Man, I have sure got a lot of emotions going through me today. I'll go throughout the week and explain as I go.
Last Monday was full of miracles. For about 3 days I had been feeling like we should go and knock in Arely's apartments. She is one of the girls in our ward that comes out with us a lot :) She is actually preparing to go on a mission herself. Anyhow, Monday night we headed over there. The first people we see are some outside working on a car. We asked if they needed help. The lady looked over, said no, and then proceeded to ask us a bunch of questions. For example, who are we, where are we from, what do we do? We ended up talking to our good friend Karen for over an hour! She has had a really rough life and could really use the gospel. At the end, she even asked us for our number and if we could come back. It was awesome! She is English so we will have to hand her over to the sisters. I couldn't help but laugh... she couldn't remember my name so she said, "I will just call you Haddy. How does that sound?" It sure brought a smile to my face :)
As we were leaving we saw the English sisters pull up. We said hi to them real fast and told them we had an INCREDIBLE referral for them! Then we asked who they were visiting. They showed us the apt. number and sure enough... it was KAREN! They had an old investigator in that house that they were coming back to see if she still lived there. Crazy, right?!? All I can say is that God REALLY wanted to get a hold of Karen that night :) He truly is in the details of our lives.
That same night we stopped by another referral. The two men we were looking for weren't there... but we ended up finding a really nice lady named Anna. She had 4 little boys that are too cute :) She was super willing to listen and told us that she would be at church that next Sunday. Miracles are happening right and left!
Tuesday was really good. Dariela came with us to teach her cousin Gelin. She is the one from Honduras who is just about ready to pop with her baby :) She loves church and was able to come with us again yesterday! I really think she will progress and be baptized here in the following weeks!
We also stopped by with La Familia Gomez. We are starting to visit all the families in our ward, show them a short missionary clip, and then invite them to invite others to listen to the missionaries. It has been awesome so far! :)
Wednesday we got to go back and teach Anna and her family. You could feel the Spirit really strong in her home. You can tell she is a real good mom and takes care of her kids well. I have learned so much about how I want to run a home when I am older and have a family just by watching so many others do so. They're an awesome family :) Later that night we tried to show Katalin the Testaments movie to help her understand the Book of Mormon a little better. It was a HILARIOUS experience. After trying to show the movie for 15 minutes and failing because the DVD player wouldn't work... they were all starving and bored. So we decided to make dinner for them! They said they wanted American food. We didn't have much to work with... so we made them Maccaroni with hot dogs in it, broccoli, and corn :) HA! The only thing they liked was the corn. They said the rest was "delicious" but their faces said otherwise :)
Thursday we got to see Karen Vasquez again! She has been down on vacation in Florida at Disneyworld. I told her to take me with next time :) They are the part member family. Honestly, they have so much stinkin' potential! With a little more work, I believe they will be a strong family in the Gospel!
Friday...was THE FOURTH OF JULY!!! :D The 4th of July is my favorite holiday apart from Christmas. They are a tie. I love it!!! It was my second and last 4th of July here in Texas. We tried visiting a lot of people but a lot of them ended up cancelling as you can imagine because they wanted to be with their families. So we got creative :) We found a place here in downtown McKinney where they were doing a huge car show and had loads of people there. We dug up all the bravery we had in ourselves and started talking to people :) We actually found 3 or 4 families that were members and one even had a daughter serving on Temple Square! I told them I would look for her when I got back to Utah :) It was also fun to look at all the cars while we were contacting all the people! I was sweating bullets. My nasty sweat mustache has made a comeback! Gross? I know :) My compa thinks so too ;) I just wipe it off and keep going!
We ate dinner with Sandra that night. Her new husband made us dinner. It was pretty good :) Rice, meat, and tortillas. That night... we got creative again! We had to contact 19 more people to reach our goal for the day. We found a place in Allen called Craig Ranch where they do a HUGE celebration. It seriously took all the courage I had to get out of that car and start contacting people!! But we did it and actually contacted more than our goal!!! :) Since fireworks are one of my favorite things in the world... I was hoping to see some before we headed out. But they didn't start on time :( So we headed home. When we got home... we watched some of the fireworks from the Ragsdale's porch :) It was crazy too ..... because earlier that day my compa found a nail in our tire. It kept pressure and all the places were closed to we had to keep driving on it for 3 days. Miraculously enough... it kept air the whole time and never went flat! We went and had to get a new tire early this morning. Talk about miracle :)
Saturday we met our new mission President. All I can say is WOW. His whole message was focused on "Becoming One". He talked about how as a mission, members, leaders, and really everyone in the church and eventually the whole world needs to become one. We need to have each other's backs, serve one another, and love one another. There's no way I could explain all that we have already learned from them :) They told us there was no way they could fill the shoes of the Durrant's... size 14 shoe is was too big to fill ;) But that they would continue walking in their footsteps. I love them already and feel privileged to serve under them.
Saturday night is where the emotional roller coaster came. We got calls. I thought for sure I would have one more in McKinney and that they would be sending Sister Allen back to English work. They told us first that Sister Allen would be going back to English work with Sister Hone. Afterwards... they told me I would be leaving McKinney as well. Because we are losing Spanish sisters this transfer and not getting anymore we don't have enough. So they are giving my area to the Elders and putting me in a more Hispanic concentrated place. To say the least... I cried. Maybe a lot :) I couldn't imagine leaving these families I have come to love so much. Just when I felt like the work was really really rolling forward. Not to mention, I'm still not sure I can part with my queen size bed and pool house ;) Nevertheless, "I'll go where you want me to go dear Lord." I always pray that He will put me exactly where He needs me. I am moving to Rowlette tomorrow with Hermana Moss. I stood and bore my testimony yesterday to my little branch :) Man, they sure have big hearts :) We may be little... but we're strong. As I bore my testimony, I knew with every fiber of my being... this church is true. It was restored through Joseph Smith. We have a modern day prophet. We have the Gospel in its fullness. Families CAN be together FOREVER. Jesus Christ lives. I love Him. This work is hard... but it is His work. And He will help us. We need to become one :) And help each other out! Share the love!!! Hahah.
Yesterday we had 2 investigators at church. Juan Salgado and Gelin. I couldn't have been happier :) I will send you a few pictures from my little branch. Keep me in your prayers :) Changes are always hard for me. But I know I can do it. It's real weird to think.. .this may be the last time I pack my bags 'til I pack for home. The difference between 1st and 2nd place is the last 100 meter sprint. Here I go :) I'm going to work my heart out! Pray I don't die in the Texas heat and that we can find those who are prepared and work together with the members.
I love y'all :) As Texans would say.... HAVE A BLESSED DAY!!!!! :D
Love ya always :) - Hermana Hadlock
No comments:
Post a Comment