Tuesday we went on an exchange. Sister Haefele came to Fishers with me. Ya know, she's an amazing missionary. I didn't see that fully when we served together, but I really look up to her and admire her a lot. She is so real with people and cares so much about them, and that helps her be an effective missionary. She also relies a lot on her testimony (rather than trying to prove things) because she doesn't feel she knows enough. But her testimony is so strong and it's very effective in bringing people closer to Christ. What an example she is to me. Though I was the senior comp. on the exchange, I felt that she was training me more than I was her. I hope that someday soon I can break out of my shell enough to be that interested and involved in people's lives.
We met with Carl that night. He was tracted into a few weeks ago and we gave him a REST pamphlet, and he said we could come back. So Sister Haefele and I talked with him. He said he skimmed the pamphlet, and he had kind of lumped us together with any other religious wackos that come around with crazy ideas (are there really that many?). He's a single guy; brought up Presbyterian. We talked with him about the Book of Mormon and stressed the importance of him reading for himself and gaining his own witness. We let him handle the BOM and flip through its pages and then we read Moroni 10:3-5 and 2 Ne. 3:12. He tried to give it back to us, but we told him he could keep it, and he was very appreciative. He asked some good questions and we had a good conversation with him. He volunteered the suggestion of us coming back and talking more with him, and he said he'd read from the BOM, at least around the tabs that we marked (Intro, Alma 40-42, 3 Ne. 11, Moroni 10). We set up a return appointment for this week. He's a very sincere guy. If nothing else, he's curious, but I do think there's more than just curiosity. Maybe he doesn't know that yet, but I feel it. I hope he makes some time to really read and pray about those passages before we meet with him this week.
The next day (still with Sister Haefele), we went to see a teenager that we set up an appointment with. He wasn't home (sad day), but his neighbor Raleigh just pulled in. (She's the one whose cat was put to sleep.) So we went over and talked with Raleigh. She was impressed that I remembered her name. She's a very bright 16 year old (she looks and comes across a lot older). We ended up talking to her in the driveway for almost an hour. She doesn't really believe in God - she doesn't really know What or Who he is. It's not that she is atheist, she just doesn't know. She's very accepting of others beliefs. She told us she didn't like the dictator relationship some people seem to have with God (they obey out of fear of punishment). We talked with her about how God is our Father and He loves us and wants to bless us and we obey because we love Him. She said she really liked that idea. Sister Haefele asked if Raleigh prayed, and she told us she did when she was a kid, but then she didn't really know who she was talking to, so she stopped. I shared with her the account of Aaron and King Lamoni's father (Alma 22) and how the king prayed, even though he didn't really know who God was, but he prayed to find out. We encouarged her to do that. She was receptive to receiving a copy of the Book of Mormon and said she'd take a look at it. We asked if we could come back and talk with her again, and she said her schedule was up in the air, but we could try back. And she said if we wanted to, we could come back in the evening when more people would be home so we could talk with her family too. She's a neat girl. Quite possibly one of the elect. You wouldn't know it just by looking at her though - multiple piercings in her ears, loves heavy metal music, etc. But what a great witness that God looketh on the heart (1 Sam. 16:7??) The elect may not always look like what we think the elect should look like. That's why we have to talk to everyone!
We met with Paul - definitely one of the elect - Wednesday night with the Rocks again. He asked about tithing, so we spontaneously taught him about that. He said he was planning on starting paying this Sunday. We then talked about the repentance process and we set a solid baptism date (Oct. 2nd) with him. WAHOO! He's so excited! Friday we took Tara Denkers (19, home from BYUI, wants to serve a mission) with us to Paul's lesson and we taught about fasting, more on the baptismal covenant, the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end. He was blown away that some people would get baptized and then not come to church. He said he would feel more obligated after baptism because he gave God his word. Paul truly understands the covenant, but he brought up the concern that we break that covenant every day. We taught him about renewing our covenants and becoming clean through the Atonement. I think he understands a lot more than some members (or at least he's prepared to act on it more than some are). I am so impressed with him. I love teaching him. He memorized the current 12 Apostles in order of seniority. Now he's going to memorize the Articles of Faith. He commented on his neighbor (Wings - members) who had primary songs memorized, and we jokingly told him that was a requirement for baptism and he was willing to do it. :) He is so awesome!
Thursday we stopped by the Norton's (he's our ward mission leader) to see if they'd be available to come to Paul's lesson Friday. They were out of town, but his dad was there. He complimented Sisters Summers and I again, calling us a "class act", and said that he felt that we were here together to teach Paul. It's so great having members express confidence in us. Sunday after ward council, Brother Norton came up to us and thanked us for the good work we've been doing on finding members that no one knows. He said they've never been able to get through the list of "mystery names" with as much information as we've been able to provide. He then asked about Carl and what he could do to help, and then he volunteered him and his wife to come with us to our appointment, and we're going to have Paul's Friday lesson in their home. He's finally getting excited and realizing the scope of his calling. YAY!
Some other members have now intimated to us that they would like to have Paul in their home or come with us to his lessons. Yay for ward involvement. Now if we could only help them see that we need their involvement BEFORE they become awesome like Paul, that'd be great. More ward involvement would help more of our investigators get to where Paul is.
Saturday while tracting, we met Ron Martin. He's a nice Methodist guy. He asked us what our goal was in talking to people. We expressed that we hope to help people feel the Spirit and have a desire to strengthen their faith in Christ. At first he kind of had the attitude of "I have a church, I don't need anything". But we talked with him - we were real with him - and he asked if we would share our personal witness. So Sister Summers and I each shared how we came to have our own personal testimony, and then we asked if he would share his. The Spirit was strong. He has a BOM - he knew a guy in the military that was a member - so we left him with the testimony of Joseph Smith pamphlet. I thought it would be something he would enjoy since the 3 of us shared our personal testimony.
Yesterday a nice Catholic lady talked with us for about 10-15 minutes. She knew a lot about our church, and she wasn't interested in learning more, but she respects us and what we were doing. We asked if there was anything we could do for her, and she asked if we'd pray with her. She offered the prayer. It was one of the sweetest prayers. She asked that we would have success in spreading the gospel and that we and the people we met would recognize that actions speak louder than words, and that people would listen to us. How nice of her. It meant a lot to me.
Well, I've rambled on long enough, don't you think? I think so. I hope you enjoy these stories; they're even better when lived firsthand. :) Maybe my details will help you feel like you're here and feel the excitement that I feel.
Take care. Love you all.
sister humpherys
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