Hey Family!
Looks
like y'all had quite the good time down in California for
Thanksgiving! Dinner on the beach, lots of soccer games, and exotic
birds at your hotel...doesn't seem like it could get much better than
that! Aw man thanksgiving is just the best, I love this time of the
year. For thanksgiving dinner it was all six of the missionaries and
then six total Conlin's at their house because a couple of their kids
were away at school and what not. The food was super good too! The
only new thing was fried turkey and it was delicious! When you fry a
turkey it makes it so it's not dry so it was just real good.
Holy cow this
week has been full of miracles (little ones and real big ones), truly
amazing! So here's a couple of them for y'all:
#1 Monday:
We went to the thrift store and I found this awesome skirt. Navy blue
with white polkadots plus it was only 3 dollars. It was a little too
big but nothing a safety pin can't fix. Doesn't get much better than
that! Haha I might have worn it almost every day this week...
#2 Tuesday: We
were seeing some people down in Mandeville and we had this less active
member on our list to try to see. We've been trying to meet her for
weeks and she never is home so we had no idea if she actually even lived
there or what. So we just stopped by kinda just expecting Mary not to
answer because she never has before. But low and behold she was home
and even let us come in! We got to know her and discovered she's been
having a hard time lately because a couple of her relatives passed away
last month and then her husband had a stroke and he isn't able to talk
right now. We didn't go into much detail because you could tell she
didn't want to talk about it and she was crying a little bit. I didn't
know what to share with her because I wanted to bring comfort so bad,
but then Sister Brady just started sharing the thanksgiving thought we
had planned for
her. It was amazing because she said it was exactly what she needed to
hear! And then she told us how her friend invited her over tonight but
she just felt like she needed to stay home so she did. And then we
came by and shared a message that was exactly what she needed. Holy cow
is all I have to say...it was a miracle! We have plans to see her
again later this week and I'm so excited!!
#3 Wednesday: We
always see one of the single sisters in our ward so this past week we
stopped by like usual and all her family was home. Pearl's daughter
Vicki was home and was just sitting there while we were talking to
Pearl. (her daughter is a member but less active..she hasn't seemed too
interested in the past seeing her) so it was kinda awkward because she
was just doing stuff on her phone while we were talking to Pearl and we
didn't know what to do so we started sharing the lesson we had planned.
I didn't even think Vicki was listening but after I said something she
turned and actually talked about the gospel and was involved in the
lesson! We were able to talk with her more and actually relate to her
which was so cool. I'm hoping she'll be back next time we see her so we
can start getting her more involved!
#4 Thursday: A
couple weeks ago we were trying to visit some less active members that
we didn't know and see how interested they are and meet them. So there
was this one sister that Sister Brady said they'd been trying to see
forever but no one ever answered. So we stopped by and her husband Dale
answered..and let me just say, he's the sweetest guy I've ever met. He
told us that his wife died about seven years ago in a car accident.
And of course me being me, I didn't say anything about the plan of
salvation or what not and we apologized for his loss then left. For the
next week and a half he'd been on my mind constantly. I knew we needed
to go back and somehow share the gospel with him but I just didn't know
what to do. He lives out in the middle of nowhere just by himself and
he has no family left...no children, nothing (he's probably in his 50s
or 60s). So I was
thinking and President Wall asked us to be ODD missionaries, meaning
observe, discern, do. We had interviews on Wednesday and he said I've
got the observe and discern part down I've just gotta do it. So I just
decided ya know what, this could be super awkward but we're gonna make
him cookies and bring them to him on thanksgiving to just let him know
we've been thinking about him and maybe somehow talk about the gospel.
So we made peanut butter cookies because it was the only ingredients we
had and then we drove all the way out there. He was home and super
surprised to see us and it was kinda awkward. It was cold and he
invited us in but there wasn't a woman in the home so we couldn't go
in. We didn't really know what to say and I have this bad habbit of
asking people how they are a billion times when I don't know what to
say. So we talked with him for a second and I asked him again and he
mentioned to us how he
thinks he has cancer again. He had cancer a long time ago that
prevented them from having children and then he had melanoma cancer last
year and he believes he has it again. Oh my goodness, I can't even
tell you how bad I wanted to just forget all the rules and go into his
home and just talk with him. I feel like meeting him is the reason I've
been called to serve in Covington. I'm learning to rely on the spirit
more and more because I seriously love Dale and want to help him, but I
have no idea which direction to take or what to do. We're planning on
going back out with the Elders this week and then hopefully soon we'll
bring a sister with us as well. He is the absolute sweetest guy ever!
So please keep him in your prayers. :)
There's a lot more miracles from every single day but those were definitely the highlights from the week.
Mom
thank you so much for the package..you're the best! Seriously I can't
believe how fast this transfer has flown by. It's already transfers
again next week! I asked President on Wednesday what he thinks is gonna
happen and he said I'm probably staying in Covington...but that's
always bound to change. I'll be letting y'all know next week though for
sure.
Sarah..goodness
Nik sent me a package the last day he was on his mission! Man, and I
thought he was slacking off at writing back. He's a good guy. :) he
sent a Duck Dynasty shirt and said to send you a picture and I was going
to but then discovered my camera broke. Don't worry I'm gonna go buy
one at Target today. And then I'll be sending you a picture. It was
funny because I read his letter and didn't even look at the shirt until
the very end. In his letter he said something along the lines of "your
family loves you, I love ya, and my family loves you. family first."
It's hit me lately how important family truly is and how family should
always be first. And then I opened the shirt and it said family first
on it. Be sure to tell him thank you for reminding me how much my
family means to me. :) hmmm and for spring
semester I'd move over to the new complex...or the willows!
Well,
here's a question for y'all...what do you want for Christmas? :) All I
can think to ask for is a collage of pictures from the last year!
I
love y'all so much! Each and every one of you. That means you Mom,
Dad, Andrew, Sarah, and Emily! Also Lucy, Tye, and Moema. :)
Love Always, Sister Schmutz
No comments:
Post a Comment