Week of July 16th

My dear family,

 

I started writing a list of the things I needed to include in my letters home because I didn't want to forget the funny things that happen.  So I hope you all feel really special because I've been working on my list since Wednesday.  It has been a really good week.  It has rained quite a bit, and hasn't been too hot.  Well, it hasn't been as hot.  I am making it though.  It's really not that bad.  We only see a few cockroaches..haha.  The other night, Sister Gladden became frantic as a cockroach entered her closet.  She began tearing all of her clothes out, searching for the bug.  She then picked up a hanger and started wacking it.  I cooly said "Why don't you just close the door and find it in the morning sister...?"  She said, "Well, you wouldn't be so calm about it if it went in YOUR closet, would you?!" hahahaha. I kept my apathetic attitude and said, "Well there are probably some in there right now.." haha.  It made her so mad. :)

 

A few of our investigators made some big strides this week. After zone meeting on Thursday, both Sis Gladden and I felt strongly that we needed to repent and teach the law of Chastity boldly to Tiffany Martin. She had a baptismal date for Aug 4 with her daughter Cheyenna, but is currently living with her boyfriend.  I have come to realize throughout this week even more clearly that Satan is real and is really working hard against Tiffany because she has a growing testimony of this church. We had a wonderful lesson with her at Bro Devaux's home, where he was able to give her a priesthood blessing. I felt the spirit strongly during it, even though I was not the person receiving it. She told us later that she felt like his hands were heating pads, and felt this warmth all throughout her body. We assured her that that was the Holy Ghost. She is feeling the sorrow and disappointment of the fact that she has to work out her living situation before she can be baptized. I have a feeling that once she sees Cheyenna's baptism on the 4th, that she will feel the spirit even more strongly-strongly enough to do what is necessary to keep God's commandments.

Do you remember the family I talked about that we taught on the fourth of july and they all love to read the book of mormon?  Well it's Antwon. He has come to church 3 times. Yesterday after church, Bro. Devaux invited him over for lunch. During lunch, I could feel that he was feeling the spirit more and more as he came to church and became immersed in the gospel through watching those who live it. He and his son Marian set a baptismal date for Aug 4th. Sweet huh.  During our lesson after church, we asked Antwon if he had any questions for us.  He said, "Yeah, I have a question.  It's something I've been wondering all my life.."  I'm thinkin, oh great, he's gonna ask why his previous baptism wasn't valid-what am I gonna say?  He said, "What does Santa Clause have to do with Jesus?" hahahaha.  What the?  It was so funny.  But I didn't laugh out loud, I saved that til later.  Anyway, Bro Devaux gave a good answer. :) 

 

Last Wednesday we spent some time in Glenwood.  We went to Sister Hawthorne's house to see Howard-you remember, the really stubborn one who has gone to church for 12 years but won't be baptized?  Well, he's just as stubborn as ever.  When we arrived, he wasn't home, but Sis Hawthorne came out of her house before we could even get out of the car.  She told us that she had been really down that day and had prayed, not quite an hour earlier, for a missionary opportunity in her home.  Then we showed up!  It felt good to see the answer to her prayer.  Later, Howard came home, and started working out in his shop.  We went out there to talk with him.  He was making his own diesel fuel.  Seriously?  He was making his own!  I didn't even know that was possible.. I soon realized how very little I knew, and how foreign I felt.  He explained the process, pointing to various tubes connected to big barrels of things, talking about chemicals and such, and ended by saying, "see, there's really nothin to it".  Umm..okay.. It was strangly comforting and wonderful to be there watching him make diesel fuel though. I loved seeing the sunset and the countryside.  We then had a good ol' southern meal. Cornbread, fried ocra, fried squash, pea sausage(10 bucks to anyone who knows what that is), and tomatoes from sis Hawthorne's garden.  It was a beautiful experience.

 

The other day, we visited Margaret.  Dominoes Margaret.  She has dimensia and is goin downhill since she fell and broke her hip, bless her heart.  She said the sweetest thing to us- "Are you real sisters? Or are you sisters in the Lord?"  We told her sisters in the Lord. She then asked, "Have you known each other a long time?"  Without hesitation we said, "Yes".  It was so cool, because we've only known each other for 4 months, but it felt like so much longer because we have been able to connect spiritually. 

Today, Sis Gladden and I had a special experience during companionship study. I said the prayer, and thanked Heavenly Father for faith-the first principle of the gospel. I said that we knew it was the foundation. As we got off of our knees, Sis Gladden said, "Did you read President Eyring's talk too?" I told her I hadn't. She said, "That's funny, because faith as our foundation is exactly what his talk is about!" I knew that I had received revelation through my prayer when she said that. It set the tone for our whole study. I learned a lot about faith, and she helped me understand my own concept of faith. She received revelation for me too. I love her.

 

Okay one more story.  I saved the best for last.  On Saturday, we got a call from Bro Devaux.  I knew he was at the Kansas City temple that day for the temple sealing of a girl who had been part of the Hot Springs ward.  She was taught the gospel in his home. He was the photographer for her wedding. He said to me, "Hey, do you know Briawna Hugh?"  " YES I know her!! I love her".  He said that she was at the same temple sealing!  She had met him and asked if he knew a Sister Wilde.  How cool is that?!  Then yesterday at church, Bro Devaux handed me a folder. I opened it and there was this huge picture of none other than Sister Hugh in all her glory.  She was waving hi to me.  It made my day. How thoughtful of Bro Devaux.

 

Well, those are my stories and thoughts for the week.  I hope you all have a wonderful week and take care to remember the small blessings you receive.  You might find that you are super blessed.  That's cause God loves you.

 

love sister annonisa wilde