we exceeded our goals this week! Well, most of them. We were able to
have 6 member presents (the most I have had here has been 2 or 3).
Five of those lessons were with recent converts/less active members,
but I have definitely gained a testimony of the importance of having
members help teach. They add so much to the lesson & are vital in the
process of missionary work. Every investigator, recent convert, or
less active member needs a friend. And it's far better if that friend
comes from the ward they do/would attend than just having missionaries
who will eventually leave. Through and through, I've seen how much it
helps to have members teaching with us. What a blessing this week!
Monday night was our miracle lesson night. We were finally able to
teach Liz and Angela (the mother and daughter duo we taught once last
transfer). THE SPIRIT WAS SO STRONG. We talked about the Book of
Mormon and started teaching about the plan of salvation. I can't
describe to you exactly how it felt, but the Spirit was definitely the
teacher. We could see that Liz and Angela were understanding and that
they were learning about their purpose in life. And, we committed them
to be baptized. They both said yes! We want to set a date this week,
but they havent been able to attend church yet, so it will most likely
be sometime in March, if all goes well. Angela gave the closing
prayer, which has come to be one of my favorite mission things ...
hearing someone pray for the first time! She was nervous, but her
prayer was so sincere. She even prayed that she would be open to the
message we had to share and the Mormon religion. We definitely left
that lesson on cloud nine...Sister Hales and I were so pumped that
after nightly planning, we got out her guitar and wrote a little song
about the evening.
Speaking of the song...we decided it would be so funny if we sang it
during district meeting the next day, unannounced. So, when the elders
asked on Tuesday how our week was, we said, "Oh, funny you should ask,
elders. We wrote a song about it." They thought we were joking. But
then she got out the guitar... It was pretty funny! I love Sister
Hales. She just has so much energy and desire for the work. And we
have a GREAT time together. And she continues to be patient with me as
I get lost driving in this new area....or when we go running and it's
snowing something fierce and our run ends up being an hour long
because I wasn't sure where we were (yeah...that was this morning).
So. this week we had exchanges in RIchmond Hill and I got to
experience city life for 24 hours. It was beautiful and so fun! We
took the subway into east New York (Brooklyn). It was really different
to walk all day, to and from, and to have our conversation interrupted
by the subway every few minutes. But, I loved it!
We also exchanged with YSA sisters, but Sister Lugo came with me to
Little Neck. It was really funny because when we started the exchange,
she said, "So...I have to tell you...I read your blog before I came on
my mission!" Ha! She got her call in October and I guess one of her
friends had found my mission blog and told her about it. She has only
been here 2 weeks but is super sweet and a great teacher! We had a
miracle day and two great lessons with less actives. One of them said
she didn't realize that we can be cleansed each week with the
sacrament, that it is literally a chance to renew our covenants and
begin again. She said she understood more why it was important to go
each week to church ... yes! Exactly! It felt so good that our lesson
was lead by the Spirit, because that is definitely not what we had
planned to teach her. But, we committed her and her son to come to
church the next day. And when her 12-year-old son prayed, he asked
that they would be able to go, take the Sacrament, and be cleansed. IT
WAS SWEET! And then they came to church! Such blessings.
Finally, I think I've told you that we've been teaching temple prep to
two sisters here in the ward? Anyway, so we are planning the temple
trips now and I am so pumped! IF all goes as planned, we will be going
on Feb. 15 and Feb. 22. Two temple trips in one transfer?? Awesome.
Going to the temple is one thing I miss as a missionary. So, if you
have one close by...GO. :) IT will bless your life! It has been an
amazing opportunity to teach these sisters the importance of going to
the temple and of ordinances and covenants. Part of one of the lesson
mentioned how important these covenants are ... it says that beyond
being important or vital, they are CRUCIAL for us for our salvation.
Wow. I can't wait to send the pics from those two days! Keep them in
your prayers (Sister Dillon and Elmie) as the time gets closer. I know
this will bring blessings in their lives. Both have been members for
20+ years so this is a big step!
Anyway, love you so much && know this work is guided by God. What a
blessing to be a part of this!
Love,
Sister Peacock
Here are a few winter pics.
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