Tracting Miracles!

What a week!

Last Monday we had a super fun Zone Activity at the Mission Home! President and Sister Huntsman are so wonderful. I especially love Sister Huntsman. :) She is so great!! She helped Sister Makowa learn how to ride a bike for the fist time!! So fun! They also had a nice BBQ for all of us. They're fantastic!!

Later that night, we talked to Matthew again! (We met him a few weeks ago tracting. He is an Atheist, but let us pray with him at the end.) This time we taught him the Plan of Salvation! The Spirit totally helped me to know what to say. He had some great questions -- and we were able to answer them! By the end, he asked if someone would still receive a lower kingdom of glory if the reason they rejected the gospel was because of the way they were raised in it. We had the opportunity to be BOLD and tell him that the reason WE come share the restored gospel is so everyone has the chance to accept it!! Basically, we are bringing it to him, so this is his chance to obtain celestial glory! The Spirit definitely touched him. We hope to see him again soon! He said we could "drop by if we're in the neighborhood". ;)

On Tuesday we had Zone Training! The missionaries we serve around are amazing. I love the power behind one of the AP's words as he testified that we are CALLED to this work. We didn't just volunteer to do this. We must rise to the call and give it our all!!

As we were tracting that evening, we talked to some very nice people from Pakistan. Their 4 year old granddaughter came up and gave us flowers she picked from the yard. Tender mercies! It's little things like that that make my day!

As we walk around, we see many different salesman knocking doors as well. I've decided that we are friends. :) They know (kind of) what it's like to get a door slammed in your face!... They just aren't trying to share something that will completely CHANGE people's lives.

On Thursday we had the opportunity to do service in the fancy old folk's home (Greenspring). We helped in the Ceramics class! Helping older people paint ceramic mugs was so much fun!! We even got to pain our own!!

That night we had a fun lesson with the Knight family. (Caitlyn and Ayden just got baptized recently). They are doing great! Lessons at their house are always entertaining.. ;) haha! Sister Makowa and I even performed for them! Sister Makowa knows a sweet missionary rap!

Friday consisted of pranks all around.. Ha!! Sister Makowa and I went to visit the YSA Sisters who live near us on our lunch break and Sis. M told them that she was going to have to go home because she found out she had cancer. Ha! Oh man. The things we do to get a laugh! They totally fell for it! ;) Also, our apartment complex has been painting the railings, etc. so there have been "wet paint" signs hung up all around. Our neighbor Bill (quite the hilarious single older guy) put some on our car. Haha! He is always trying to tell us funny jokes.

On Saturday we decided to go tract some of the big houses that are in the "boonies" part of our area. We met a 17 year old girl and her little 12 year old brother who have not grown up in any religion. They seem pretty interested! (I hope their parents are!) I love having the opportunity to bear my testimony of the Savior to kids who have not had any opportunity to know Him. Powerful!

On Sunday Bill came to church!!! Miracle!! (We went to his church a few weeks ago.) He really seemed to enjoy it. Sacrament Meeting was all about family history and even the doctrine of why we do family history. He was very interested in it! So great! Too bad he is "too set in his faith". At least he learned more! Glad we knocked on his door. 

Yesterday, Carol (our older investigator who knew some members in our ward) dropped us. So sad! She said she is too busy to read the Book of Mormon or to meet with us anymore. She is just too sweet to tell us she's not interested. Well, at least we could introduce the gospel to her granddaughter! Maybe that was our main purpose in meeting with them.

We did have a miracle last night though! We stopped by to see Jessica, a lady we met tracting last week. We met her husband Tom and he has already started reading the Book of Mormon we left for Jessica to read! And he's super interested in family history! Woo!! They are so prepared to receive the gospel. It sounds like Jessica's friend has been helping her get on a path towards God recently. She also said she wants to make us cookies!! :)

Today was wonderful! Sister Makowa and I had the chance to go to the beautiful temple with Brother and Sister Jackson. They're so great! When I walked into the temple doors, the Spirit hit me so powerfully. It was like a load was taken off of my shoulders! Nothing compares to the feelings in the temple. I'm so glad we could make it before the temple closes for a few months!

I cannot even believe this is the last week of July!! Wow!... I hear August is supposed to be SUPER hot here. Wish me luck!!

A quick food for thought.... While I was studying about inviting people to act, I found this great definition of what commitment means: "The act of obligating oneself to a course of action and then diligently following through on that decision." -PMG

I love it!! I need to remember what commitments I have made..and how I need to be diligent! Diligence really does pay off. (Tracting isn't always fun!)

I love you all so much! Have a fantastic week!! Thanks for your prayers and love!!

♥♥♥Sister Winterton