Awesome week! First of all... Liz has a baptismal date! She is our miracle investigator that we lost and found again and we were finally able to set a date with her. The wonderful thing is that she understands that this isn't something to be taken lightly. She said she can't give her absolute word because she prides herself in totally keeping her promise, but she is working towards it and is very interested in it. So November 19 is her goal. That was a very happy night.
Also, we were able to meet with Mike and Suzanne, a couple with a cute 8 year old extremely autistic boy again. We taught the plan of salvation - the spirit was so strong as we taught about pre-earth life. I have never seen a prayer so blatantly answered I think as I did with them. We knew that the commitments we were asking them to keep were going to be really hard for them and we pled in prayer that their hearts would be prepared to accept the invitations, or at least to accept the invitation to keep learning. WE didn't set a baptismal date with them, but they were very open with our invitation and we were able to discover their concerns and see the incredible softening of their heart that they had since the last time we met with them. They are so busy and have very little time together, so there is only one time during the week that we have ever been able to meet with them. When they had a problem come up with that time, they moved things out of the way for another day to let us come back, which is a huge step for them.
This week I prayed hard that I would be able to teach to the needs of those that I take on tour because it's very hard not to get rote. One of my best experiences came as I took a family from guatemala on tour. I was sad because I could say very little in Spanish to them. One was translating, but when we got to the top of the log home I asked them to sing in Spanish 'Joseph Smith's First Prayer' and I sang it in English. The sweet mother at the end, with tears rolling down her face said, "Even though I don't speak English, your spirit speaks to my spirit." I was grateful I understood enough to understand that. THe spirit is beautiful and universal at these times. The church is true no matter what language it is taught in. I am constantly in awe and grateful for the wonderful members who come to these sites and the testimonies they have of the savior and the restoration.
Pittsford is wonderful. I love love it here and I love Sister GOnzalez..
This week as we were tracting we met a man who told us he had never met a fat mormon before. We laughed. Then we realized he was serious... I don't have more to say about that. I just thought it was funny.
Yesterday our manager, who was really receptive to when Sister Gonzalez and I taught him the first lesson, came to spray our apartment because we have a centipede infestation and a mouse. We had to laugh about what our apartment would look like to someone without the missionary goggles on: maps on the wall, pictures of Christ and paintings of really buff guys {aka nephi & Ammon} on every wall, a sign that a sister made that says "WWJE: what would Jesus eat?" on the fridge, a goal poster that says "Double the Baptsims" & "Be fully converted" on it, and my personal favorite - if he thinks Mormon's are polygamists {as several here do} a picture of Dad and all of us sisters surrounding him hanging above my desk. So.... missionaries are very strange people.
I forgot this! So I was taking a tour for a family from Salt Lake and this women looked at my tag and said, "hm.... "L___" from Idaho. What's your Dad's first name?" Apparently her dad - Dr. Taylor - helped train Dad? She was working there at the time and remembered him. Long time ago and random, but cool! There is your small world moment of the week :)
I love you all and hope that life is great! The fall is the best!
love,
Sister A
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