It has been another fantastic week in Florida! We have been getting back to normal, and I must say that has been kind of nice.
We have met with Freddy and Darlyne several more times this week. Freddy was finally able to get a little bit of work with one of our ward members, but then he injured himself when he tripped over something and dropped the heavy vase he was carrying on his hand. Now he can't work for a while. It seems like one thing after another is being thrown at them, but they are still going strong! They love reading the Book of Mormon, and they loved church yesterday. They were able to look into getting some financial help, which will hopefully help things get moving with their divorce and then marriage.
On Tuesday we were able to teach a man in our ward that was excommunicated a long time ago, but he has made some huge changes in his life, and would like to be baptized again. It was a very cool experience. The atonement is just so real. It is truly able to purify the sinners and perfect the saints.
On Wednesday we did a full day exchange with the Wellington Sisters (the sisters we live with). I got to go to the Wellington area with Sister Johnson, who is one of the sweetest people I've ever met. We met a couple of potentials and had a great day. We were also able to watch on of the sessions of Conference, which was awesome, of course.
On Thursday we had a cool experience while we were knocking doors. We have been meaning to visit a particular former investigator for a few weeks now, but we could not find the street she lives on. Well, on Thursday we were driving around looking for somewhere to knock for a few minutes that would be close to our next appointment, and we found the street that she lives on! We did not have her teaching record with us, so we had no house number. We decided to knock one or two doors and then come back another day to visit the former. As soon as we got out of the car I felt like we should knock a particular house, but I almost shrugged it off because there were no cars in the driveway (everyone parks in the driveway in Florida) and no lights on. I mentioned it to Sister Peterson, and she agreed to knock it. No one answered, and just as we were about to leave we heard the door creak open behind us. We ran back, turns out we had accidentally knocked right into the former investigator we had been wanting to visit! She was excited to see us, and had lots of questions about the Book of Mormon. We ended up teaching about the Book of Mormon, and it was a great lesson! She has a lot of things going on in her life right now, and is not sure she is ready to make the commitment to meet with us or come to church. However, she will definitely be more open to future missionaries after having some of her concerns resolved. I am so grateful for the guidance of the Spirit that led us to her door, but also gave us scriptures to use, and things to say when we were talking to her.
On Friday I had my first MLC. It was awesome! All of the zone leaders, STLs, and Assistants to the President met together at the mission home. It was a training focused on Christlike leadership and how we can better serve the people in our stewardships. I came away feeling like I have 50 bajillion things to improve on, but also very inspired. We barely made it back to our area in time for a recent convert in our ward to take us to dinner. He is a single man, and he is just awesome. He was baptized in April, so we had fun talking to him, and we also had some great barbeque.
Saturday we had a meeting with the Zone Leaders in the morning, and then we spent a lot of the day in the car in order to have some fire exchanges with 2 companionships of sisters. They are both so sweet! I love getting to know the other sisters. We got to our area just in time for a quick lesson with Freddy and Darlyne about callings, and serving in the church. They both agreed to prepare for a calling, and we are pretty sure that with all the trials they have been going through Heavenly Father has big things in store for them!
Yesterday it was great to go back to church again. We had not had normal church for a month, so it was great! Freddy and Darlyne loved it, and it was good to see all the ward members again. After church we went to visit a sweet Jamaican less active member that lives with her son. Her son was not home to take care of his dogs, and she is scared of them, so she had us sit in her bedroom to share the message and eat lunch. We all crowded in and had a pretty comical message with the dogs barking at the door. She was very touched though, and we are hoping to continue working with her. That afternoon we ended up teaching a few lessons to people that very obviously need the gospel right now, and the spirit was there to confirm it during the lesson, but they still chose not to accept it. We know they will be ready one day, but it is heartbreaking to know the happiness they are choosing to forgo.
It has been a very busy, but a very good week! I know that our Savior lives, He knows, and loves us. He is the source of true hope and happiness. I love you all!
Love, Sister Monson
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