May 23, 2011

Well, this week has been pretty crazy awesome. On monday night we got a new companion. One of the sister's needed to go home because of medical problems so her companion stayed with us. We were told by president that we were to take care of both areas. That is alot of area to cover. I was very much tired of driving by the end. Tuesday wednesday and the morning of thursday we spent in corbin kentucky. it was very much fun and very much different. We taught so many lessons. My favorite lesson was with a guy named Jackie Sturgil. He WILL be getting baptized this transfer or beginning of next transfer. We met with him on wednesday. He is the most humble person in the world. Jackie is homeless. He lives in a homeless shelter. He was once married but now they are divorced and the woman took everything that he had. He goes around and he helps wherever he can. He has a job so that is good. He is 31 and he is very tall. I would say 6 foot 5 inches tall. He is a very great guy. This was our first official lesson with him and he said that he loves the book of mormon. He said that he can remember what he has read which is a great thing. We met in a bus stop bench area. It was great to meet him and it will be great to see him baptized. He also said that when he went to church, he felt like he was at home and he has not felt that with any other church. He is amazing.

we met with a potential investigator name connie. She was pretty much amazing. She has this certain look that says, "I am the next relief society president." She is so prepared to accept the gospel. We taught her and her husband and they have been reading a little of the book of mormon. They said that they had a book of mormon from many years before and said they would read it more as part of their study. They are very intrigued with the index. They loved it. :) I am very excited to go visit with them again. Her husbands name is Mitch. they are in their 50's.

We have a lot more promising investigators and i am very excited. It is alot different than Beattyville that is for sure. Oh do you want to know a surprise??? Sister mikami is leaving the area as well. Beattyville is now closed to missionaries. Surprising HUH??? I will tell you why. We have not been having too much success in this area lately. We have had 9 baptism dates and no one getting baptized. When at church there is hardly anyone there. When people are there, they leave after sacrament meeting (which is lame). We had our music concert which went really well. It was set up beautifully. They performers all came. I played my praise to the man song. Sister mikami sang I know that my redeemer lives for the last song and people were in tears. Do you want to know who all showed up? only 6 people from our branch. The rest were from Tates Creek Ward which is in Lexington. Oh we had one new person who may be taught the discussions soon if he wants it. But no one in the community came even after we passed out at least 400 invitations. I was very much not pleased. But those who were there had a great time feeling the spirit. But that is why the area is closed to missionaries. No one comes to church, they do not support the missionaries, and the members are not truely converted to the gospel. They need to figure out how to run the church with out the missionaries. I believe that this area will be bigger now that the missionaries are taken away.

My shoe has a hole in it, in the sole!!!! How cool is that? I believe I will be able to stick it out for six more months but I was excited to see the hole. It just shows how hard I work right? haha. I got a new watch as well because my other watch was driving me crazy with the latch. :)

Yesterday was pretty much the hardest day. People were crying like crazy. I never realized what an impact I had on people until I am leaving an area. Many people are not very happy. We went to go see irene yesterday after church and after lunch. We were dreading telling her that both of us were leaving. but we told her. She was not very pleased. She kept blaming God. It came time for us to go and we started to sing her a song like we always do. She wanted us to sing I am a child of God. We sang two verses. I had to really force myself to not cry. Irene was crying like crazy. Then she wanted to sing There is sunshine in my soul today. That is her favorite song. I held back my tears for the first two lines but when the chorus came I just started bawling. Tears were streaming. I could not sing. Sister mikami was crying. Irene was crying. Sister westover and sister nelson were crying. It was very much not a fun time. It was such a tender moment though. I am going to miss that Lady very very very much. Who knows if she will live any longer. I hope she just passes on soon and have happiness in her life.

Then we went to go tell the Snowdens. We clog with them every week. They were not pleased that we were both going either. Mable started crying as well. It was hard. Then we went to go see Gladys. She was fine with us leaving really. She will miss us but she knows the plan of salvation real well so she just said that she would see us later. Then Betty Johnson...oh boy. I purchased a purse from her and she gave me a note and a UK pin and some jam. Then we told her the news. She just started crying. We have been through a lot with her. We have kept her from hurting herself three times. She is a very mentally abusive relationship and we kept her from hurting herself many a time. Sister mikami hugged her and the heartbreaking words came. "You said that you would not be leaving." She was devastated. "what am I going to do without you?" We calmed her down eventually and said everything would be alright. Sister westover would be there to help out at anytime. That one was very hard. very hard.

Steve Gay. That one was hard. He came to the music concert and when he heard that we were both leaving I was just looking at him the whole time and his eyes were full of tears. I went over to him and told him thankyou for coming. He has been going through some hard things and now he is back. I gave him his baptism pictures and then he said that he was sorry for going astray. Then we went to the restroom to compose himself. I was very glad to see him and very glad that he is back and trying to be active again.

So yeah. That was my week. It was very productive. Now we get to clean our entire house and pack all of our stuff. I don't know how I fit everything in two suitcases when I came. It is not happening now that is for sure. :)

I love you all very very much. Keep strong. Amanda