Greetings!
This week has been pretty average.... hmmm, actually that's not true.
It's been pretty phenomenal. Transfers came and went and the work is
coming along!
So, Arizona literally flooded. I had no idea! I thought we just had a
regular monsoon rain because where I'm at hardly flooded! Our
conversations with members and my newsfeed on Facebook were covered
with news of the flooding, but I had a hard time seeing how bad it
was. Then we would drive by a retention basin FILLED with water with
people in canoes and paddle boards having a grand time. This rain was
so bad. Central Mesa was hit pretty hard. Schools were shut, the
highway completely closed, and many homes were damaged. On Saturday we
received an email from the assistants telling us that the entire
mission has been asked to participate in a clean up for the city of
Mesa. Everyone was required to go until the job was complete. It was
humbling to see the devastation that happened with the flooding.
People had literally lost everything and their homes had to be torn
apart to prevent mold. I am so grateful that I was in an area that was
on higher ground and didn't receive any damage. These people were so
grateful for us though! Our happy faces and willing attitude gave them
hope that things will be alright. They began to cheer up themselves
and were hopeful for the future. As we were in a home tearing down
some sheetrock the owner kept trying to cheer herself up by saying
"I've been meaning to dejunk anyways!" Serving people I have never met
and probably never will again taught me what Mosiah 2:17 is truly all
about.
We received a solid referral for Las Sendas!! We helped them move in
on Saturday after the clean up and they have told us that they're excited
to learn and to come to church! They have member friends that they've
been friends with for 10 years and they told their friends that they
wanted to come to church with them. The members said that they could
come to church with them if they moved into Las Sendas. And moved to
Las Sendas they did! This couple is an answer to our prayers! We're
excited to work with them.
Jessica and her mom went to church!! We invited most of the ward to
fast for her and her mom to accept the gospel and the fast worked! A
member in another ward kept getting a prompting to talk to the mom.
She did act and she agreed to come to church! We're going to follow up
with the member to see how it went. Teaching them is not going quite as
planned, but we're still working hard to keep contact and to make
appointments. The young women in the ward are starting to become
really aware of Jessica and are starting to reach out to her at school
so she can feel comfortable coming to mutual.
The bishop in Stonebridge is starting to become more missionary minded
and a trickling effect is starting to begin. The ward council is
starting to make plans for members to invite their friends to
ward-sponsored activities. They're starting to get it! They're moving
forward slowly but surely.
I'm so excited to meet with Elder Nelson!!!! I've been reading his
talks from past General Conferences to prepare and I'm coming up with
a small list of questions that I want to receive revelation for. I've
actually been learning a lot and my testimony of the Plan of Salvation
and God's infinite love has been increasing daily. I feel a stronger
desire and a deeper inner strength to work harder to share the gospel
and to share the things that I love with others.
This next transfer is going to be so good. Sister Krueger and I are
going to be working a lot on improving our teaching skills so we can
teach more simply with power and authority. We're watching the
District, studying PMG, and doing some practices to improve. AND we're
working out to be ready for a 5K in November! The entire mission is
putting on it's own 5K and everyone is participating!!!! How exciting
is that?? We're telling our members our goal and they're feeding us
less and giving us more healthy options for dinner! It's pretty great
:)
Both of our wards relief society's had craft nights. One was a flop
and the other was a slamming success! But both were great
opportunities to get to know the sisters more and create some
relationships.
-Sister Dunn
Here's a retention basin FILLED with water and people. Here's what I
made at the successful craft night!! CUPCAKES!!
This week has been pretty average.... hmmm, actually that's not true.
It's been pretty phenomenal. Transfers came and went and the work is
coming along!
So, Arizona literally flooded. I had no idea! I thought we just had a
regular monsoon rain because where I'm at hardly flooded! Our
conversations with members and my newsfeed on Facebook were covered
with news of the flooding, but I had a hard time seeing how bad it
was. Then we would drive by a retention basin FILLED with water with
people in canoes and paddle boards having a grand time. This rain was
so bad. Central Mesa was hit pretty hard. Schools were shut, the
highway completely closed, and many homes were damaged. On Saturday we
received an email from the assistants telling us that the entire
mission has been asked to participate in a clean up for the city of
Mesa. Everyone was required to go until the job was complete. It was
humbling to see the devastation that happened with the flooding.
People had literally lost everything and their homes had to be torn
apart to prevent mold. I am so grateful that I was in an area that was
on higher ground and didn't receive any damage. These people were so
grateful for us though! Our happy faces and willing attitude gave them
hope that things will be alright. They began to cheer up themselves
and were hopeful for the future. As we were in a home tearing down
some sheetrock the owner kept trying to cheer herself up by saying
"I've been meaning to dejunk anyways!" Serving people I have never met
and probably never will again taught me what Mosiah 2:17 is truly all
about.
We received a solid referral for Las Sendas!! We helped them move in
on Saturday after the clean up and they have told us that they're excited
to learn and to come to church! They have member friends that they've
been friends with for 10 years and they told their friends that they
wanted to come to church with them. The members said that they could
come to church with them if they moved into Las Sendas. And moved to
Las Sendas they did! This couple is an answer to our prayers! We're
excited to work with them.
Jessica and her mom went to church!! We invited most of the ward to
fast for her and her mom to accept the gospel and the fast worked! A
member in another ward kept getting a prompting to talk to the mom.
She did act and she agreed to come to church! We're going to follow up
with the member to see how it went. Teaching them is not going quite as
planned, but we're still working hard to keep contact and to make
appointments. The young women in the ward are starting to become
really aware of Jessica and are starting to reach out to her at school
so she can feel comfortable coming to mutual.
The bishop in Stonebridge is starting to become more missionary minded
and a trickling effect is starting to begin. The ward council is
starting to make plans for members to invite their friends to
ward-sponsored activities. They're starting to get it! They're moving
forward slowly but surely.
I'm so excited to meet with Elder Nelson!!!! I've been reading his
talks from past General Conferences to prepare and I'm coming up with
a small list of questions that I want to receive revelation for. I've
actually been learning a lot and my testimony of the Plan of Salvation
and God's infinite love has been increasing daily. I feel a stronger
desire and a deeper inner strength to work harder to share the gospel
and to share the things that I love with others.
This next transfer is going to be so good. Sister Krueger and I are
going to be working a lot on improving our teaching skills so we can
teach more simply with power and authority. We're watching the
District, studying PMG, and doing some practices to improve. AND we're
working out to be ready for a 5K in November! The entire mission is
putting on it's own 5K and everyone is participating!!!! How exciting
is that?? We're telling our members our goal and they're feeding us
less and giving us more healthy options for dinner! It's pretty great
:)
Both of our wards relief society's had craft nights. One was a flop
and the other was a slamming success! But both were great
opportunities to get to know the sisters more and create some
relationships.
-Sister Dunn
Here's a retention basin FILLED with water and people. Here's what I
made at the successful craft night!! CUPCAKES!!
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