Hello! I have so many thoughts this week. I feel all jumbled with them
and don't know where to begin. I have been thinking a lot these past
few days about my mission experiences. It is strange that it started a
year ago this week! I feel like I have learned so much, but have so
much to learn and become.
I wanted to share some of my thoughts about what I have learned and
how I changed in the past year. I think I am becoming more patient. I
am more sure of my testimony. Even when people reject the message we
share, I still know it is true. I have a stronger testimony of the
Book of Mormon. I know it really is another testimony of Jesus Christ.
I have learned that a family raised in the gospel really is stronger
and the gospel DOES bless families. When a family is founded on the
principles of prayer, scripture study, and family home evening, it
will be stronger. It will be able to withstand the world. I have
learned a greater appreciation for my own family and the teachings I
had. I am so grateful that I was raised in this church and its
teachings. I am grateful to know that I am a child of God and that
there is a plan for each one of us.
I have learned to love the book of 3rd Nephi. I love reading about
Jesus Christ and his teachings, his miracles. I can feel his
compassion as I read his words of love and especially his desire to
bless the children, one by one. I simply love it!
It hasn't been what i expected. I thought i would be teaching and
preparing people for baptism. Instead, my missionary work has been
focused on bringing back less actives, taking them to the temple,
rejoicing when they come to church and renew their baptismal
covenants, lifting up the members and helping them be missionaries and
strengthening the other missionaries. Even though it is 100 percent
different than planned, I know it is what i am supposed to be doing
with my time right now.
I pray that this experience WILL forever change me. I was so silly
before my mission and so focused on things that just don't really
matter all that much. I'd hope I have a better idea of what is
important and spending my energy on things that matter most.
This past week, we had two exchanges. On one of them, the sister
wanted to focus on fearlessing. We hit the train station to practice
approaches. It was miracle time! She told me she usually felt awkward
starting conversations. We had talked to a few people, but none seemed
too interested. I told her that even though no one was interested, we
were still doing our part. Then, we noticed a woman standing behind us
and she was really nice, gave us her number and address, and we have a
return appointment with her tonight! We also talked to one other woman
before leaving and had a great conversation with her. She had been to
the church more than ten years ago, and lives in a different area, but
was super willing to have missionaries visit her home. I hope they
will be able to teach her. It helped me realize that God will bless us
when we do our part. Even if it seems awkward or like no one wants to
listen, we are called to preach the gospel, regardless of the result.
Well, I hope everyone has a great week. Remember that this work is
real and true! IT has been a crazy year, full of the unexpected, but I
want to give it my ALL for the six months I have left. There have been
some days this week when I have felt extremely exhausted. While that
is not a pleasant feeling, I know that it will all pay off if I give
this my all.
And I just found out my anniversary temple trip is next Wednesday!
Eeeeeeeek! So excited to go to the temple again with a great group of
missionaries :)
Everyone make sure to listen/watch conference this weekend! You have
no idea how excited I am to hear the words of the living prophet and
apostles. Ask questions. Get answers!
Love love love ya!
Sister Peacock
3.31.2014
3.24.2014
3 zone conferences & 120 sugar cookies later ..
Hello! I am alive! It has been a super crazy week, but here we are, staring at the second half of this transfer.
So, President Calderwood asked the Sister Training Leaders to do workshops at the zone conferences this transfer. We had three to present this past week. I am so grateful for the opportunity we had to visit the zone conferences. It helped me feel more united with the sisters in those zones and more connected. It was also a great chance for me to be spiritually boosted. I received many spiritual promptings throughout the week, and had my testimony strengthened. I am so grateful for how the spirit works! The workshops and remarks and testimony meetings ... each day I learned something new or was edified in some way.
Our workshop was on being successful as a missionary. So often, we see our success in numbers -- baptisms, temple trips, member presents, church attendance, etc. While it is great and important to have goals, we wanted to help the missionaries understand that God is really looking at the commitment of each person. To demonstrate, we had a few missionaries volunteer to play basketball. How many shots could they make in a minute? We then went back to the classroom and observed how people were watching the shots, looking at the results,but God focuses on the player and the effort. It was a super fun analogy -- interactive! And at the end of the workshop, I pulled out a plate of homemade sugar cookies that we had frosted to look like basketballs (yep, that was our pday last week :) We joked that it combined our best talents -- SIster Hales is very athletic and I love to bake for people! Win/win. It was very fun!
In addition to the conferences, we had three exchanges last week. I was with Sister Seely, Sister Baker, and Sister Lingenbrink. Amazing sisters! We did half-day exchanges with them following the conferences but still found miracles in the hours we were together. Just one story -- we were walking down the streets in Jamaica with a member and Sister Seely's nametag fell off. She picked it up and said, "i can't lose TWO nametags on this street!" I then looked down at the ground, and something caught my eye. It was upside down, but I recognized the back of a nametag. It was hers! It was missing the magnet and had been beaten down. SHe lost it about two months ago and it clearly had some wear on it (we assumed it had been trampled on under the snow for 2 months). But, what was great was how happy SHE was about it! She said it really helped her see that God wanted her to feel loved and special. He cares about the little things, even our little nametags. It was evidence to me that He answers prayers ... sometimes just in different ways and times!
This weekend was also packed! We had a fantastic day on Saturday -- visited three less actives (including a pupusa lunch! -- pupusas are from el salvador and are one of my favorite foods i've eaten on my mission) and then went to stake conference. I LOVE STAKE CONFERENCE! It was all about hastening the work :)) But, it was also so wonderful, besides being inspired and uplifted, to see everyone! I saw families from Riverhead and of course, mission friends who I love so much!
So, that was basically my week. A little crazy, but totally worth it! What miracles are ahead in week 4?
Oh, and how can I forget that I finally saw pictures of little Thomas? Congrats on the new baby! Can't wait to see more photos!
Love,
Sister Peacock
So, President Calderwood asked the Sister Training Leaders to do workshops at the zone conferences this transfer. We had three to present this past week. I am so grateful for the opportunity we had to visit the zone conferences. It helped me feel more united with the sisters in those zones and more connected. It was also a great chance for me to be spiritually boosted. I received many spiritual promptings throughout the week, and had my testimony strengthened. I am so grateful for how the spirit works! The workshops and remarks and testimony meetings ... each day I learned something new or was edified in some way.
Our workshop was on being successful as a missionary. So often, we see our success in numbers -- baptisms, temple trips, member presents, church attendance, etc. While it is great and important to have goals, we wanted to help the missionaries understand that God is really looking at the commitment of each person. To demonstrate, we had a few missionaries volunteer to play basketball. How many shots could they make in a minute? We then went back to the classroom and observed how people were watching the shots, looking at the results,but God focuses on the player and the effort. It was a super fun analogy -- interactive! And at the end of the workshop, I pulled out a plate of homemade sugar cookies that we had frosted to look like basketballs (yep, that was our pday last week :) We joked that it combined our best talents -- SIster Hales is very athletic and I love to bake for people! Win/win. It was very fun!
In addition to the conferences, we had three exchanges last week. I was with Sister Seely, Sister Baker, and Sister Lingenbrink. Amazing sisters! We did half-day exchanges with them following the conferences but still found miracles in the hours we were together. Just one story -- we were walking down the streets in Jamaica with a member and Sister Seely's nametag fell off. She picked it up and said, "i can't lose TWO nametags on this street!" I then looked down at the ground, and something caught my eye. It was upside down, but I recognized the back of a nametag. It was hers! It was missing the magnet and had been beaten down. SHe lost it about two months ago and it clearly had some wear on it (we assumed it had been trampled on under the snow for 2 months). But, what was great was how happy SHE was about it! She said it really helped her see that God wanted her to feel loved and special. He cares about the little things, even our little nametags. It was evidence to me that He answers prayers ... sometimes just in different ways and times!
This weekend was also packed! We had a fantastic day on Saturday -- visited three less actives (including a pupusa lunch! -- pupusas are from el salvador and are one of my favorite foods i've eaten on my mission) and then went to stake conference. I LOVE STAKE CONFERENCE! It was all about hastening the work :)) But, it was also so wonderful, besides being inspired and uplifted, to see everyone! I saw families from Riverhead and of course, mission friends who I love so much!
So, that was basically my week. A little crazy, but totally worth it! What miracles are ahead in week 4?
Oh, and how can I forget that I finally saw pictures of little Thomas? Congrats on the new baby! Can't wait to see more photos!
Love,
Sister Peacock
3.17.2014
happy st. patrick's day!
Hello! Another crazy fast week just flew by and I find myself sitting at the computer, yet again, wondering where the time went. We had two exchanges this last week. I was in Astoria (Queens) on Tuesday and Jamaica (with Sister Acosta) on Saturday. We also had zone conference with President and Sister Calderwood on Thursday, and a few great lessons in between all of that!
We finally had the chance to talk to Liz and Angela again. Liz had surgery two weeks ago, and it ended up being a harder recovery, so she will basically be in home for about a month. But,we did challenge them with a baptism date in April. They said they would pray about it and we had a great lesson explaining the importance of the baptism covenant. I always feel very comfortable in lessons with them, and this time, I asked Liz what she would change about her life. She said, "I wish I would have raised my kids in a church." I told her and promised her that it was not too late. I testified that her children WOULD see her example and follow her. I know great blessings are waiting for her, and I told her how Heavenly Father send us to her because she is prepared. She is ready. We pray that she will feel confident about setting a baptism date and working towards it!
In Astoria, I had a really interesting experience. It had basically been pouring down all day, so we were soaked from head to toe from walking around. But, I realized I would not want to be anywhere else. I would not want to trade this mission experience. As I sat on the bus that night, I saw a woman walk on, the weight of the world heavy on her shoulders. In my mind, I envisioned her, not as she was, but as she could be. I saw her sitting in a relief society class, participating in a lesson, meeting other sisters. I then noticed two young girls sitting across from me. One was probably 15; the other 9. I thought of Becky and me. I pictured in my head the two young girls one day, celebrating a marriage at the temple. Dressed in white and happy and full of joy. It was such an interesting experience for me to really THINK of people that way ... of who they can become. I wanted to share a message with them, but there wasnt time before getting off, so I just had time to give them a card. But, the feeling that day on the bus has stayed with me all week. Sometimes people just seem to be ... people. There are millions here. I realized that day that people are much more than just a number and someone walking by on the street. They are children of God. What is their story? What are their struggles? I hope I can help more people here. I hope I can be a useful instrument in His hands.
The other news of the week I wanted to share was our experience on Sunday. We didn't have any investigators at church, but we had two sisters (less actives) come that haven't been in more than 6 months. It was so, so wonderful to see them! One of them is Ana Nolasco. We started visiting her a few weeks ago, and she has set return appointments with us each week, and has a desire to prioritze her life a little more. Our vision with her is to go to the temple; first for baptisms. It was so exciting that she came to church! We also had a family of 5 that we have been working with come as well (the grandma is active but her kids and grandson have been on and off) and Susan and her son (another on/off person). So, even though we didnt have investigators come, we still saw progress with a lot of people!
We have been doing FHEs with the Bermudez family each week (the family of five). Sister Bermudez makes us delicious Mexican food and then we have a lesson and activity. Last week, we played Jenga and then asked each team to pick a tile and find a scripture that talks about the principle mentioned. It was a super fun activity and we are becoming better friends with them each week. Yesterday at church, Iris, her daughter, was really excited that we were coming back tonight.
Ok, it is about time to wrap up! This week is another crazy week -- we are presenting at 3 zone conferences and then having exchanges right after, so we won't be in our area until the weekend. Then it is stake conference! Our week is pretty packed. And...I cannot wait for general conference! :)
I love you and hope you all have a great week!
Happy Birthday Josie and baby boy Peacock! :)
Sister Peacock
We finally had the chance to talk to Liz and Angela again. Liz had surgery two weeks ago, and it ended up being a harder recovery, so she will basically be in home for about a month. But,we did challenge them with a baptism date in April. They said they would pray about it and we had a great lesson explaining the importance of the baptism covenant. I always feel very comfortable in lessons with them, and this time, I asked Liz what she would change about her life. She said, "I wish I would have raised my kids in a church." I told her and promised her that it was not too late. I testified that her children WOULD see her example and follow her. I know great blessings are waiting for her, and I told her how Heavenly Father send us to her because she is prepared. She is ready. We pray that she will feel confident about setting a baptism date and working towards it!
In Astoria, I had a really interesting experience. It had basically been pouring down all day, so we were soaked from head to toe from walking around. But, I realized I would not want to be anywhere else. I would not want to trade this mission experience. As I sat on the bus that night, I saw a woman walk on, the weight of the world heavy on her shoulders. In my mind, I envisioned her, not as she was, but as she could be. I saw her sitting in a relief society class, participating in a lesson, meeting other sisters. I then noticed two young girls sitting across from me. One was probably 15; the other 9. I thought of Becky and me. I pictured in my head the two young girls one day, celebrating a marriage at the temple. Dressed in white and happy and full of joy. It was such an interesting experience for me to really THINK of people that way ... of who they can become. I wanted to share a message with them, but there wasnt time before getting off, so I just had time to give them a card. But, the feeling that day on the bus has stayed with me all week. Sometimes people just seem to be ... people. There are millions here. I realized that day that people are much more than just a number and someone walking by on the street. They are children of God. What is their story? What are their struggles? I hope I can help more people here. I hope I can be a useful instrument in His hands.
The other news of the week I wanted to share was our experience on Sunday. We didn't have any investigators at church, but we had two sisters (less actives) come that haven't been in more than 6 months. It was so, so wonderful to see them! One of them is Ana Nolasco. We started visiting her a few weeks ago, and she has set return appointments with us each week, and has a desire to prioritze her life a little more. Our vision with her is to go to the temple; first for baptisms. It was so exciting that she came to church! We also had a family of 5 that we have been working with come as well (the grandma is active but her kids and grandson have been on and off) and Susan and her son (another on/off person). So, even though we didnt have investigators come, we still saw progress with a lot of people!
We have been doing FHEs with the Bermudez family each week (the family of five). Sister Bermudez makes us delicious Mexican food and then we have a lesson and activity. Last week, we played Jenga and then asked each team to pick a tile and find a scripture that talks about the principle mentioned. It was a super fun activity and we are becoming better friends with them each week. Yesterday at church, Iris, her daughter, was really excited that we were coming back tonight.
Ok, it is about time to wrap up! This week is another crazy week -- we are presenting at 3 zone conferences and then having exchanges right after, so we won't be in our area until the weekend. Then it is stake conference! Our week is pretty packed. And...I cannot wait for general conference! :)
I love you and hope you all have a great week!
Happy Birthday Josie and baby boy Peacock! :)
Sister Peacock
3.10.2014
"are you from the moon?"
Miracles, miracles, miracles. I tell you ... these things are real! Again, this week FLEW by. I cannot believe another transfer meeting has come and gone and here we are, starting the second week of one CRAZY transfer. There is so much going on that I am thinking it will be over before I realize it.
Transfer meetings are always wonderful -- especially when you know where you are staying and who your companion is :) Hehe. But, it is a great time to see friends and a fantastic opportunity to "start fresh" every six weeks. It was especially fun this transfer to feel a stronger connection with many of the sisters, after having exchanged with so many of them. I love that as time passes in the mission, you just know become friends with more missionary and each reunion is so wonderful!
We didn't have any exchanges this week because we had a lot of planning to do and MLC again on Friday. It still seems surreal to me that I'm sitting at a monthly council with the mission president, aps, and zone leaders but I am so grateful and blessed for the opportunity of this calling! I have great examples in the other leaders and missionaries and feel privileged to follow their examples. Plus, it's a great group of people to work with!
As I mentioned, we've seen some miracles this week! Mostly, it was being in the right place at the right time and having NO DOUBT that God helped things fall into place in the order they did. We were able to teach Manny three times this week! He still seems to have a little bit of a wall up, but I know that eventually he will desire to be baptized. We're going to do everything we can as if this transfer was the right time, but even if it isn't, we know the Spirit is there when we teach and we are pointing that out to him in our visits.
Another huge miracle this week? We celebrated Manny's birthday on Saturday and had wanted to visit the home of a member after who we've been working with lately. She comes to church each week, but also lives on and off with her boyfriend. He had been taught by missionaries last year, but he has no interest in joining the church. We had been wanting to have a chat with her .. .a serious chat about keeping the law of chastity. Everytime we had attempted in the past few weeks, her boyfriend was there or her kids were all in the room. With 4 children, it is nearly impossible to be alone with her. BUT, on Saturday night, we drove to her house, not even sure if she would be home but guess what? She had planned to go to Boston with her bf but was ironically called to work instead and had just gotten hom when we got there. And, her kids weren't there either. We knew the moment was right! We had a little heart-to-heart chat and she said she had been feeling "for the past few weeks" that she needed to make the decision to keep the law of chastity. That she had felt, especially Friday night, that she needed to make that change. It was incredible, and again, a powerful witness to me, that the Spirit prepares people and then prompts us to tell them something they've already felt. We had a great talk & I asked her how she felt. She said, "So happy. And relieved." She seemed to have a weight lifted off of her shoulders. We know that she will struggle and that her bf will NOT be supportive of this, but we will be and hopefully she will be strong enough to follow through with this decision!
Other miracles this week? The Lord is hastening his work and we found out this week that Little Neck will soon become part of the newly formed Lynbrook Stake. Right now, we are in Plainview Stake and there is the Lynbrook District. But, come April 13, a new stake will be formed! Before my mission, I never understood the importance of a stake being created. But, not only does that mean the church is growing, but it means that there is another priesthood holder on Long Island with all of the priesthood keys. THIS IS HUGE! President Calderwood advocates for the priesthood leaders to work with the missionaries. If they turn their keys and work together, miracles really do happen. It is only when members and ward leaders work ALONGSIDE missionaries, instead of separately, that the hastening of the work will happen in this area. It is happening in other areas of our mission -- in Flushing, a nearby zone, they have had a baptism in the ward every Sunday since December and are on track to baptize 72 people this year. AMAZING. But last year, they struggled to have 2 baptisms. The difference? The bishop and ward leaders are working WITH the missionaries and members. I have gained such a strong testimony about this. It's really not just us with the nametags. I mean, L. Tom Perry referred to the hastening of the work as important as the first vision. And we are all a part of it!
Wow. I sound like a missionary, right? But really. It's important stuff. We also were able to talk to one of the awesome members here about her going to the temple. She is in her 30s and has been active for about 4 years. We have had her on our minds for awhile and finally had the opportunity to invite her! She is going to get her patriarchal blessing, and then prepare for the temple. I am super excited!
Those were some of the highlights of this past week. We also have the best ward mission leader ever. He even came to early morning indoor soccer (at 6 am on Saturday) to play with us. And, remember how I said this transfer was crazy? Here is a breakdown of our transfer in numbers: 9 exchanges, 6 leaders meetings, 4 zone conferences (President has asked that the STLs give a workshop for the zone conferences where we have sisters with whom we exchange), 2 stake conferences (with Plainview and then the creation of the new stake), 2 temple trips (one for each of us),1 General Conference and 1 Relief Society broadcast, 2 MLCs, and 2 new Chinese sisters arriving the 24th (which means another airport pickup/fireside at President's house). Phew. Take a deep breath and ... get to work!
And, a nugget from my personal study: "Why are ye ashamed to take upon you the name of Christ? Why do ye not think that greater is the value of an ENDLESS HAPPINESS than that misery which never dies --- because of the praise of the world?" -- Mormon 8:38
Do you realize that? We can have endless happiness. Or we can choose misery. Sometimes, I find it easier to choose to be sad or discouraged, but endless happiness is an option for us. Make that choice!
Love you! Hope you enjoyed this ridiculously long email :)
Sister Peacock
{ny south|forever changed}
Transfer meetings are always wonderful -- especially when you know where you are staying and who your companion is :) Hehe. But, it is a great time to see friends and a fantastic opportunity to "start fresh" every six weeks. It was especially fun this transfer to feel a stronger connection with many of the sisters, after having exchanged with so many of them. I love that as time passes in the mission, you just know become friends with more missionary and each reunion is so wonderful!
We didn't have any exchanges this week because we had a lot of planning to do and MLC again on Friday. It still seems surreal to me that I'm sitting at a monthly council with the mission president, aps, and zone leaders but I am so grateful and blessed for the opportunity of this calling! I have great examples in the other leaders and missionaries and feel privileged to follow their examples. Plus, it's a great group of people to work with!
As I mentioned, we've seen some miracles this week! Mostly, it was being in the right place at the right time and having NO DOUBT that God helped things fall into place in the order they did. We were able to teach Manny three times this week! He still seems to have a little bit of a wall up, but I know that eventually he will desire to be baptized. We're going to do everything we can as if this transfer was the right time, but even if it isn't, we know the Spirit is there when we teach and we are pointing that out to him in our visits.
Another huge miracle this week? We celebrated Manny's birthday on Saturday and had wanted to visit the home of a member after who we've been working with lately. She comes to church each week, but also lives on and off with her boyfriend. He had been taught by missionaries last year, but he has no interest in joining the church. We had been wanting to have a chat with her .. .a serious chat about keeping the law of chastity. Everytime we had attempted in the past few weeks, her boyfriend was there or her kids were all in the room. With 4 children, it is nearly impossible to be alone with her. BUT, on Saturday night, we drove to her house, not even sure if she would be home but guess what? She had planned to go to Boston with her bf but was ironically called to work instead and had just gotten hom when we got there. And, her kids weren't there either. We knew the moment was right! We had a little heart-to-heart chat and she said she had been feeling "for the past few weeks" that she needed to make the decision to keep the law of chastity. That she had felt, especially Friday night, that she needed to make that change. It was incredible, and again, a powerful witness to me, that the Spirit prepares people and then prompts us to tell them something they've already felt. We had a great talk & I asked her how she felt. She said, "So happy. And relieved." She seemed to have a weight lifted off of her shoulders. We know that she will struggle and that her bf will NOT be supportive of this, but we will be and hopefully she will be strong enough to follow through with this decision!
Other miracles this week? The Lord is hastening his work and we found out this week that Little Neck will soon become part of the newly formed Lynbrook Stake. Right now, we are in Plainview Stake and there is the Lynbrook District. But, come April 13, a new stake will be formed! Before my mission, I never understood the importance of a stake being created. But, not only does that mean the church is growing, but it means that there is another priesthood holder on Long Island with all of the priesthood keys. THIS IS HUGE! President Calderwood advocates for the priesthood leaders to work with the missionaries. If they turn their keys and work together, miracles really do happen. It is only when members and ward leaders work ALONGSIDE missionaries, instead of separately, that the hastening of the work will happen in this area. It is happening in other areas of our mission -- in Flushing, a nearby zone, they have had a baptism in the ward every Sunday since December and are on track to baptize 72 people this year. AMAZING. But last year, they struggled to have 2 baptisms. The difference? The bishop and ward leaders are working WITH the missionaries and members. I have gained such a strong testimony about this. It's really not just us with the nametags. I mean, L. Tom Perry referred to the hastening of the work as important as the first vision. And we are all a part of it!
Wow. I sound like a missionary, right? But really. It's important stuff. We also were able to talk to one of the awesome members here about her going to the temple. She is in her 30s and has been active for about 4 years. We have had her on our minds for awhile and finally had the opportunity to invite her! She is going to get her patriarchal blessing, and then prepare for the temple. I am super excited!
Those were some of the highlights of this past week. We also have the best ward mission leader ever. He even came to early morning indoor soccer (at 6 am on Saturday) to play with us. And, remember how I said this transfer was crazy? Here is a breakdown of our transfer in numbers: 9 exchanges, 6 leaders meetings, 4 zone conferences (President has asked that the STLs give a workshop for the zone conferences where we have sisters with whom we exchange), 2 stake conferences (with Plainview and then the creation of the new stake), 2 temple trips (one for each of us),1 General Conference and 1 Relief Society broadcast, 2 MLCs, and 2 new Chinese sisters arriving the 24th (which means another airport pickup/fireside at President's house). Phew. Take a deep breath and ... get to work!
And, a nugget from my personal study: "Why are ye ashamed to take upon you the name of Christ? Why do ye not think that greater is the value of an ENDLESS HAPPINESS than that misery which never dies --- because of the praise of the world?" -- Mormon 8:38
Do you realize that? We can have endless happiness. Or we can choose misery. Sometimes, I find it easier to choose to be sad or discouraged, but endless happiness is an option for us. Make that choice!
Love you! Hope you enjoyed this ridiculously long email :)
Sister Peacock
{ny south|forever changed}
3.03.2014
&& transfer 9.
Hello!
Last week was pretty darn crazy! I guess that is to be expected with
four exchanges in one week. We exchanged Monday to Tuesday night,
Tuesday night to Wednesday night, Thursday night to Friday night, and
Friday night to Saturday night. Whew! I was in RIchmond Hill on
Tuesday, where we got to sing hymns on the subway & then talk to
people after, which was a blast! Wednesday, Sister Acosta came with me
to Little Neck! It was a blessing to work with her again, after 2
transfers apart. She is one amazing missionary and I just feel so
lucky to have been her trainer. I can't believe she is now on the same
transfer that I was when I trained her... :/ Woah. Friday, I was in
Rego Park (Queens) with Sister Shreeve and we saw MIRACLES. Oh, mom,
Sis. Shreeve happens to be David Shreeve's sister (so Anna, mom's old
visiting teacher, is her sister in law). Small world! On Saturday,
Sister Lee (the first Chinese speaking sister in the mission who just
came in 3 weeks ago) was with me in Little Neck.
Now that the details of where/who are out of the way, here are some of
the miracles we saw:
-With Sister Shreeve, she had a name come to mind of a less active she
had never met. We tracked down her address and set off walking to her
building. When we got there, we found out that Rayna had just gotten
back the DAY before after being in Colombia for 6 months! Her son, a
preacher in Boston, was also there & had a lot to say. But, even with
his contradictions, we were able to bring the Spirit to the room and
share a message with them. Finally, Jonny, her son, asked why we were
there visiting his mom and if someone in Colombia had told us she was
coming back. I promptly replied, "No, the Spirit told us to come." He
again asked for the "real" reason. Again, I said that neither one of
us had met her, but because God loves each of His children, He wants
them to feel that love & so He prompted Sister Shreeve with Rayna's
name. Rayna began crying as I told her that God loves her and that we
are only instruments in His hands to show her that love. It was a
powerful visit! Sister Shreeve hasn't been feeling really confident in
her area or in the language, and that was a great experience for her
that she CAN listen to the Spirit and that she CAN be guided.
-Sister Lee and I visited a less active here in Little Neck on
Saturday who previously hadn't returned our phone calls. Well,
apparently one of the elders was able to get ahold of her and she set
up the appointment. We reviewed the Restoration with her and she was
very welcoming, wanting to come back to church, and invited us back
for this week for pupusas (a delicious dish from El Salvador). I was
so happy that she let us in and invited us back! Score!
-On Thursday, Sister Hales and I had an FHE with a member, Susan, and
her son, Andrew. The first time I visited Susan was on an exchange at
the beginning of the transfer. We had taught her about the importance
of taking the Sacrament/renewing covenants/being cleansed every week,
and we have seen her just about each week since then. Well, our FHE
was awesome! We had another member and her teenage daughter come. We
played "gospel Jenga" and then picked a few terms written on the
blocks and studied the terms in the scriptures. Her son Andrew said,
"We should do this 52 more times!" (That was the number of blocks). I
could really feel that their understanding was growing, which is
exactly what we wanted to do. So often in the scriptures, it talks
about the missionaries "expounding the scriptures." And that is our
goal! If we can get the members strengthened here, I know Heavenly
Father will send us people who are ready to receive the gospel. But,
Heavenly Father doesn't send his prepared children to an unprepared
ward.
I really feel like my mission has been focused on working with members
and less actives and strengthening them. I know that any time a member
is renewing or making new covenants (like the temple) that that is
JUST as important as making the first covenant of baptism. It says
somewhere in the scriptures that it will profit us nothing if the
fruit brought into the church doesn't remain. I am really grateful for
the chance to work with members and to help them realize WHY we do
what we do. When we understand the WHY of the gospel, the HOW becomes
much less complicated and much more of a desire than an obligation.
On another positive note, the two sisters who went to the temple last
week went again this week! Elmie told us that she has NEVER been so
happy or felt so beautiful in her life as when she was in the temple,
dressed in white, receiving her endowments last week. And, another
temple blessing? Sister Dillon was practically running into the chapel
on Sunday. She walks with a cane and usually at a rather slow pace.
Sister Hales and I were amazed at her agility and speed. I know that
is a blessing received from the temple! So does she :)
The work with our investigators has been a bit halted. Liz has stomach
surgery this week and hasn't been able to meet with us because she has
been working everyday until 9:30. She is supposed to be on rest/at
home for the next 3 weeks though so HOPEFULLY we can visit her a lot
while she can't leave ;) Blessing in disguise? Oh, and Manny told us
last week that he prayed and God told him to be a Jew. I asked him if
he prayed sincerely and he said, "Well, no. I made up my mind that I
was born a Jew and I will die a Jew." We know there is still potential
there, but we're going to give him some space for now. I think that
was bound to happen since he seemed to be progressing quite well!
Satan had to step up his game, of course. But, we'll still keep
visiting and showing our love to Manny.
So, this week starts transfer #9. Can you believe it? I can't. Sister
Hales and I will be staying together for her last transfer! There is
work yet to do in Little Neck. Oh, and I can't wait for General
Conference this transfer!
Let me insert a quote by Elder Holland from a talk I read in the April
2012 Ensign called The Loving Arms of Christ.
"May I be bold enough to suggest that it is impossible for anyone who
really knows God to doubt his willingness to receive us with open arms
in a divine embrace if we will but 'come unto Him.' ...I am convinced
that none of us can appreciate how deeply it wounds the loving heart
of the Savior of the world when he finds that his people do not feel
confident in his care or secure in his hands."
The Savior already paid the price. Let's use His gift and not let it
just sit there, like a Christmas present left unopened, under the
tree. He is always there, arms outstretched to us. Oh, and one of my
favorite scriptures as of late is 3 Nephi 9:13-14. So, you should read
that too.
LOve you all so much!
Sister Peacock :)
Photo from my exchange with Sister Acosta!
Last week was pretty darn crazy! I guess that is to be expected with
four exchanges in one week. We exchanged Monday to Tuesday night,
Tuesday night to Wednesday night, Thursday night to Friday night, and
Friday night to Saturday night. Whew! I was in RIchmond Hill on
Tuesday, where we got to sing hymns on the subway & then talk to
people after, which was a blast! Wednesday, Sister Acosta came with me
to Little Neck! It was a blessing to work with her again, after 2
transfers apart. She is one amazing missionary and I just feel so
lucky to have been her trainer. I can't believe she is now on the same
transfer that I was when I trained her... :/ Woah. Friday, I was in
Rego Park (Queens) with Sister Shreeve and we saw MIRACLES. Oh, mom,
Sis. Shreeve happens to be David Shreeve's sister (so Anna, mom's old
visiting teacher, is her sister in law). Small world! On Saturday,
Sister Lee (the first Chinese speaking sister in the mission who just
came in 3 weeks ago) was with me in Little Neck.
Now that the details of where/who are out of the way, here are some of
the miracles we saw:
-With Sister Shreeve, she had a name come to mind of a less active she
had never met. We tracked down her address and set off walking to her
building. When we got there, we found out that Rayna had just gotten
back the DAY before after being in Colombia for 6 months! Her son, a
preacher in Boston, was also there & had a lot to say. But, even with
his contradictions, we were able to bring the Spirit to the room and
share a message with them. Finally, Jonny, her son, asked why we were
there visiting his mom and if someone in Colombia had told us she was
coming back. I promptly replied, "No, the Spirit told us to come." He
again asked for the "real" reason. Again, I said that neither one of
us had met her, but because God loves each of His children, He wants
them to feel that love & so He prompted Sister Shreeve with Rayna's
name. Rayna began crying as I told her that God loves her and that we
are only instruments in His hands to show her that love. It was a
powerful visit! Sister Shreeve hasn't been feeling really confident in
her area or in the language, and that was a great experience for her
that she CAN listen to the Spirit and that she CAN be guided.
-Sister Lee and I visited a less active here in Little Neck on
Saturday who previously hadn't returned our phone calls. Well,
apparently one of the elders was able to get ahold of her and she set
up the appointment. We reviewed the Restoration with her and she was
very welcoming, wanting to come back to church, and invited us back
for this week for pupusas (a delicious dish from El Salvador). I was
so happy that she let us in and invited us back! Score!
-On Thursday, Sister Hales and I had an FHE with a member, Susan, and
her son, Andrew. The first time I visited Susan was on an exchange at
the beginning of the transfer. We had taught her about the importance
of taking the Sacrament/renewing covenants/being cleansed every week,
and we have seen her just about each week since then. Well, our FHE
was awesome! We had another member and her teenage daughter come. We
played "gospel Jenga" and then picked a few terms written on the
blocks and studied the terms in the scriptures. Her son Andrew said,
"We should do this 52 more times!" (That was the number of blocks). I
could really feel that their understanding was growing, which is
exactly what we wanted to do. So often in the scriptures, it talks
about the missionaries "expounding the scriptures." And that is our
goal! If we can get the members strengthened here, I know Heavenly
Father will send us people who are ready to receive the gospel. But,
Heavenly Father doesn't send his prepared children to an unprepared
ward.
I really feel like my mission has been focused on working with members
and less actives and strengthening them. I know that any time a member
is renewing or making new covenants (like the temple) that that is
JUST as important as making the first covenant of baptism. It says
somewhere in the scriptures that it will profit us nothing if the
fruit brought into the church doesn't remain. I am really grateful for
the chance to work with members and to help them realize WHY we do
what we do. When we understand the WHY of the gospel, the HOW becomes
much less complicated and much more of a desire than an obligation.
On another positive note, the two sisters who went to the temple last
week went again this week! Elmie told us that she has NEVER been so
happy or felt so beautiful in her life as when she was in the temple,
dressed in white, receiving her endowments last week. And, another
temple blessing? Sister Dillon was practically running into the chapel
on Sunday. She walks with a cane and usually at a rather slow pace.
Sister Hales and I were amazed at her agility and speed. I know that
is a blessing received from the temple! So does she :)
The work with our investigators has been a bit halted. Liz has stomach
surgery this week and hasn't been able to meet with us because she has
been working everyday until 9:30. She is supposed to be on rest/at
home for the next 3 weeks though so HOPEFULLY we can visit her a lot
while she can't leave ;) Blessing in disguise? Oh, and Manny told us
last week that he prayed and God told him to be a Jew. I asked him if
he prayed sincerely and he said, "Well, no. I made up my mind that I
was born a Jew and I will die a Jew." We know there is still potential
there, but we're going to give him some space for now. I think that
was bound to happen since he seemed to be progressing quite well!
Satan had to step up his game, of course. But, we'll still keep
visiting and showing our love to Manny.
So, this week starts transfer #9. Can you believe it? I can't. Sister
Hales and I will be staying together for her last transfer! There is
work yet to do in Little Neck. Oh, and I can't wait for General
Conference this transfer!
Let me insert a quote by Elder Holland from a talk I read in the April
2012 Ensign called The Loving Arms of Christ.
"May I be bold enough to suggest that it is impossible for anyone who
really knows God to doubt his willingness to receive us with open arms
in a divine embrace if we will but 'come unto Him.' ...I am convinced
that none of us can appreciate how deeply it wounds the loving heart
of the Savior of the world when he finds that his people do not feel
confident in his care or secure in his hands."
The Savior already paid the price. Let's use His gift and not let it
just sit there, like a Christmas present left unopened, under the
tree. He is always there, arms outstretched to us. Oh, and one of my
favorite scriptures as of late is 3 Nephi 9:13-14. So, you should read
that too.
LOve you all so much!
Sister Peacock :)
Photo from my exchange with Sister Acosta!
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