Week 71: Dropped like a hot potato

Well these past couple of weeks have been hard finding new
investigators. The ones we do find are flakey. This one investigator
set up a time for us to come back, and we were super excited! We come,
and she tells us that if we want to talk about Jesus all day with her
we could do that, but she did not believe in the "other stuff". She
said she did not believe in Joseph Smith. Okay, so we talk about Jesus
Christ for a bit, and back track to prophets, and how that is the
pattern Heavenly Father works since the beginning of time. We asked
her if she believed God would call a prophet for us today. She said
yes. I just wonder who she thinks Joseph Smith is... He was called as
the next prophet. We were not really able to teach the restoration of
the Church of Jesus Christ part when her church friend came. The whole
atmosphere changed. This lady just wanted to bash us. She wouldn't
even let us finish our sentences. It was really awkward, and we needed
to leave. When we get up to go her friend had this smirk on her face
because she ran the Mormon missionaries out. I just do not understand
how people can be so spiteful.

 We are also trying to outreach more to less active members. This one
lady had not been active for a very long time. We got to know her a
bit, and she agreed for us to come back. Well we go, and we see the
restoration pamphlet that we left with her clipped to the screen door
with a sticky note on it. Haha! All I could do was laugh! This has
been the second time this has happened to me on my mission.

Being a missionary means getting rejected....a lot!

We also had a service opportunity this week. A less active member in
our ward needed some help clearing some overgrown weeds. We got a few
sets of missionaries to come help. It was fun. At one point someone
found a garden snake! My companion was so brave she held it. Then she
panicked, and asked for one of the elders to take it back.

 

 

Warnings about what?  Potholes, rocks, Bigfoot crossings?

 

 

Sunday was really good. In Sacrament meeting a Sister talked about
obedience. She said that even though we are obedient to God, that does
not mean that the trials will go away. She talked about Elijah, and
how he was obedient to God, but could not see the fruit from his
labor, and laid down to die. We can see all the good the Elijah has
done, but in that moment he probably didn't. This talk was for Sister
Stephens and I. Most times we will never know the influence we have on
other people. We just got to keep going on. Then we gave a lesson in Sunday

school about the priesthood. They finally called a new teacher,
so we do not have to teach last minute any more. Then we were invited
to young women's to be part of a panel. Their lesson was on the
priesthood. We represented a home without the priesthood, another
Sister talked about dating and marriage, and another Sister talked
about raising sons so they can be righteous priesthood holders. It was
really cool.

This morning we had breakfast at President Marshall's house. It was
fun. It is also my last breakfast with any stake president as a full
time missionary. Then tonight we get to go to the mission home, and
have a departing dinner with President and Sister Taylor. We also get
to stay the night! Then tomorrow is my last zone conference. I am
actually going to have to face my emotions about going home. I never
thought I would make it to this point in my mission where I am doing
my last of everything.

The time is far spent.

Longview Zone

I hope you all have had a wonderful week.
Love,
Sister Slattery