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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