Dec 11 2015

Hey you guys!  I have had a pretty good week.  We spent the week trying to teach everyone.  There were some really good lessons, but none stood out enough to include in here this week. Want to hear what
happened that I did want to mention?  Take a look:

Experience #1
We went to Sister M's this week to read the Book of Mormon with her and our plans got a little switched up.  When we got there, after biking for four hours, she was really really sick.  She had been in the hospital for a couple of days with high blood pressure and got something else.  So she was super horse and was on six kinds of medicine.  We asked what we could do to make her feel better and she said we couldn't do anything.  Sister P asked if we could put up her tree for her, and after some convincing, she said yes.  So we went out to her "building" or shed, and got the EIGHT plastic tubs of Christmas decorations she wanted!  We started putting her tree up, branch by branch.  Once it was up, it was about the size of Sister P,  we asked what was next.  She then had us put blue lights, green lights, multicolor lights, etc on the tree while she was putting up a dancing Santa that sang jingle bell rock, (like Maria's Santa). After a few minutes, we had thirteen strands of lights on the tree according to her specifications.  She asked us to keep going and start putting bulbs on the tree.  Again, after a few minutes, we had near 200 ornaments on the tree.  That thing is a literal fire waiting to happen.  I'll send pictures.  But the most rewarding part of it is when she said, "Girls, I don't know what I would have done without you.  I think this tree will really lift my Christmas spirits and it means so much to me.  Thank you.  I love you."  It just made everything worth it.  It was so special!

Experience #2
This week, we were also able to go to the relief society dinner.  It was so inspired.  We decided to go even though we didn't have an investigator going, so that we could gain member trust.  We called a
member and asked if we could get a ride so we wouldn't have to bike 16 miles.  She said she would be glad to.  Later that night, when she came to get us, they pulled up in a car that we didn't recognize.  Turns out, she had invited her non-member friend to go with her.  So it was perfect!  When the member told her that they were going to pick the sisters up, she said, "I didn't know the Mormon church had Irish nuns!"  She grew up Catholic.  So the member explained that we were just like the elders.  She responded, "The elders in my church are old and have white hair."  So she finally said, "THE MISSIONARIES!!!!  WE ARE GOING TO PICK UP THE MISSIONARIES!!!"  It was an amazing experience though.  The thing that stood out to me most is a song that some women in the ward sang a song called, "Do you have room?"  It brought me to tears.  Apparently, the original version is on YouTube.  So you can search it if you want... But I don't know what it will bring up.  But I am going to get a copy of the lyrics and sheet music.  So you could probably just wait for that.  But it was something that I will never forget.  Then, they gave out these cute little key ornaments with a tag that said, "Let Him In."  So special!

Experience #3
We are trying to think of unconventional ways of doing missionary work that will catch people's attention.  So we decided to set up a booth in Uptown Charlotte to advertise and show "A Savior is Born."  It was such a success.  Apart from the elders showing up a half an hour late, of course.  We had tons of success for the first little while and even got to meet some members from the Charlotte area and some from Nevada that were out here for the Panthers game.  We were able to give out tons of cards, show the video lots of times, and... Wait for it mom... CONTACT WELL OVER 100 PEOPLE!  It was so fun and so effective!  We are hoping to do it again at least one more time before Christmas.  We didn't get to hand out many of the magnets, but we are going to next time.  :)  The funniest part though, is the war tactic that we took.  About 45 minutes before we left, some baptists showed up and tried to teach us and tell us that we need to find "the real truth."  So we just threw it back at them and told them that we invite them to watch it and find out who Jesus Christ was and what he has done for us for themselves.  They just got irritated with some of us.  Speaking of which, I was people watching during the booth and I noticed that people would more generally avoid Me, Sister P, Elder D and Elder B.  They would go after Elder G and Elder S because they are newer and can't defend themselves as much.  But anyway, it started with one girl, then a guy, then two other girls. So the elders split off and talked to them and basically ignored everything they had to say just so that Sister P and I could talk to everyone else without competition.  It was great!  They got so mad and eventually just left!  #mormonsforthewin