October 3, 2016

Holy General Conference, it makes the rest of the week look like a BLUR! I can honestly say that there was not a single talk that I didn’t absolutely LOVE! The biggest thing that stood out to me is how all the talks were on repentance and joy, how we're here to follow Christ and to change so that we can be HAPPY!!  Which was extremely evident in the investigators we were able to teach this week!

First off, a quick story about how much God loves us. As missionaries, we can only shop on Mondays and we ran out of TP on Thursday.  So, to remain obedient, we made a deal that if anyone asked if we need anything, we'd say toilet paper. SO, sure enough, it happened, and we both hesitantly looked at each other and then asked the member for some TP and they start freaking out!! The wife said that an HOUR BEFORE, her husband looked at her and said "The sisters are coming over tonight.... we should go get some toilet paper." "Sweetie, why do we need to get toilet paper?" "For the Sisters!" And this happened BEFORE WE EVEN ASKED!! #blessed

We taught a man named D who the sisters found about a month ago. He’s had a super hard life, he adopted a little boy who died at 13 and the cat he’s had for 20 years just passed away, he lives with a roommate but feels extremely lonely all the time and he was praying for help when the sisters knocked on his door! We read the Book of Mormon with him and he said how his life isn’t changing, but his attitude is and he feels so much closer to God. And I love how THAT’S what was emphasized at conference! The church, the scriptures, the people we meet, these are all tools to get us to Christ and it is HIM that changes us from the inside out! HE is the one to lift us and strengthen us, and HE is the one, and the only one, who can bring us joy.

We've been teaching K still, and we were able to watch Conference at a member’s home with her! It is such a cool example of member missionary work, he simply invited her to come to church and her life is forever changed because of it. She’s progressing and coming closer to God and she has His spirit even more abundantly in her life. She said her favorite talk was the one on missionary work; her family is still against the church, but we know that as she keeps being an amazing example to them, that their hearts will soften!

If you remember, this IS the area with all the car trouble earlier this year! Prayers please!! I do not want that to happen again... and the car is literally gold, like, THAT is the color!

Friday was the craziest day ever, at 7 am we taught seminary, and it was the coolest class EVER! It’s crazy how much better the rising generation is than all of us, ha ha, God's sending His strongest children down now, since the world's at its craziest! Teaching seminary was awesome!! We just talked about missions and tested them on what they’ve learned the last month, the teacher is an angel that we love and we offered to help.

Right after that we had a lesson with B, who has a very similar story to D, but her mom was actually taught and when the missionaries went by to see her they met B! She’s young but told us how she needs a church to be grounded in so she can raise her future family with good values. and when we told her about Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon and how her relationship with her Savior can improve, she just said "I am going to read and I’m going to know it’s true." Then we had district meeting, and we gave a training on revelation through the Book of Mormon that was MIND BLOWING, all on exactly how it will improve our lives for the better. THEN, right after, we had another lesson with a guy who only wanted to argue, not to learn, and it was impossible to leave, and we were so exhausted and ready for bed and it was like 2 in the afternoon, ha ha. What a time to be alive!!

We give service every week for this old Croatian woman who doesn’t want to be a member, but LOVES missionaries! And we help this less active member who is trying to prove God exists with science. I love it here!

And then of course, CONFERENCE!! Boom. Too good. Just another amazing testimony builder that this really is God’s church, it’s impossible to listen to the words of God’s prophets and NOT come closer to Him, just like it’s impossible to read the Bible with a willingness to learn and not come closer to Him! God is just pouring out His blessings all the time and I am so grateful to be a part of His work!