We've had to take some time out this week to talk and figure things out. Mostly because of my lack of patience with Sister Marshall. Shame on me. I was so impressed with her on the first day, that I assumed I could press forward quickly. I've learned the folly of my ways, and I'm now trying to back track and do things right. It seems like we've been together for a while, but I have to keep reminding myself that she's just been out almost 2 weeks, and she's still got plenty of time to learn and grow. It's a hard lesson for me to learn. I'm convinced now that I wasn't called to be a trainer because of my talents and abilities, but because the Lord has a lot He needs to teach me. I am definitely seeing my weaknesses and things I need to improve on, and being a trainer is giving me more motivation to work on those things and turn them in to strengths. It's tough, and there's a lot on my plate, but as long as I learn to let the Lord do the driving, I'll be alright. So many times I feel inadequate and have no idea what to do, but I feel like I'm finally learning to be humble and allow the Lord to lead me. It's a tough lesson to learn, but I know it's one we all have to learn if we are to be truly successful in life and in eternity.
Tuesday we met with Vanessa and Sister Guymon came with us. We spent a lot of time getting to know Vanessa and her background. We tracted into her daughter a while back, and we met Vanessa on the porch when we returned and gave her a BOM. She's Native American, and she's also got Jewish and Catholic backgrounds. She considers herself a Messianic Jew. I had to ask for clarification. A Messianic Jew is a Jew who believes that Christ is the Son of God and Savior and He will come again. Hmm... The name seems like an oxy moron. Oh well. She talked a lot about her family and how important they are to her. Her mom is ailing and she teared up when she told us she's not ready for her mom to pass away. We took that opportunity to testify of the REST and the truths of the Plan of Salvation that we know because of it. The Spirit was there. Sister Guymon was great at sharing testimony and bridging some gaps for us. We gave Vanessa a REST pamphlet to read over and set up another appointment for tomorrow. Vanessa seems promising. As long as she keeps up her end by reading and praying, I have no doubt she'll join the church.
Wednesday night we stopped by to see Cindy Mahjoub. We haven't seen them in quite some time because of a relative's health problems, and then Cindy was sick for a week. We spent some time talking about her daughter Alicia and then we had a short lesson on the restoration of priesthood authority using 2 pictures from the REST pamphlet - one of Christ ordaining an apostle, and one of Joseph Smith being ordained by Peter, James, and John. We testified of that pattern of authority being back on the earth and we committed her to baptism. She said yes! She said if it's truth, we have to accept it. She sees a lot of parallels in our faith and in the Unification church. However moved upon by the Spirit she was, I don't think she quite realizes that to join our church means that she'd no longer be part of the Unification church. We shared with her The Family Proclamation (she loves our focus/emphasis on families) and invited her to the general relief society broadcast as well as general conference. She seemed very interested. We have an appointment with Cindy and Ali tonight and we're going to bring the Overmyers with us. Hopefully that will give Cindy more of an incentive to come to the broadcast. And hopefully Ali's staunchness/stubbornness will be subdued so we can have a good, spiritual lesson.
On Wednesday we met with Paul at the Tesch's home. He finished the BOM last week! And now he's already in 1 Nephi 10 again. He tells us that when he first started reading the BOM, a lot was just way over his head, so he's picking up on things this time around that he didn't get last time. We spent some time explaining the different kinds of plates talked about in the BOM, and he also had more questions on preisthood keys. Another benefit to having members with us - the male can explain the priesthood better! :) Afterwards, Paul gave me a card and he brought me an ice cream cake. (This was the 3rd cake for my birthday.) We met with him again on Saturday at the Rock's house and watched Elder Christofferson's talk from April 2009 entitled The Power of Covenants since he is quickly approaching his first covenant. In a way I'm kind of sad that he's getting baptized soon because that means that we won't be able to meet with him as often as the home teachers step in. But, that's just me being selfish.
Thursday we met with Bill Keyes with Sister Fattic from Fishers 1st ward. That ward doesn't have elders anymore because of a shortage (and the work was really slow there), so we picked up their one investigator and one less-active they were working with. Bill was given a triple combination some time ago from a friend. He's read all of the BOM, and at least parts of D&C and PoGP (maybe he's read it all, I'm not sure). We got to know him and find out where he's at. He told us that if he were single, he'd jump in with both feet. He's built his family upon a foundation of faith in their church, and he's afraid of what it would do to his family. His wife is not supportive of him meeting with missionaries. From talking with him, I gathered that he knows that at least some things are true, and maybe he knows all of the BOM is true. He keeps reading the BOM, that's a good sign. Sister Fattic shared her experience with the missionaries and how she knew a few things were true and went on faith for the rest of it and it wasn't until she'd been a member for a while that she could say she knew everything was true. That was great to have her share that. We committed him to baptism, and he accepted, saying that when he knows it's true, he has to align himself with it. He's really afraid about how it will affect his family though. He's praying for guidance to know how to best approach his wife about it and praying that her heart will be softened. We shared with him 1 Ne. 3:5-7 and talked about how Nephi had the courage to do something hard because he knew it was something God required of him, and he knew that God would provide a way. Before we even finished applying it to his life, he got it and understood what it meant for him. He's a great guy with lots of potential. I wonder if his wife might be more open to the idea with us as sisters rather than with the elders. The elders told us once though that the wife got mad because one of their daughters was in the same room while they were talking with Bill. So, she seems like a tough egg to crack. But maybe she'll soften up to us. I don't know. We're praying hard that Bill will recognize the way the Lord is providing for him.
We met Elisa Montgomery (inactive) Thursday night. No one knew anything about her. She was heading out, but she talked with us for about 10 minutes. She's a sweet lady, and she's at a time of change in her life - her husband is out of town working a lot and her daughter just left for school. She seemed to warm up to us pretty quickly. She mentioned she'd be alone again this weekend, so we invited her to the relief society broadcast. We're going to try to get back to see her this week. I have hope for her. I really feel like God is reaching out to her right now and that she can make a comeback if she desires. I was so glad to meet her and get to know her and let her know that people care about her. I think she really needs that right now being alone a lot.
We talked with Doug again Friday night. Sister Summers and I tracted in to him a while back. We had a brief REST lesson with him then, but he wouldn't accept anything from us. He says he's seeking truth, but is oblivious to it when it falls in his lap. So we stopped in to see him, and he said he'd been thinking a lot about things that we'd discussed last time. He came to the conclusion that one of us has to be right. Too bad he made the wrong conclusion of who that is. We got on the topic of eternity and how mortality is so short, but it determines eternity for us. We brought up the fact of the pre-mortal existence. He was interested in hearing our views because he had never heard our view on it before. It's so sad with him because he is not willing to do anything to find and accept the truth. If it's outside of his worldview, it's not right and he's not going to dabble in it. He'd make a great member of the church if he could just open his eyes to it. It's always sad when people say they seek for truth yet they are actually pretty close minded.
Last p-day Sister Starnes called us to tell us about the Asher family (Eddie, Shannon, Lexi). We committed the Starnes to give away a BOM and the deadline they picked was Sept. 19. Sister Starnes called us to tell us that they felt the Ashers were the ones they were supposed to give it to. They asked us to pray that the Starnes would know how to best approach it and to pray for the Ashers that they would continue to be receptive. Shannon came to the relief society activity on Tuesday night. It was a great activity to have her attend. There were 3 speakers who gave inspirational talks. They were just what I needed, and Sister Starnes said it was just what Shannon needed too. Shannon got to meet a lot of the sisters in the ward. Last night there was a youth/parent fireside that was a Trek reunion. (Sister Starnes is the stake YW president.) She invited Shannon and Lexi to attend (and hence we got to attend also). They came, and it was a great fireside. Shannon is so open. She's probably going to come to the relief society broadcast Saturday, and church Sunday, and she really wants to come to the super Saturday the relief society is doing the weekend after conference. The Starnes haven't given them a BOM yet, but they're providing such great fellowship and foundation. I'm so excited for the Starnes and the Ashers. It's great to see member missionary work at its finest!
Well, I believe that's about it. And plus, I'm really low on time. Take care all of you! And those of you who sent me emails last week, send me your mailing address so I can write back.
sister humpherys
PICTURES:
birthday decorations at panda express (x2)
birthday party at the Marble's (Andrew, Brandon, Katie) - x2
trainers - me & haefele
greenies - vanderhooft & marshall
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