Bendiciones

Hola familia!!

What a week. This week I'll hit my 3 month mark on the mission. :) Crazy right?? This week was great - we are still having a hard time meeting with our investigators as much as we would like to (it's like they have lives or something) but we started teaching 3 new people! So that was definitely a miracle.

So last Monday we were all out of money, and so didn't have anything with which to get money. We were at Walmart just getting a couple little things when this lady comes up to us at the checkout line and says "I just payed for the elders, and now I want to pay for your groceries!" We told her we didn't get anything, but she said to go get a cart and fill it up. She walked around the store with us, added things to our cart and talked about her son who just left on a mission. It was such a blessing! So we were able to get food for the week. As we were leaving our AP's walked in the store and she ran over to them to go pay for their groceries. (that's what happens in Utah - missionaries everywhere on Pday!) She was such an example to me of finding joy in service. She was having such a good time just buying groceries for the missionaries! What a wonderful way to live.

So on Wednesday we met a lady named A and her 12 year old daughter G. They had investigated the church about a year ago, and A really wants her children to start learning again, because she wants that support and guidance that the church gives to youth for her kids. A is really sweet, hopefully we can also get her more involved even though she has a crazy work schedule because she already has a testimony of the Book of Mormon. I'm excited to keep teaching them.

Also that day, we had an appointment set up with R, our investigator who is always working and who has had to miss all of our appointments for the last couple weeks. She has a son, A, who also investigated the church with her a couple years ago and even was working towards a baptismal date. We went over with Hermana S from the branch, who is friends with R. We pulled up to the house and no one was there - and R wasn't answering her phone. It was almost 9 and we were feeling kind of discouraged that she cancelled again But Hermana S was like, "A might be here!" and knocked on the door. And he was home! She asked if we could come in and talk to him for a bit. So we ended up teaching him briefly, and invited him to be baptized and he accepted! He still has that desire to read the Book of Mormon and learn more about the church. So that was a miracle!

Thursday we had training for all the 1st transfer missionaries - which includes me even though I've been here 7 weeks, because I came in a little early as a visa waiter. It was really good - President Chambers talked about the importance of baptism as our first covenant with Heavenly Father, and how it all points us towards the temple. He also said something that really stuck out to me about the sacrament. Oftentimes it's hard to focus our thoughts during the sacrament, and our minds wander a little. But in taking the sacrament one of the promises we make is to always remember Christ. How can we make that promise when in the very moment we are making it we are breaking it? 

We had an incredible lesson this week with our investigator JL. Just a recap - his wife of 6 months is a member, he is catholic but has been investigating the church for her. He's been reading the Book of Mormon but has a lot of little questions and doubts. He is waiting for an answer from God, but believes he hasn't received it yet. So we had a lesson schedule for Thursday, and really prepared a lot for it - I spent a while reading about how we recognize the spirit. We just knew that we needed to help him have an experience where he could recognize those quiet, peaceful feelings that come. Often he would just get so caught up in having discussions and wouldn't take time to listen and feel. So we started by inviting him to just listen, and pay attention to his feelings. We watched the Restoration DVD - the story about Joseph Smith and the first vision. And then we testified. The spirit was incredibly present in that room as we each bore sincere testimonies of the experiences we'd had in feeling that these things are true. His wife also shared with us, she has such a solid faith and trust in God. And then I asked him to read D&C 6: 22,23. He shared that he had felt such peace when he had visited temple square and such. And then, to all of our surprise, he pulled out a calendar on his phone. He said our ward mission leader last Sunday had challenged him to set a date for his baptism, and he had. He got emotional when he explained that he had become a new person on November 17th, and so he wanted to plan to be baptized on that day. It was such a cool moment!!

One more story. So we met this Hispanic man through an American family in our area a few days ago, and were excited to get something set up with him. We talked to him a bit and he said he had not heard of the Book of Mormon, didn't have religion in his life, but believed in God. So we set up to teach him later that day at the American family's house. A couple hours later the sister called and said he had to leave, and so couldn't meet with us. We were disappointed. So it was like 8 that night and we were stopping by an apartment complex to see some members. We were pulling out to leave and my companion goes, "hey, is that JM??" And it was! He was sitting there waiting for something. So we went over and started talking to him. He was super willing and was soaking it all up. He's been struggling with drinking but wants to give it up. We taught the restoration, and about the Book of Mormon. Right before he had to go we invited him to be baptized and he said yes! We were so excited. As we were leaving we saw a brother from the other Spanish branch and mentioned to him what had just happened. He said, "JM? you mean that short older man with the white hair? Oh yeah, we have his records in our branch. He's a member." My companions and I were DYING we were laughing so hard. Such is missionary life!!

Anyways, life is good, Draper is the bomb (and really hot), and the church is true. 

Also, the Book of Mormon is the best.

love you all!!!!

Hermana Mackenzie Nelson