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| Sister Melly actually called this a HAIR-RAISING day but I call it her Spring Shearing |
Dear Family,
Love you!
I hope that I don't have an email from Mom this week because
the week has gone by so quickly that you forgot that it was Tuesday already.
This week has gone by quickly for me; in fact the last couple of weeks and the
last month have gone by very quickly. We were looking back at our records of
people we met recently and need to go back and check up on and I was shocked
when I started looking at when we met them. There were some of them that we met
over a month ago and have not been able to go back to see them yet. It is amazing
how sometimes it feels like we are really having to search for things to do
(other than tracting) but then we realize that there are a lot of things that
we need to do that we have not been able to get done yet. (It is not lack of
trying, but not being able to be there at a good time).And now I feel like I
need to justify something about why it has been so long. Anyway, moving on.
I don't know much what to say about this last week. I am
trying to steal ideas off of Sister Bergeson, but she turned her computer
screen away from me so that I cannot see what she is writing. I hope that
doesn't mean that she is writing anything that she doesn't want me to see . . .
well I guess that it what it means, but not so much in a hiding something type
of way as a I feel awkward type of way, if that makes sense. It sounds like
something I would do. This is probably why right after she did it, I did it
too.
This last week, we have been focusing a lot on visiting with
members and encouraging them to do missionary work and also visiting less-actives.
As we visited with the members, they were very excited to tell us about the
friends and neighbors that they are working on inviting to learn more about the
Church; in fact they did so without us asking anything. It was neat to be able
to spend more time sharing the gospel with the members this week because not
only did we get to have lots of fun, spirit-filled lessons with them, but it
also made me a little more excited about missionary work as we talked about
what they have been doing. I go through phases with the Oak View Ward (yes, it
is two words). Sometimes I love it and I am excited to help strengthen and
build the ward and sometimes I feel like I am ready for a change. So, we will
see what happens come tomorrow (transfer calls!) Sister Bergeson and I are
trying to figure out an excuse to be at the Trail Center
On Sunday night, we stopped by the home of a less-active in
the ward. She had a headache and told us to come back the next night, Monday.
When we got there, she was the only one home of a normally packed full house of
people. Dad had sent me a copy of his most recent High Council talk, one about
Job and dealing with trials. After I read it, I knew that it was exactly what
she needed. So, we shared it with her, talking about the many trials we have in
life and how we choose to let them affect us. In the story of Job, his situation
finally changes when Job prays for his friends. When he does this, Heavenly
Father returns all of his losses to him two-fold. Most especially, there was a
question from the talk "Do your trials make you bitter or do they make you
better?” She loved it and just kept agreeing with what we said, which surprised
me a little because it seemed kind of bold for sharing in a one-on-one situation.
And suddenly, she was telling us everything that she was feeling lately. Things
that she wasn't telling anyone else. The spirit just cracked her right open
like an egg. She apologized several times for crying and for unloading all of
this on us, but I know that it was the Spirit that prompting her to tell us. It
was amazing. And as we testified and shared experience from our own lives there
was just this connection of trust building and building. I don't feel like I
have ever understood a person so well before. For a long time, I hadn't gotten
it. I tended to think on the side of "what are we going to do with
her?" It almost felt beyond hope. But suddenly, everything clicked into
place for me. I could see exactly where she was coming from. I could understand
why I have seen her act the way that she does. And I felt a great love for her.
I have felt that way a few times before with people, that great feeling of
charity for them, but I never expected that I would feel it with her. It was a
really good experience. By the end, she committed herself to really praying and
explaining it all to the Lord and then letting it go. Right before we left, one
of her sons and his girlfriend arrived home. The girlfriend is Catholic and had
lots and lots of questions about everything in the church. We are going back in
the next few days to see them all and answer a lot of her questions. We are
excited! There are lots of good things starting to happen in this home and I am
already starting to notice that the home feels a little different that the
first time that we met them.
Well, that’s all the time we’ve got for this week folks! I
love you! I hope that you re having a great week!
Love,
Sister Melly
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