Week 16

This week has been eventful and full of miracles. But before I type any of them out, I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who has been so encouraging to me by your emails and letters - they mean so much to me! I love hearing what is going on in your life it makes me so happy to see everyone happy.

This week I got to go to another temple trip for a couple in the Spanish branch that got sealed. It was so cool to get to be there. Some missionaries who taught them and who I served with last transfer got to go too, so it was fun to see them as well. My Spanish is improving because I understood a lot more of this sealing than the last one I went to. I love the spirit that is in the temple, I always feel so good inside. Even walking around outside the temple you can just feel something different. The church is true!

Squinty-eyed temple trip picture

A funny story for the week: We were teaching the plan of salvation to a couple. We were sitting on the floor of their house because all of their furniture was gone because the house had to be fumigated the next day. All the sudden the investigator yells, "There’s something over there!" and points right behind us. We slowly turn around and only see the curtains behind us so we were super confused. She slowly stands up and was shaking and is screaming to leave the house. So we all start freaking out, and I have no idea what’s going on because she is screaming in Spanish. All of the sudden Sister Martinez starts freaking out over something the investigator said in Spanish (I still have no idea what’s going on) and we all run out of the house. Turns out it was just a mouse. So we just die laughing as the investigator’s boyfriend gets the mouse and takes it outside. Then we went back in and finished the lesson. It ended being a great lesson, and she wants to be baptized but she has a few things holding her back. So, hey, the mouse was good luck or something. And now I know that my companion is VERY afraid of mice. 

Awkward story of the week: We were in a lesson with our investigator that we are super close with. We were teaching her about the law of chastity and what it means in relation to baptism. I said something about her boyfriend and it turned out he was right outside the window and could hear everything I said. What I said wasn't mean or anything, it was just awkward that he could hear me and I didn't know he could. Whoops. Also, I learned how to sign "whoops" this week. My sign language vocabulary continues to grow because my district leader is deaf. It’s kind of fun to sign, even though I can only sign like ten random things. 

Nightly planning is occasionally a struggle

Bike selfie

Our mission president has made it a priority for our mission to get on the same page as our bishops and branch presidents for the vision of our areas. So we have had meetings with both the bishop and the branch president and they both want similar things. Now we’re going through our ward and branch lists and contacting all of the people in our areas that we don't recognize the names of. So far most of them have moved, but we have found one family who wants to start coming back to church. So that was a cool experience that came out of that list. It’s going to take a lot of time, but we will get through the lists eventually and hopefully it will be helpful for our areas. We trust our leaders council so we will see what happens from it! 

We have two new investigators that we started teaching this week and I am SO excited for them. They both seem really interested and want to know more so we’ll see how it goes this week with our second lessons with them!

Get ready for our Christmas card!

Car selfie

This week we are having interviews with the mission president on Tuesday. I think more common than not he will tell you if you are leaving your area the following transfer (which is on November 10th! So soon!). I have no idea if I will be staying here or not. It’s the end of my 12-week training and most people don't stay with their companions after the first 12 weeks. I will let you all know what is happening when I know for sure where I am going to be, but I am super excited to find out. I don't even know what to hope for!

I hope you all have a wonderful week I love you all and will be praying for you all!

Sister Doxey