Sharon is still awesome. Last Tuesday we taught her the gospel lesson and the Spirit was strong and we taught her about recognizing the Spirit, though she has no trouble feeling it. We had given her a temple prep book on Sunday after the First Presidency devotional, and Tuesday she said she'd read it all and loved it. Wow! She said she's never been much of a reader, but now she is when it comes to the scriptures and things we give her. It's not unusual for her to tell us she studied for 4 hours the night before. Man, she is awesome! What a great first baptism for me! Sharon was interviewed for baptism on Friday and the district leader talked to us afterward about it and he said he couldn't believe how awesome she is. Her testimony is so strong. Last Sunday she had mentioned that she had already read ALL of the Gospel Principles book! Friday after her baptism we taught her about prayer. She's been hesitant to pray in front of people out loud. So we taught her how basic and simple it is. The lesson was really good. Then we asked her to say the closing prayer. She was hesitant at first because she said she needed more practice, but then she accepted. Her prayer was so beautiful. She sounded like a pro! Not in the sense that she spoke in eloquent words, but in the sense that you could feel that she was truly talking with her Heavenly Father. What a sweet experience! On Sunday we were in the choir so we couldn't sit with her in sacrament meeting, and Sister Jenson was sick, so we didn't stay for the other two meetings. We were worried about her being alone (Sister McGlone was in the hospital with a blood clot), but our ward missionaries told us later that in gospel principles class Sharon piped up and made comments and helped out when the lesson was dragging. Yay! We are teaching her again tonight and then one more time before her baptism on Saturday. I'll be sad to see the day when we finish teaching her after her baptism because she is such an awesome lady.
Wednesday Sister Haefele said she had been thinking about Sister Sayer all day and wanted to go visit her. So we went that night. We got to talking to her and Sister Haefele asked how she was doing and said she'd been thinking about her, and then Sister Sayer broke down. She'd been struggling lately, but that day in particular. Her husband is in D.C. for an unpaid fellowship, so she's been at home with the 2 boys trying to make some money by subbing and she just felt like she was failing at everything. We had a good visit with her and cheered her up and shared a spiritual thought with her. It's amazing to see the fruits of listening to the Spirit.
We've continued to teach Erin Crouch. We aren't quite sure of her motivations for wanting to be baptized because what we hear from her and from her friend that she's living with are different. But she is keeping her commitments to read, pray, and come to church, so we are not the ones to judge. We had a really good lesson with her Friday evening about recognizing the Spirit. She was having a hard day and we talked about it. She's been frustrated with the living situation and wants to have their own house (rather than mooching off of Emily), but her paycheck isn't stable and they can't find anything in their price range. We talked about prayers and receiving/recognizing answers, pressing forward in faith, and tithing. She said she had issues with tithing before we started talking about it. She's stretched so thin as it is. As we explained it to her and talked of the blessings available and why we pay tithing, she started to understand. She even asked how to pay tithing. We talked to her on the phone Sunday and she said she was put at the top of the list for Section 8 housing (really cheap rent for people who are in desperate need). I think the lesson really helped her to exercise faith. She still hasn't picked a baptism date, but I feel that will come soon.
Well, we haven't really been able to do too much this week. We've stayed in a lot because Sister Jenson's been sick and Sister Corey (mission president's wife) told her to stay in. It's been good for me though to be able to spend the time studying. And it's nice being in a trio because I don't go crazy by myself while Sister Jenson sleeps. She's getting better, so I think that starting tomorrow we will have more normal missionary days. Though we probably won't be able to go tracting for a bit. She has some ear problems, and the cold air really hurts her ears. Her sickness started with an infection in her ear, so tracting was out of the question.
But oh, there's a funny story about one day when we did go tracting. It was freezing outside. I had on socks, tights, knee highs, and leggings – and I still couldn't feel my toes. Brr. We went for an hour. Sister Haefele is from California and HATES the cold. Before we got out of the car, she prayed that we'd be able to be enthusiastic. Well, that prayer sure was answered quick for her. She doesn't really like tracting all that much, but she was running from one door to the next and singing and skipping and I was cracking up laughing. And then, the side walk jumped up and bit me. I fell over and I was laughing so hard at Sister Haefele and at the fact that I fell over that I started to cry. I wasn't hurt at all, but I was laughing so hard that I couldn't get up. My companions turned around and saw me laying on the ground and they were worried I was injured. Oh good times.
Well, thanks to all who wrote. Happy holidays to all! Take luck.
-Sister Smurf
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