So here goes my week!
Monday:
Remember how I told you that Sean brought a friend named Wayne to church? Well we taught him on Monday night and it went so well! We sat down and asked if he had read the pamphlet and he said he did! That's a missionaries dream! No one ever reads the pamphlet. We asked him if he had any questions and he said "Yeah... I was just wondering, why Joseph Smith? Like I believe it, but I'm just curious why it was him." We all just kind of looked at each other in awe..... He's the prefect investigator. So we taught the Restoration and it went so well! Ah! He said he'd take a Book of Mormon and pray about it. And then he stayed for FHE! We ended up playing board games and catch phrase. And it was a lot of fun!
Tuesday
We had MLC. So we dropped Sister McDonald off at the Ft. Campbell sisters apartment last night. We left at 6:30 a.m. and drove down to Nashville. They had breakfast ready for us at 8:30 and it was yummy. Then onto 4 hours of training. I loved it! It was just basically a role play forever and we paused to discuss things. I learned so much! And I've really been trying to improve my teaching skills and teach in unity with my companion and focus on the spirit and plan more. It makes the world of difference.
So during the first... maybe 2 hours, I had quite an experience with Mr. Spider. He came out of nowhere and was MASSIVE! Like the kind that makes me want to barf when I look at it! It ran and hid by my bag by my feet and I was feeling like I was going to get sick. My heart was pounding and my face was red and I was sweating! Then... it starts walking towards the chair in front of me which happened to be Sister Dixon’s. The spider crawled up her purse handle and I was freaking out inside!! I was thinking "OH NO! This is so bad! So bad! It's going in her purse!!" Thank goodness it didn't... But it crawled up the handle onto the chair!! It went onto the bottom side of the chair and then was trying to get up to her... I didn't know what do! No one had shoes on, and if I told her, she'd flick it onto me... So I just sat there, freaking out inside! I lost it... I could not focus and I had no clue where it was! Then 15 minutes later I see it sitting on the tag of the chair! And it was letting itself down by its web. It crawled back around and ran towards me! I almost screamed! I picked up my water bottle and tried to slaughter the sucker!! It didn't work! He ran around all confused and went and hid at the end of the hall. I check for the spider every 17 seconds to make sure it didn't move or disappear. Then... I prayed my heart out! I asked Heavenly Father to make the spider go around the corner so I wouldn't have to freak out and so I could focus! A few minutes later,.... He was gone. Heavenly Father answers prayers and cares about the little things haha. I gained so much knowledge and inspiration from the meeting! I'm pumped now! I wish everyone could receive the trainings the way we do.
Wednesday
We skyped Emily for a lesson and talked about the Law of Chastity and Word of Wisdom. She said she started living the Word of Wisdom months ago... Ok, perfect? Holy moly! The lesson went so well! She's so close!
We also taught Ebony, and a guy named Rainan. Have I told you about him? He is Ebony and Steven's neighbor and he is super curious about it all. He wants to order a quad scripture set. He's super into learning about it and has been on the gospel library app for days! We started teaching the Restoration, but he had so many questions, so we didn't get very far.
Next, Sister McDonald went with a member to visit people and Hermana Capener came with me for an exchange to see a less active. She was really sweet! Her name is Julieann and she was baptized when she was 14 and hasn't been active... But she knows she needs to be there. She just can't tell her mom that she doesn't want to go to church with her anymore. But she's sweet and when she's not sick she's going to come to activities. We had dinner at a Spanish member's home which Hermana Capener loved because they were able to speak Spanish to each other. And I know the member liked it too because she was in the Spanish branch, but that was dissolved and so she's in a regular Ward now and doesn't speak a ton of English. So it was a relief to speak Spanish to a sister missionary.
The rest of the night we tracted and we met a cool guy and he listened to us... But we think he was pretty high.
Thursday
We finally got to see Emily in person! And we met her husband. It was so good to see her! We put together the program for her baptism and figured out everything. She's so excited! She's also terrified of drowning... Like legit terrified.
Next we met with Yuri and Gabbi. They set up little finger foods for us! It was so sweet! So we had some snacks.. And then we talked about the Restoration. Yuri had to leave, but we got to talk to Gabbi. She was adopted when she was 12 and got baptized right before that in her foster family. Her adoptive family didn't like it so she never went to church again. She is now at school and has the choice so she really wants to get back into it. So we're teaching her the lessons because she really doesn't even know that much about the gospel. They are super sweet girls.
A member took us to dinner and it was at Ruby Tuesday where Richard works. We haven't seen him for so long. I laughed as we walked in and said "what if Richard was working tonight!" Haha open door, walk in, see Richard. His jaw dropped and he's like "it's the Mormons!" Hahaha he was so shocked but happy to see us! He says he's on some great medicine now that helps him and he just wants to come back to activities now. So I'm going to text him tonight to come to FHE. We taught Chris before Sports Night and he is doing better. He is reading scriptures and really studying them! It's incredible! Still no baptism date for Chris.
Friday
We had Zone meeting and it went well. Our Stake President came and spoke to us and I loved it. It was so inspiring and uplifting. The rest of the meeting struggled. No one participated in the training and when we were role playing for them everyone was asleep. It made me kind of mad... Oh and President Craig (stake president) bought us all pizza for lunch.
Next the baptism interviews happened! They both went so well and we got their suits ready and showed them the font. Lastly we had a lesson with Wayne. Keith stayed for it and it went so well! We asked if he prayed about it and he said yes and we asked how it went and he said "I'm here aren't I?" Haha he admitted he knew it's true, but he can't figure out why.
Saturday
Baptisms for missionaries are exhausting. We were at the church from 10 a.m. until 6:30 p.m. It was so crazy! We had to make the programs and fill the font and make copies and set up chairs and text people. Finally it was all complete. Keith's was first and it started out so well. I played the piano for a musical number that sister McDonald did. I had only played it twice before for practice and somehow the Lord still helped me do it right! It was incredible. The spirit was so strong! And then.... the water was too hot and Elder P. started laughing and running around and eating cookies and being so loud! Spirit. Gone. It was awful. I was fuming. Good thing I was behind the piano or else I would have strangled him. Finally we fixed it and Keith was baptized. He bore his testimony at the end and it was the sweetest thing ever! He's the perfect member.
Sister Oldroyd, Sister Rokovitz and Sister McDonald with Keith at his baptism. (Elder unknown)
So then Emily came and she was nervous yet excited. She looked so cute! Her husband and two step kids were there. We took pictures and then had some time to just sit and listen to the prelude. We had a good turn out! The program went along great and I played a musical piece for her. It sounded pretty good. When she was baptized she was freaking out... Elder Schnell told her he'd give her a thumbs up. He did and then he dunked her FAST! She was so grateful for that! And then her husband spoke. He got re-baptized a year ago and so she thinks it was really good for him to speak. He did a really good job too! The whole thing was just so good! She has a countenance that is just glowing! I know she's going to be such a strong member of the church for the rest of her life.
Sister Oldroyd, Emily, Sister Rokovitz and Sister McDonald at Emily's baptism.
That night we tried to teach Aaron, but we were all practically falling asleep in his lesson! We talked about baptism a bit and he thanked us for helping him understand why he needs it. He's totally going to be baptized one day!
That night we were hysterical for planning!! We were laughing so hard at everything! And then as soon as it was done I crashed in bed. I was out! It was a long day for us! But a very good one.
Sunday
Church was sad... Hardly anyone showed up. Austin was supposed to speak but he disappeared for his talk... He said he was sick. So Sister Bolos and I ended up bearing our testimonies. Sunday school... Eternal marriage. Haha I zoned out of that one.... Doesn't apply to me right now.
We watched Emily get confirmed and you can just see the change in her! She is so incredible! Her husband deploys again on Thursday so they're going to spend some time together and she's super good at scripture study with him and prayers. She's so good! And we're going to help her prepare for baptisms at the temple! Ah I just love her!
Amanda messaged me. She's been reading the Book of Mormon with your testimony in it, Mom! She's loving it too! Dad, I saw John in Walmart this week. He said he's been reading and he's cherishing that book for both you and me. He loves it. He's such a sweet old man!
Sorry. Rushing again.
I love you!
~ Sister Rokovitz~
This man was outside the grocery store today.
