Oh my goodness!! WHAT A WEEK!
This past week has been purely AMAZING! I have loved it! SO many fun things!
Highlights:
* Caroling with the Youth in a nursing home
This was lots of fun! I have been singing so much on my mission!
This was lots of fun! I have been singing so much on my mission!
* Wonderful Dinner with the Macharsky family! I love them so much!
We taught the Restoration and started talking about what God expects of us. Brother Macharsky (Ma-char-ski) is a spiritual giant. He and his family are awesome. I am so mad I wont be at their house on Christmas eve to make gingerbread house!
We taught the Restoration and started talking about what God expects of us. Brother Macharsky (Ma-char-ski) is a spiritual giant. He and his family are awesome. I am so mad I wont be at their house on Christmas eve to make gingerbread house!
* "Inspired knocked" on a members door
...that one was embarrassing. Especially because I had been there for dinner before. But in my defense its in a ton of apartment buildings that ALL LOOK THE SAME. And we had a great conversation and challenged her to give away some pass-a-long cards!
...that one was embarrassing. Especially because I had been there for dinner before. But in my defense its in a ton of apartment buildings that ALL LOOK THE SAME. And we had a great conversation and challenged her to give away some pass-a-long cards!
* Found a new investigator, Paige!
The Spanish elders talked to her and she said she would love to study with us because she has studied with many other religions before but not Mormons! She has a lot of things going on. One of which being in a relationship with a man that her mother is still married to...but hey, anyone can overcome the worst of situations with the Atonement! But really Paige is a wonderful human being who just want the best for people around her. Where there is someone in need she helps. She is amazing and has been through heck and back! I am excited for her to continue on this path!
* Amazing Zone Conference (AKA Zone revelatory experience) with Elder Teh of the 70!
Oh I love this conference! Half the mission was at this conference and the other half was the next day! I felt slightly pounded with "YOU NEED TO ALWAY BE WORKING HARD AND TRUSTING THE LORD" and at first it felt like much I kept thinking "but this and but that" but by the end the spirit was whispering to my heart that it is okay and I really can do it through Christ and using my brain and talents God has given me. Here are some things I learned by the spirit that day:
- Praying Creates Christ-like attributes (love, faith, hope, humility) with-in us. If we want to be more like Christ PRAY. Always Pray.
- Pour your heart out and believe, actively seeking to work hard to make the miracles of your Faith happen
- Write down revelation
-Ask inspired questions all the time (I really need to work on that) But see section about Susan for an experience from applying that.
- We are not about Sharing information, we are about inviting people to CHANGE
- NEVER stop listening to the Spirit
- Use the spirit as the resource it is! Walk away changed, renewed, forgiven
- "If I don't think I can be like Ammon (or enter in any scriptural or modern prophet/apostle you admire) How do I think I am supposed to be like Christ??"
* My companion, Sister Botchway got to be interviewed by him!
Yeah that was just time for my jealously to kick in just a little. But its okay :)
Yeah that was just time for my jealously to kick in just a little. But its okay :)
* Friday: Head quarter referral, Susan Blair, she is marvelous!
Okay! So Thursday we got to referral from HQ's and called her. Set up to meet her Friday morning met with her and Sister Vandre (the Ward mission leaders wife). Had an amazing lesson. So at zone conference the day before I learned to ask questions when I study. So That morning in studies I was bold and faithful and asked "what is Susan Blair's concern?" Now I have never met this woman and I don't know anything beyond a few sentences I'd been told. I knew that God and the Spirit knew her though, and could guide me to specifically what I would need to study in order to answer her concern. I flipped directly (no joke, on the first try, got there) to "using the BOM to address people's concerns" in Preach my Gospel started there. So in my studies I found a few possibilities of what her concern may be. Church, Joseph Smith, Priesthood authority. I researched ways to address those concerns with the scriptures. Then in companion study we decided together to Role play with Susan's concern being the priesthood. Well! Low and behold! The Priesthood was the very thing she had the most questions with! And because we had prepared it is something she is understanding right off the bat! Susan want to be baptized as she prays and feels the message we share is true! She came to church this Sunday and we have two meetings with her this coming week! I LOVE THE LORD. He loves each of us and knows us. And knows what others need and can teach us by the spirit what we need to do.
Okay! So Thursday we got to referral from HQ's and called her. Set up to meet her Friday morning met with her and Sister Vandre (the Ward mission leaders wife). Had an amazing lesson. So at zone conference the day before I learned to ask questions when I study. So That morning in studies I was bold and faithful and asked "what is Susan Blair's concern?" Now I have never met this woman and I don't know anything beyond a few sentences I'd been told. I knew that God and the Spirit knew her though, and could guide me to specifically what I would need to study in order to answer her concern. I flipped directly (no joke, on the first try, got there) to "using the BOM to address people's concerns" in Preach my Gospel started there. So in my studies I found a few possibilities of what her concern may be. Church, Joseph Smith, Priesthood authority. I researched ways to address those concerns with the scriptures. Then in companion study we decided together to Role play with Susan's concern being the priesthood. Well! Low and behold! The Priesthood was the very thing she had the most questions with! And because we had prepared it is something she is understanding right off the bat! Susan want to be baptized as she prays and feels the message we share is true! She came to church this Sunday and we have two meetings with her this coming week! I LOVE THE LORD. He loves each of us and knows us. And knows what others need and can teach us by the spirit what we need to do.
* Friday: Lunch with Brother Vandre and his wife after the lesson with Susan! They took us to the super cheap, super good Mexican restaurant! It was great!
* Friday: I was a Temple Visitor's Center Sister Missionary for a day!
After Lunch with the Vandre's we went on a small road trip with 4 other companionships and went to the Visitors center! With the busy holiday season the sisters there need some extra people and are having sisters from the surrounding missions come and help out! We got to talk with and inspire people coming to the temple lights and to see the nativities from all over the world! I talked to a woman who hadn't heard of the church before and invited her to learn more and to come back! We got to take some pretty sweet pictures too!
* Friday: Japanese Steak house for dinner!
So we got back around 7:30 and then the awesome Sister Lynch picked us up because it was her birthday and she wanted to treat herself and us to a night at a Japanese Steak House!! She doesn't have family around this area so I guess we were the next best thing! That was just plain awesome!
So we got back around 7:30 and then the awesome Sister Lynch picked us up because it was her birthday and she wanted to treat herself and us to a night at a Japanese Steak House!! She doesn't have family around this area so I guess we were the next best thing! That was just plain awesome!
* A 14 year old LA was able to play with the YW for their basketball game (they didn't win) but when we asked her if she wanted to take the missionary lessons as she tries to come back to activity she said "yes!"
* Saw the Mormon Choir of DC perform in our church building!
They were AWESOME! Susan came to that too!
They were AWESOME! Susan came to that too!
* President called Sunday night and said after a lot of prayer decided to have me go to the Baltimore YSA and train a new missionary!
Welp! President has me training again! And in an area that I know nothing about! Haha its crazy but I am so ready for it. I know the Lord is the only way I can do this and I haven't stopped smiling yet! Sister Botchway will be staying here and being follow up trained by Sister Fanga, another tonga sister! So we will have two tongans together! That's awesome! I am excited for them. Sister Botchway is going to have fun taking over this area. It is probably good we didn't stay together. I have found out I can be a control freak. Ha I have not given Sister Botchway enough opportunities to spread her wings and fly so I am glad she has this challenge ahead of her of taking over the area. I know when I had to do that I learned so much!
Welp! President has me training again! And in an area that I know nothing about! Haha its crazy but I am so ready for it. I know the Lord is the only way I can do this and I haven't stopped smiling yet! Sister Botchway will be staying here and being follow up trained by Sister Fanga, another tonga sister! So we will have two tongans together! That's awesome! I am excited for them. Sister Botchway is going to have fun taking over this area. It is probably good we didn't stay together. I have found out I can be a control freak. Ha I have not given Sister Botchway enough opportunities to spread her wings and fly so I am glad she has this challenge ahead of her of taking over the area. I know when I had to do that I learned so much!
Well! There you have it! That's my been my week. It is amazing how many complaining thoughts I have had and how thin I have found my patience at times, but I know that because there were so many good things going on, some things had to have been not so good. And don't worry, I have been able to overcome those rough times and will continue to! :)
* One last thing,
I dreamt the elders returned the car to us with the gas at empty, the next day it came true. Sharing the car with Elders who never look at the gas gauge=you always getting the gas and the one time you give to car to the elders with it at halfway and they have it for 2 days and you thing "THEY HAVE TO FILL IT UP" (Its a common practice in our mission to not let the tank go below halfway) And then they return it Sunday and its got 57 mile to empty. Yeah.
I dreamt the elders returned the car to us with the gas at empty, the next day it came true. Sharing the car with Elders who never look at the gas gauge=you always getting the gas and the one time you give to car to the elders with it at halfway and they have it for 2 days and you thing "THEY HAVE TO FILL IT UP" (Its a common practice in our mission to not let the tank go below halfway) And then they return it Sunday and its got 57 mile to empty. Yeah.
Well! Life is still good! And I am excited for what's to come!
I love you all!!
Sister Nakata!
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