We met with Laurence (a guy we tracted into one of my first days here. He invited us in that night, but there was no female present.) twice this week. The first visit we had a member with us, the second one we were not so lucky so we met out in the garage. Thank goodness for a slightly warmer day. We started into the REST lesson but didn't get very far in the first visit. He's a talker. We invited him to be baptized the first visit. He didn't say yes, but he didn't say no. We told him we'd talk more about it next time. So we met with him again Saturday and finished the REST and committed him to be baptized on Dec. 18th - he accepted!! He is so open and receptive. He notices the Spirit about us. He told us that if it was true that in the last days the righteous people would just be plucked up into heaven, he said that S. Latu and I would be in that category. Ha. There is a meekness about him. He loves the Lord, and he's humble. He said he wished there was "some wise old guy on a mountain" he could ask about what is God's true church, etc. and we said that he didn't need that because he had us. :) He recognizes that we were sent to him, and he is very grateful for that. I'm excited for him!
We met with Linda after that on Tuesday. We had planned to talk about faith and real intent, so that she recognizes and understands what is required for her to receive an answer and also so that she understands that she's asking more than just if a book is true. She had some questions from her reading in 3 Nephi 13 so we discussed those. I was amazed to see that the things talked about in that chapter brought up real intent. However, we didn't get to that lesson plan because Linda brought up that all her life she's seen God as a loving God, but now suddenly she sees him as the Master Manipulator using emotional blackmail. How sad. Sister Latu and I were both quite hurt to hear her say that's what she'd been feeling. We were also sad for her. We don't quite understand why she's getting that feeling as she continues to read the BOM. The good thing is that Linda says that she doesn't want that to be her answer. She doesn't want what she learned about God to be wrong (that he's loving). We tried to teach her that commandments are given for our benefit and blessing and that God is bound by justice - He can't just whimsically pour out blessings. She didn't have ears to hear though. We called Pres. Collins after the lesson and asked him for some advice. Linda has been meeting with sisters for over a year and she's diligent in her BOM reading and she accepts the commitments we give her and follows through. But she's not getting her answers. Linda has had 4 stepfathers, and as we explained Linda's situation to Pres. he felt that her stumbling block lies in her inability to see God as different from the men she's known in her life. He shared that it's impossible for God to answer her questions if she has an incorrect notion of who He is. As we tried to figure out a game plan for where to go with her, we realized that we've been prompted what to teach her and we've allowed her questions to take us away from that prompting. We need to follow through with what we've been prompted to share. But also, we need to start with helping her understand the true nature of God and help her develop a personal relationship with Him so that she can get the answers she needs. We used to meet with her twice a week, but then her work schedule changed, so we can only meet once, and this week we have a meeting and she has something else, so we can't meet this week. :( Hopefully during this time until we can meet with her again she'll continue to ponder and pray and remain diligent and faithful.
We had another lesson with Mary that afternoon, and her 2 granddaughters sat in on the lesson. They didn't seem too involved or interested, but they were there listening. We recapped the PoS up through the Atonement, and then we taught Mary about the Spirit World through 3 kingdoms. Mary was shocked at what we were teaching about the spirit world. She said it sounded fine, but she'd never heard it before. Her face was priceless as we shared with her the verses in 1 Peter 3:19 & 4:6. Her eyes lit up and she was so shocked. I've never gotten such a good reaction! She was amazed that it was right there in the Bible and she never had been taught those precious truths. We took the opportunity to bear testimony again of the Restoration and the need for the BOM. I took the lead teaching the spirit world, and as I started, I had the feeling that I was totally botching it and I wished I could rewind and start over. After I got going though, I felt it went better, but the beginning I felt was rocky. However, when we left the lesson, Sister Latu said that she was really impressed and told me she'd never seen the spirit world taught so well. Maybe I'm too hard on myself, but more likely it's the fact that the Spirit was present as a translator. :)
We met with Betsy that night. It was my first time meeting with her because she'd had surgery and the sisters hadn't been able to see her for about a month. We had the same lesson plan as Mary - recap and finish PoS. We only got to teach about the spirit world and the resurrection though. It was a powerful lesson. The Spirit was strong. We asked Betsy what her view was about what happened after death. It was the most complete view that I've ever heard from a non-member. Though she wasn't sure about things, she said things like "I hope this..." or "I'd like to think this happens...." Many things were in line with our doctrine. It was great to see someone who had really thought about these questions and was searching for answers. She has some family members with mental disabilities, and she herself has a physical disability, so we talked a lot about God providing a perfect plan for everyone to learn and have those opportunities, and being free from mental and physical limitations. I didn't ask beforehand whether Betsy had been invited to be baptized. At the close of our visit, I was going to commit her to come to church, but the Spirit prompted me instead to commit her to baptism. So I extended the invitation, and she said she'd have to continue learning and reading before she would accept. I'm not quite sure why the hesitation, but hopefully that will come up and be addressed in our visit tomorrow. Afterwards in the car, Sister Latu told me that I was the 3rd sister to commit her to baptism. She said she found it interesting that the Spirit kept prompting us to re-extend the commitment. Maybe the 4th time's the charm. :)
We had another lesson with Red on Wednesday. He said he'd been thinking all week about what we shared with him last time. Awesome! We had planned to finish up the REST lesson. Sister Latu started out talking about simplicity and keeping things simple. I had no clue where she was going with it or how that was going to tie into our lesson. So, I didn't say much to start out. However, somehow, it tied in nicely to Joseph Smith and simplicity became the theme of our lesson. It was a really great lesson. (Sister Latu shared with me after that she didn't know where the Spirit was taking her either. I'm so impressed with her ability to recognize and follow the Spirit.) Red told us that his friends think he's crazy for meeting with us, but he doesn't care. Go him. As we taught, Red said that S. Latu answered his questions in a very well-rounded way. He told me that my explanations about seeing it as "God's" way rather than just "one" way and the Bible and the BOM being points on a line were awesome. I give the Spirit credit for the first explanation because I BUTCHERED it. As I was talking, I knew that the words weren't coming out right. Somehow the Spirit translated it before it reached Red's ears. The 2nd explanation I give credit to Bro. Page in Fishers because he shared that explanation with me. At any rate though, Red is awesome. We were about to have to pass him to the zone leaders because they're YSA and Red is 28. However, he shared with us that he has a daughter, so we get to keep him. Yay. We told him Sister Pfeil would pick him up for church, and he said he loves her. He really connected with her. Kind of odd because she's like a 60 year old lady. But the experiences and testimony that she shared in the first visit really touched him.
We met with the Ruby family for dinner Wednesday and then another lesson Thursday. We felt impressed to focus on Bro. Ruby and help him strengthen his testimony. Until this point, we'd been focusing on Destiny and helping her progress to baptism. We were able to find out some of his concerns and see ways that we could help strengthen him. It was awesome to see Destiny jump in and teach Bro. Ruby. Yay for non-member missionary work! :) He's got a very strong testimony of prayer, but past that, he's let flaws of people get in the way of his testimony. He's starting to open up more, so we're going to continue to focus more on him with the lessons and hopefully see him come around.
Bro. and Sis. Fayhe came with us to visit the Workmans Wednesday. Sis. Latu and I realized we need to teach Bro. Workman (NM) different than other people. We decided to have a relaxed atmosphere lesson and share personal experiences of prayers being answered in our own language of the Spirit. The Fayhes were the perfect people to bring. It was a great conversation, and the Spirit was there. It was evident in a feeling of happiness and light. I haven't necessarily felt the Spirit like that in a lesson before, so that was neat to feel that. That's how the Spirit touches Bro. Workman, not in a formal, serious discussion. I'm grateful for that inspiration that Sis. Latu and I received as to how to best help him.
We met with Sister Hand again and had another awesome lesson with her. We talked about Joseph Smith and the BOM. She shared that her testimony of Pres. Monson is stronger than of Joseph Smith because she's heard Monson speak. She follows the succession backwards and knows that Joseph Smith was a prophet because she knows Pres. Monson is a prophet. I've never seen anyone follow it backwards like that. She expressed a desire to strengthen her testimony of Joseph Smith and wished she could hear him speak. I was then able to share 3 Nephi 12:2 with her that I had read in personal study a few days earlier that had really stuck out to me. That was just what she needed. The Spirit was really strong. She told us she's ready to come back to church with or without her husband, and she was there Sunday! I love our visits with her. She knows what to do, she just needs some subtle nudges. The Spirit is always present, and she recognizes that we are there telling her what God would tell her.
I went on an exchange with Sister Spindler in Kokomo Friday. (Sister Mat came here) It was a good exchange. It was a good experience to get to work with her again and be dependent on her as a senior companion who knew the area. Most of the time we tracted, but it was still good. Despite the snow and cold. We had dinner with Bishop Marler (related to Wesley Marler who I went to high school with) and as Bishop and his wife drove us back to Lafayette the next day, Sister Marler told me that it "warmed her heart" to see her daughter Caitlin talking to me because she doesn't talk to missionaries. It was easy to fall in love with them, and they said I have to come back. :)
We had another lesson with Ziggy Lerma Sunday after church. Sis. Lerma told us that he is a very hands-on and visual learner, so we tried to come up with a way to use their white board during the lesson. We started the lesson, finishing the REST and it was just kind of so-so. Then when talking about the BOM, I felt to use the Bible and BOM two points on a line analogy again. So we went to the board. He really liked it. Sis. Lerma had told us that he didn't like reading lots of scriptures, so we didn't pull from the scriptures, except from the Intro to the BOM. We asked him how we could best help him, and he said use more scriptures. Huh. We asked him more, and he said he doesn't like reading scriptures because he doesn't really comprehend them well, but he wants to understand them. Good to know. We'll use more scriptures and get him familiar with the language of the scriptures, as well as the language of the Spirit.
We got in to see Sue, a lady we tracted into one of my first days. We had set an appointment for last week, but she missed it. She only had about 15 minutes yesterday, but she let us in. Her family is very centered on faith in Christ and the scriptures. They'd make great Mormons. :) We just taught briefly the first few principles from the REST lesson and she seemed eager to learn more about our claims of modern prophets so that she could find out for herself. She's a very faithful lady, married to a faithful husband. Hopefully she doesn't get spoused. Especially hopefully not before we meet with her in a few days.
Well, my time is up. Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoy it!
sister humpherys
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