Wow, we worked, worked, worked this week. What a beautiful
feeling that is! I love days that we come home, do our planning, and I'm asleep
before I can even think about anything else. And we had a whole week of those!
After we had our p-day on Tuesday, we had a lesson with a
part member family. It was a lot of fun and the kids know a lot about the Gospel
from the missionary visits. They just need to come to church and progress
outside of our visits. :) After our lesson, we went on rescue visits with the
new auxiliary leaders. It was awesome! They're going to make a huge difference.
Wednesday we tried seeing an investigator, but they weren't
too keen on letting us in. But that's okay, because we had an appointment with
Uncle Ron! We went and talked about the chapter he's read in the Book of Mormon
and the aspects of the Gospel that it applies to. After that we went and saw a
YSA girl that just returned to being active, and she said she wants to go on a
mission! WHOA! I was so excited! We went from visiting her to bring her back to
church to visiting her to prepare her for her mission! She'll be an awesome
missionary. After that we went and saw one of our investigators, and none of us
(including her) can figure out why she's not baptized yet. But when we invite
her to be baptized, she says no. It's complicated, but she'll get there one
day.
Thursday was just dandy. We had a lesson with our
investigator in the detention center, she's so sweet! And we even met a member
while we were in there! He came up to us, shook our hands, and talked to us
for a bit. These two are such great examples. They made mistakes, they had
consequences for their mistakes, but they aren't dwelling on the past. They're
taking their punishment with grace and working hard to have a better future for
when they get out. Alma 36 is a great chapter that they both liked and I like
it as well. No one is a lost cause. No one has strayed so far that they can't
repent and come back through our Savior's atonement. After our visit in there,
we went and saw a recent convert family. They're so great and really need a
push, so we invited them to teach the first half of the discussion next week.
Haha. So we'll see how it goes! I have faith they'll do great. We also went
over to a part member home and had a lesson, and they invited us back for a
barbeque next Thursday. So I pulled out my planner to write the return
appointment and I saw in my notes that it was Thanksgiving! So we are going to
have a Samoan Thanksgiving! I am SO EXCITED! We had our English class as well
and it was a lot of fun. Thursdays are always great.
Friday was fantastic. We have a new district leader and
he's really great and it was my favourite training in a few months. After our
meeting, we had to go outside. Oh my heaven! It was 47 degrees Celsius, which
is 116 degrees Fahrenheit. And it's only Spring! Aaaaaaaaagh. But we had a
lesson with a less active member then we went and saw Mama Fina. And she had a
huge tub of Otai ready for us to drink. She's a beautiful, beautiful
woman. Haha. Then we went to see Hasanatu, and she had fallen a few days before
and gashed her leg open. So she was in heaps of pain. We talked to her a bit
and explained what a Priesthood blessing is and how it's the same as in
the Bible, and we invited her to have one. So we called the Elders
and they came and gave her a blessing. And when they left she was just smiling!
And she kept touching her head where the oil was. And we were talking
and we said, "Now that you know that the Priesthood Authority is restored,
will you be baptized by someone who holds that authority?" And she said
yes! So as long as her leg is healed in time, she'll be baptized on
December 12! I'm so excited for her.
Saturday was a full day as well. We went and saw
Hasanatu again and taught her the Plan of Salvation, and she loved it! She
wants to be in the Celestial kingdom with her family, so she is going
to talk to her parents about them taking the discussions as well. Whoa!
And then we received a phone call from President Back. He was down in
Wollongong at Terry's baptism! Terry is an investigator that Sister Moon and I
found and taught together when we were in the Gong! And so they called me
and skyped Sister Moon. It was great! I'm so happy for Terry! After our phone
call, we went and had a lesson with a part member family and it went really
well. They know what they need to do, they just need motivation to act!
We went and saw another investigator afterwards and... yea.
I'm pretty sure we're going to have to cut her loose. She's only keen when
we're there, but if any members try talking to her it's like she's never
heard of the church. After our lesson with her, we went to the new Relief
Society President's home and got to know her a little. She's so
sweet! After our visit, we had Stake Conference and all of the
missionaries were asked to go since it was about missionary work. It was really good!
Sunday was great. We went to Stake Conference and then
had lunch with Mama Fina. She made a whole Togan spread, so it was
pretty cool. I really like some Tongan food. Others.... Well, it's a good
thing she likes me and didn't force me to eat more than two bites of anything
that scared me. :) After our lunch, we went and visited some members to set up
appointments later in the week and had a lesson with a less active member. Then
we went CHRISTMAS CAROLING! Oh yea, I love it! We even went and visited
some of the investigators and members from the Spanish Ward and we got to sing
Feliz Navidad (Did I spell that right?). It was so fun.
The work is great. I love my new companion and all that
we're doing together and I'm so grateful for the good times ahead.
I'm thankful for my Savior, for His Gospel, and for the opportunity that I have
to be on the other side of the world sharing my testimony with others.
Love,
Sister Danielle Laree Stott
A Tongan Mama with a Palongi daughter and a Samoan daughter.
It works. ;)
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