me, esplin, tara denkers
attempted cool district picture: esplin, me, jensen, petersen, wasden, pettet
wasden, pettet, jensen, petersen, me, esplin
me and sister marshall
marshall, paul hodge, me
Wow, training is quite the experience. I felt really sick Wednesday (transfer day), but I think it was all due to my nerves. We had a trainers' meeting before transfer meeting. It was a good meeting, but also gave us the sense that if we screw up, we're in trouble. It's kind of nerve racking knowing that you're setting the tone for the rest of someone's mission. So many opportunities to mess something up. Man, that kind of power is scary. But it's also neat. Knowing I can mold someone into what I want them to be as a missionary (as long as they're willing to learn) is quite empowering. Quite the mix of emotions. Sister Haefele (she's training the other sister) and I both had knots in our stomach most of the morning in addition to being really excited. The nervousness started with me Tuesday morning when transfer calls came. Pres. usually calls at 7:30 to tell you if you're receiving a leadership assignment. He told me on Saturday, so I was expecting a call at 7:30. However, the call didn't come until almost 8:30. I was starting to wonder if the Lord had changed His mind about having me train. Kind of a nerve racking hour waiting for that call to come.
My greenie is Sister Marshall from Glendale, AZ. I knew it would be her. Back in June or July when we were helping the Westfield sisters out when Sister Ram hurt her ankle, I actually saw Sister Marshall's file and had an inkling that I would train her. I didn't say anything to anyone though because that would kind of be like "exalting myself" up to a leadership position, but I really felt like she'd be mine. When she and Sister Vanderhooft walked into transfer meeting, I again felt like I'd train Sister Marshall. Sister Vanderhooft got assigned first, so by process of elimination, I knew that Sister Marshall was my greenie, but when she bore her short testimony, the Spirit touched me again, confirming to me that it was right. I'd never felt that at a transfer meeting before (that my companion was right), so it was really neat to feel that.
We quickly grabbed lunch and went shopping and then I took her tracting. I knocked on the first door and no one was home. Three girls were on the porch smoking on the next door. I started the conversation and then turned it over to Sister Marshall. She did a great job at testifying. We could tell that the girls weren't interested in talking about God, but as we finished talking with them, we could sense that their demeanor changed slightly. Maybe sometime down the road they'll call for the BOM. I am quite impressed with Sister Marshall's lack of fear in tracting. She's a lot better than I was. I was willing to talk, I just didn't know what to say so I clammed up. But Sister Marshall muddles through it and bears testimony, and it's great. They tell us as trainers to let our greenies drown so they can learn to pick themselves up. I don't feel like Sister Marshall's drowned yet. She struggles through somethings, but she's doing a fine job. So far the thing she struggles with the most is getting to know people. She's just so eager to testify to people that she doesn't quite know how to establish a relationship first. We're working on that. It's also a little challenging because not knowing how to establish that relationship is also present in our companionship slightly. We've only been together a few days, so obviously we won't know everything about each other by now, but it's a slight struggle for the both of us learning how to develop a close relationship between us. We're working at it, but neither of us are very good at it. I'd say that right now that's the hardest thing so far.
We had a meal appointment with a part member family that first evening. Only Sister Anders is a member. They wanted to play a game that they recently got, and as they were telling me about it, I realized that it was the picture/word "gossip/telephone" game that we use sometimes to teach about the apostasy and the importance of prophets. The rest of the family has never sat in on the lesson before, so I took this opportunity to play the game with them and then teach about the importance of prophets. It went really well. Slowly maybe they'll all come around.
Weekly planning took 4 hours that next day. Ugh. It took so long to teach Sister Marshall about planning and about the people we're working with. The good thing is that it'll never be that long again. Four hours is just way too much. But we got a lot accomplished, and Sister Marshall offered up some really good ideas for the next things we should teach people. I'm really grateful that she's been prepared well from her teachers at the MTC. I feel like I can lean on her for things already, and she's only been out a few days. I didn't feel like that with some of my other companions who'd been out a few transfers. It's nice to be able to share the load. I still have to do a lot, but Sister Marshall is so eager to learn quickly so she can help out more. Such a blessing.
Sister Marshall's first lesson happened to be with Lisa, the lady Sister Esplin and I tracted into last Saturday. She'd pulled out her BOM and had been reading some. Unfortunately, she'd been reading more anti- material. It was a tough lesson and she wasn't willing to see our point of view. She especially refuted that we knew things based on our feelings (from the Spirit) rather than through proof/evidence. It became clear to me that she (and people like Roni & Michael too) doesn't really understand the concept of faith. She has faith that Christ is the Savior and that she can be saved, but that's really about it. Everything else has to have proof. It's so sad to see. She can't see the BOM as scripture, and she mentioned over and over again that she was worried about our salvation. A kind gesture I suppose, but deeply misguided. She said she would read 3 Nephi 27 that we left her, and she said she'd write down some questions for us. I don't think she'll progress at all (at least not now), so we probably will only see her one more time. Sister Marshall did a great job though at just bringing it back to testimony. We both testified often and we felt the Spirit, but Lisa rejected it. We walked out of the lesson and I told Sister Marshall what a good job she did, especially being her 1st lesson and to a tough crowd. Sister Marshall then started to cry. It was tears of sorrow. She told me that no one ever prepares you for how much it hurts when you see people reject the gospel. She was so sad for Lisa that she was so blinded that she would not see. Sister Marshall's going to be a great missionary. She's already well on her way there. She has such a love for the gospel and wants everyone to feel that. It is hard when people reject it. If she gets that sad about someone she just barely met though, it'll be really hard when an investigator that we work with for a while drops us. Hopefully that won't happen anytime soon.
We met with Devon that afternoon. We were going to meet with Charlotte, but she wasn't feeling well. We always get someone different in that house each time we go. Devon is a good kid. He's been reading in the BOM. He's read the 1st four chapters in 1 Nephi and then he said he flips around. We talked about God preparing a way for us to do right, and then he mentioned the story of Zeezrom being healed by Alma and Amulek. We talked with him about that, and asked what he thought about it. He said he thought about Saul/Paul when he was reading it. He internalizes a lot. I'm impressed with him.
We went to try Vanessa after that. We turned around to leave her doorstep when we heard something crash into the door. Turns out, Vanessa was home, and she tripped down the stairs and it was her that hit the door. Ouch. We talked briefly with her and set up a return appointment with her for tomorrow. Hopefully no more falling down the stairs and into doors. Had to laugh at that one after we left. :)
Paul Hodge is great. His baptism is less than 3 weeks away now!! We worked with him a little in planning his baptism and talked about the importance of authority for the saving ordinances and also talked about the importance of the baptism by fire. Also, HE FINISHED THE BOOK OF MORMON! In the same breath he also told us that he already started over again. "Man, can life get any better? I submit that it cannot!" (Quote from Brian Regan) Sister Marshall had a much better experience with his lesson than with Lisa's. She's pretty lucky she gets to walk into his baptism and be part of it without having to do much. ;) We took Paul to Why I Believe again last night. We told him we'd ask him to speak next time since it'll be after his baptism (he's already spoken once). The meeting started, and it turned out that out of the 4 recent converts who had planned on speaking, only 1 was there. So, Elder Carskadan (the new assistant) took matters into his own hands and asked Sister Vanderhooft, me, Sister Lyon (senior sister), and Elder Roundy (assistant) to bear our testimonies. That was sure unexpected. I leaned over to Paul and asked if he'd like to speak. He went back and forth between yes and no, but finally he agreed. So Paul bore his testimony and shared his football story and his testimony was awesome. Last time he bore his testimony, he had to read it because he was nervous. He didn't have anything to go off of this time. He was a natural. He didn't appear nervous or anything, and it was a powerful testimony. Done like a pro. I have no doubts that he's going to be a general authority of some sorts some day.
Yesterday we saw a miracle while we were tracting. We went out after church and tracted with little success. We then went another neighborhood close to our dinner appointment. We found Chris wo was interested in learning more and we set up a return appointment with him. Sister Marshall asked something about if he thought the world needed a prophet. He said the world needed something. We testified that there was a prophet, and he could know for himself by reading the BOM. We left him with a REST pamphlet. Sweet! Well, here's the miracle - my forgetfulness was inspired by the Spirit. I didn't even realize what happened until we got home that evening and were looking at our day. We had planned to tract a different street at that time, but I recalled a street we planned as a backup for later in the day. The Spirit made me forget what our real plans were and caused me to recollect something else so that we would find Chris. Pretty neat!
Sister Marble (a sister in the ward) totally made my day yesterday. We were talking with her about Jessica Hawks (the investigator who is in our boundaries but the elders were teaching her and it turned messy. Sister Marble has become really good friends with her and is helping her come back to church. Sister Marble was surprised to see me (she thought I got transferred). She told me that she told Jessica that I left, and Jessica was really sad. She told Sister Marble that she (Jessica) really loved me and that I was her favorite (out of the 2 companionships she met). I only met her briefly and participated in 2 rushed lessons with her. But it totally made my day, and possibly my mission that Jessica said that. It seems that there's more reasons than one of why I'm still here in Fishers.
Well, I think that's about it for now. We've got to hurry and finish up so we can go celebrate my birthday. Take luck. Keep the letters/emails coming. :) Love ya!
sister Humpherys
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