Week 60

9/18/17

What an incredible week!!

We had dinner with the Millers on Monday and then followed that with a family home evening lesson with their daughter, Kimberly, and her nonmember husband, Curtis! That was a great lesson. We taught the Restoration and the Spirit was so strong. We asked Curtis that if he comes to know that this is true if he would be baptized and he said yes. We are hopefully going to meet with them again tonight and maybe commit him to a baptismal date!

After that lesson, we noticed we had a missed call from the Elders in Riverview Ward. They called to remind us about our lesson with Hal and his family at seven...we didn't know about this lesson haha. So we called them back and they asked if we would go anyway, even though we hadn't had time to prepare for the lesson. Quick background, Hal is a recent convert and he wants his kids to take the lessons so the Elders have been trying to do that, but Hal wants Sisters to teach his daughter Helen so they have been trying to coordinate with the Sisters here for awhile. They didn't do too great at that so I didn't even know about it until that night. So we went over there and it was just Helen there, she let us in and we started to get to know her. She was so awesome and we seemed to get along great. We started asking her about the things she has been learning from the Elders and she asked us a few questions. We taught her the lesson since the rest of the family wasn't showing up and we needed to get going soon. The lesson went great and she was super involved. Come to find out, she hasn't really been taking the lessons and hasn't been super comfortable with the missionaries so our lesson was a huge miracle. We talked to the Elders about it and they decided they were going to pass her off to us so we could see if maybe that will help her. I'm so excited to meet with her.

Tuesday we had a great lesson with Brian! We talked about the Ten Commandments and he, once again, received it very well. We had another lesson with him on Friday on Tithing and fast offerings. That one is always a tough one for people, including our golden Brian, but he is trying to pray about it and commit to it. I think that is just so amazing, that the gospel inspires people to grow and stretch in ways they never would without it. 

Wednesday was awesome! We had an All Sisters Meeting at the mission home. All the sisters in the mission came together for a meeting with President and Sister Tateoka and it was incredible! I love my mission President and his wife! They are so funny and they are amazing examples to us of missionary work and companionship. I'm truly grateful for them and all they do. Our meeting lasted all day between drive time to Newberg and back, dinner there, and all the trainings. We had so much fun and learned a ton. They announced to us (before anyone else in the mission) what the new mission theme is. 

D&C 31:3-7

3 Lift up your heart and rejoice, for the hour of your mission is come; and your tongue shall be loosed, and you shall declare glad tidings of great joy unto this generation.

4 You shall declare the things which have been revealed to my servant, Joseph Smith, Jun. You shall begin to preach from this time forth, yea, to reap in the field which is white already to be burned.

5 Therefore, thrust in your sickle with all your soul, and your sins are forgiven you, and you shall be laden with sheaves upon your back, for the laborer is worthy of his hire. Wherefore, your family shall live.

6 Behold, verily I say unto you, go from them only for a little time, and declare my word, and I will prepare a place for them.

7 Yea, I will open the hearts of the people, and they will receive you. And I will establish a church by your hand;

It's a long one, but I really love the message it gives to us. There are so many great promises to those who are willing to thrust in their sickle and do the Lord's work. I love being a missionary!!

So, Friday night, when we got out of our lesson with Brian, we saw that we had a missed call from President Tateoka. Normally transfer calls are on Saturday, but we assumed that was the only reason he would be calling us...so I recorded it just for you guys haha.