oh man. I just love my family. I read your letters and they brought so
much happiness to my life. I just love it when you all make me laugh.
I faer that my kentucky accent is getting stronger. haha. I am
speaking with more of a twang now. It is going to get crazy in the
next couple months. :)
So, this week was a bit crazy and I loved it. It went by so fast! We
had zone conference this week and it was great. I got to stand up and
tell what area I served in before I went to this zone conference (tell
city) and then my new area I was serving in. My companion did as well
before me and she said it like "normal" americans says it. But I said
it in southern ways. President Glende commented on it how I was
turning Kentukyian. haha. Zone conference was great and I learned
alot.
This week was great as far as teaching investigators. On saturday and
sunday it was the best. We got home from mission conference (which I
will tell you about later) and we get a message on the phone that
steve gay had canceled our appointment. I was a little less than
pleased. we tried to call him back but he was a work. So, we finish
getting home from Lousiville and we go and try to see ruby. Before we
even try we were both just sitting in the car and not moving. Just
thinking. I was thinking about steve and she was as well. THen we both
came to the conclusion that we needed to go visit steve at work and
not visit ruby. So we went to steve's work. We got told he was on
break and so we were stalking him. We went to one of the building
outside to find his car. no luck. Then we went to the other side of
the building and there he was. He jumped out of his car and greeted
us. His back was feeling better (he threw it out at work) and we
started talking about what was going on. He told us nothing much and
then said he would be coming to the meeting tonight. Phew. SO we had
the meeting and we were going to watch the movie Testaments. Before we
did, he opened up about what was going on in his life. He had some
family problems going on at home and he needed to fix them. But then
he said it really didn't matter and that visiting with us mattered
even more. So we then had an amazing experience watching the movie. It
was great.
Then yesterday we went to go visit Wanda Prescott. I don't think I
really told you much about her. She is 77 years old and she is
searching what she needs to do in her life. So we have been teaching
her about 2 weeks now. We have gotten far with her without even really
teaching any of the lessons. We have been focusing on the first
lesson. The restoration. Well yesterday, we had plans to watch a movie
about the plan of salvation but that changed. We went over the
scripture 2 nephi 31 that we asked her to read. She read it 4 times to
really understand it and she bore her testimony. We asked her what she
has learned about baptism ever since we have talked to her about it.
She answered us perfectly. She said something along the lines of this.
"I know that there is only one way to be baptized and you have to be
baptized the proper way. THe way is through the authority of god. I
know i need to be baptized in order to fulfill my purpose on this
life. I know that is why I have not been taken yet to heavenly
father." Wanda has been searching for a reliegion her whole life and
she has not felt right about a particular one. She has never been
baptized. She wants to be. She really connected with the prophet
Joseph Smith. After she said that about baptism how perfect it was to
extend a baptism date for her. So we did. We asked "Will you follow
the example of Jesus Christ and be baptized by one holding the
authority of god on March 19th?" Wanda said, "Why yes. Yes I will. But
how do I prepare myself?" then we explained that she needed to come to
church three times and then we said we need to explain a couple other
principles of the gospel before she could get baptized. She is so
excited. She feels the spirit everytime we come in her home and she
wants that. She said, "you just bring him (god) with you everytime you
come." I am grateful to have known her. I am grateful to get to know
her more. She really feels like a child of god and she is going to be
my kentucky grandma. I love her. She cuts hair too and so I may get a
haircut from her soon. because i need it. :)
Katie bowman is coming around. There is a couple other events going on
that I cannot say at this time because not many people know. I am
nervous for her future though. I love her and she will come around all
the way I hope. But great news on Chris Bowman. He is getting baptized
on march 19th as well! I am so excited for him for sticking it out. He
is very excited.
Mission conference was just the best ever! I got to play piano for one
things. I was playing prelude and I just fell in love with playing all
over again. I shore do miss playing alot. But I got to shake hands
with ELDER BEDNAR and also Elder Snow and Elder Posey from the quaram
of the seventy and also Bishop Burton of the presiding bishopric. We
got 3 hours of enlightenment from 4 very great people. I loved the way
we were taught. There were no talks given. Just feedback that was lead
by the spirit. The first thing that Elder Bednar said was to not take
any notes on what he said. However take notes on how you feel and what
the spirit has taught to you. Then he said something funny. How many
of us take notes? What do you do after you take notes? I know that
many many many of us never go back and look on the notes that we took.
Infact, how many of us can even find the notes a week later? Haha. it
is true. I never look back on the notes that I take. haha. Execpt this
time. I learned that when you write down what you learn by the SPIRIT
you retain a lot more and you will look back on what you want to do
after.
I learned that we are Agents and not worthless objects. Many
times a teacher teaches a class of objects. They often ask question
that require them to guess as to what is on the teachers mind.
However, we need to ask questions that have mulitple answers to them.
We also need not be afraid of silence. I have a testimony of this.
Oftern times the teachers get to nervous about silence. Whenever they
ask a question they don't wait long enough for the pupils to answer
the question. They are searching in their heart what the answer is.
When they have the time to search they come up with great answers that
come becuase of the spirit. I learned that THE SPIRIT TEACHES AND NOT
US.
I learned many other things that are of great importance and I
wish I had the time to list them all but I don't. YOu will just have
to ask me when I get home.
I am going to answer all of your question that you asked me
(Especially moms). I love you all very very much. You are the best
ever!!!! This week is going to be great because of the investigators
and becuase...it is my birhtday. :) 22 years old and I am getting
wiser. :) I love it.
Love amanda.
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