July 9, 2010

So, business first: one of my favorite scriptures and plaque scripture is Alma 29:9. (A plaque with Lauren's picture along with her favorite scripture will hang on the wall at our chapel until she returns home).
I found my tape recorder. Wahoo! :-) I put it in a very special place, and sure enough, I forgot where that was. Anyways, right now in Washington it is very hot, very hot and sunny. It is like being back home in Temecula. So, all my summer clothes are coming in handy except I don't have that many.
So, missionary work is going awesome, except we are struggling with finding new investigators. We had an investigator drop us. We went to his door, and as we were walking toward his door, we saw him run and hide in his backyard. We knocked on the door, and his roommate answered and said that he just left and a friend just picked him up. Then, we called him out and said "really, because we just saw him run in the backyard." It was kind of funny and sad at the same time. I just wish people were more straight up with us; honest and didn't lie. I just don't get it.
But, we just taught a twenty-five year old girl who has four kids. She is awesome. We have a lot of fun with her. She is to be baptized Aug. 1 st. She has a great amount of faith except she doesn't or is having a hard time reading the Book of Mormon. We taught her today lesson 2, the plan of salvation. Every time I teach it I'm amazed how much our Father in Heaven loves us. I learn something new each and every time. My testimony grows more and more when we present the plan by the Spirit. So far, everyone has said that makes sense. The three degrees of glory is what gets people to rethink because it is so different than what they have ever heard. The only thing they can do is pray about if it is true.
I think my next favorite lesson to teach is the restoration. The restoration video gets me every time. Tears just run down my face. The Spirit is so strong when we have the investigators watch it. I have a strong testimony that Joseph Smith at the young age of 14 saw God the Father and Jesus Christ. I have memorized the First Vision and just love it. What a miraculous experience, and I can only imagine the great amount of faith it took for Joseph Smith.
Anyways, so at first I didn't think that missionary work was all that hard. I didn't think that it was as hard as everyone said....ha, ha, ha, just kidding. Oh, my gosh, it is so hard and challenging, but it is worth it when we finally sit down with an investigator and discuss and teach the lesson and I bear my testimony of the truth of the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ on the earth again. Oh, how glorious....go to D&C 18:15-16. Oh, I am using my new quad scriptures like crazy. They're going to be so marked up by the time I get home.
So, I got your letters Mom and Dad and all the pictures. Wow, you guys had a great time. I've been wanting to do those things for years and now you finally do them when I'm gone. Yep, cool beans! I'm glad you finally really enjoyed yourselves by going hiking, renting Seedos on the lake, or whatever...so fun!!
Thanks, Dad, for giving me the detailed info about your week...not jealous at all! Grrrr...:-) J/K
I finally got the package you sent Mom--yummy. Thank you so much.
My companion puts up pictures of all her family and friends on the walls, and I just put mine in the scrap book you made Mom because I am so worried about getting homesick. I am so determined not to; I don't want it to affect my work here. So, I'll still look, but I don't need a constant reminder/thought of you guys cuz I miss you all so much already and don't need to be homesick. But, please keep sending pictures. I love them lots. I don't have many pictures of Eric and Amber or my kitties--- if you haven't killed them yet, or they haven't died from the heat. I know Dad takes good care of them and Mom cleans the litter box. Ha, ha. I don't get it but thanks Mom. Maybe it is because you dealt with many dirty diapers in the past. Yuck! I know that one day it will be me.
The key to missionary work is love. Without it, you'll have no success in teaching. Having charity and love invites the Spirit into your heart and you are able to discern their needs and teach accordingly. It is amazing how much I understand what these people are going through even though I've never gone through some of their extreme experiences and situations, but it is awesome to be able to feel for them and find some way you can relate.
Right now, we have almost everyone we make an appointment with fall through. They aren't home; some call to reschedule, and then they aren't there at the time they rescheduled. Why, or why do people do that? We aren't scary, or are we? We just want to talk. We are not going to condemn them. Ha, ha. Everyone thinks we are or something. We are here to serve which people won't even let us do. It is a frustrating time. However, it is still awesome, and we are doing well. Some people are receptive. The field is white already to harvest. I love you so much. Miss you all. Keep up the great work. Open your mouths and pray for opportunities to share the gospel and then look for them.
Dad, thanks for typing my letters. I know that they are lengthy (no kidding! Dad K).
Lauren wrote more on the envelope: OK, so the biggest miracle just happened...in my letter I talked about how frustrating the past two ?days, weeks, I don' t know, have been. We've been working hard, being as obedient as we can and wanting and seeking for new investigators today...doblahdah :-) He has been trying our faith. We just got a phone call from a lady in our ward. She said her parents want to be baptized ASAP. We have been praying and praying for the past two weeks for new investigators. Our prayers have been answered. We never gave up! we had a goal of this week to find three new investigators and we got two today. The Lord is always preparing people, prayers are truly answered. Ether 12:6 No witness until after the trial of our faith. I love missionary work. I love the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It truly brings eternal happiness.
The church is true. Go and serve someone today.