of
her daughter and being so loving and patient with her." i almost started
to bawl! i am so grateful that i have gotten to be her companion and
for the fun that we have had :)
i know this was a little scattered and disorganized,
sorry. i was not in too huge of a writing mood today and i wanted to be
sure to save time to send pictures! i love you all so much. i really,
really, really do! please keep writing me, letters and emails are what
keep me going! i appreciate all that each of you have taught me through
your examples and supported me in so many different ways. love you to
the moon and back again!
xoxoxox, Sister K
p.s.
shout out to my Grandfather who is now 71 years old and still the best
looking man around town, at least Altmar town :) Happy Birthday!
p.s.s. Happy Birthday to my little Kader-tot who will be 2 years old. xoxoxoxoxoxo and "hiawaka"
p.s.s.s.
Hello to Miss Miraka, I hope you enjoy my home and family - they're
pretty neat. Ed, ruin/enrich her with many, many youtube videos.
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