Greetings!!
My mission president is the best!!!!!!!!!!! My dear Aunt Sherrie and Uncle Neil got to take me and my companion out for lunch! It was like the best thing ever! It was strange because I was with my family which is typically a big no-no, but SO GOOD because they're the best! I got swedish fish! I haven't had those in a LONG time! Family is just the best!
This week has been pretty good! Miracles, no matter how small they may be, are happening in Stonebridge! We met with some of the new auxiliary this week WITH our ward mission leaders and they are on board with what we are doing as a ward mission! MIRACLES! THEN! Another member of the ward council (who in the past has been very reluctant to help doing visits) actually set up an appointment and is coming with us! MIRACLES! I'm taking what little bit of light and hope I can get!
We had our first lesson with the member's friend in Stonebridge. It went pretty good! She told us up front that she just wants to learn, not convert. Too bad that we don't have control over the convincing power of the Spirit! I know she felt it and at the end of the lesson she agreed to read the Book of Mormon! Miracle! We have another appointment set up with her this week, hopefully things will go well. I'm kicking myself in the shins though..... She doesn't live in the area but the member is INSISTING that we teach her. If it goes well this week, we're going to transfer her to the missionaries in her area. I can't handle this whole "teaching outside of your area" thing and I hope members will understand that someday.... It's just an excuse to not doing missionary work within the ward, but I'll take what I can get.
Mack and Maria are doing SO GOOD! Mack received the priesthood this Sunday and is glowing! They're reading the Book of Mormon, participating in the church activities, and bearing their testimony to everyone. This Sunday a student from MCC (Mesa Community College) came because he needed to look into another religion for his religions class. At the end of gospel essentials, Mack goes up to this man and bears his testimony about the blessings that have come into their lives since joining the church and that he knows it's true. He's a superstar. She is too, but you could really see that he's in the church for life after this event.
All of our other recent converts and less actives that we're working with are doing really well! I feel that the wards are stepping up a little bit in retention and activation. They're making a bigger effort to reach out to those who may be struggling. I hope I can be a resource for them! The adult session of stake conference last week was all about our roles in the work. Hopefully someone will see that the missionaries are the resource for the members!! We're full-time teachers, not full-time finders.
Well, I feel completely inadequate to be giving a training on online proselyting! I've been praying a lot for guidance and the Spirit, so I hope our training will help the missionaries. It's definitely made an impact on my own proselyting. I'm reading a page of the guidelines before I begin and I'm constantly watching what I do to ensure that I am fulfilling my purpose. I've definitely felt a difference; I know that the Spirit is always with me guiding and watching over me. If no one else gets anything out of this training, know that I did and I'm making a goal to become more effective!
We had our first lesson with the member's friend in Stonebridge. It went pretty good! She told us up front that she just wants to learn, not convert. Too bad that we don't have control over the convincing power of the Spirit! I know she felt it and at the end of the lesson she agreed to read the Book of Mormon! Miracle! We have another appointment set up with her this week, hopefully things will go well. I'm kicking myself in the shins though..... She doesn't live in the area but the member is INSISTING that we teach her. If it goes well this week, we're going to transfer her to the missionaries in her area. I can't handle this whole "teaching outside of your area" thing and I hope members will understand that someday.... It's just an excuse to not doing missionary work within the ward, but I'll take what I can get.
Mack and Maria are doing SO GOOD! Mack received the priesthood this Sunday and is glowing! They're reading the Book of Mormon, participating in the church activities, and bearing their testimony to everyone. This Sunday a student from MCC (Mesa Community College) came because he needed to look into another religion for his religions class. At the end of gospel essentials, Mack goes up to this man and bears his testimony about the blessings that have come into their lives since joining the church and that he knows it's true. He's a superstar. She is too, but you could really see that he's in the church for life after this event.
All of our other recent converts and less actives that we're working with are doing really well! I feel that the wards are stepping up a little bit in retention and activation. They're making a bigger effort to reach out to those who may be struggling. I hope I can be a resource for them! The adult session of stake conference last week was all about our roles in the work. Hopefully someone will see that the missionaries are the resource for the members!! We're full-time teachers, not full-time finders.
Well, I feel completely inadequate to be giving a training on online proselyting! I've been praying a lot for guidance and the Spirit, so I hope our training will help the missionaries. It's definitely made an impact on my own proselyting. I'm reading a page of the guidelines before I begin and I'm constantly watching what I do to ensure that I am fulfilling my purpose. I've definitely felt a difference; I know that the Spirit is always with me guiding and watching over me. If no one else gets anything out of this training, know that I did and I'm making a goal to become more effective!
We got to go to the temple again this week! It was our regularly scheduled time rather than "the missionaries can't be out proselyting" temple trip. I just love the temple. I always leave with an assurance of God's plan for his children and an added measure of spiritual strength to out and tackle the next 6 weeks. Temples are such a blessing! Know that the family is eternal makes building stronger relationships all the more important. I just love the temple!!
I also had a very strong testimony building experience last Monday. We didn't have any appointments and we were just trying to stay positive. We were going through the ward list trying to contact less actives. Contacting empty doors for three hours is not fun or encouraging. I kinda had low spirits as we neared the end of the evening, but I was determined to stay positive. The last two people we saw were not happy to see us. I don't think because it was late, but because Satan had gotten a hold of their hearts and influenced them to hate the gospel and everything associated with it. They didn't say anything except "never come back", "we want nothing to do with you", "we don't take visitors", and "no one ever comes to our door" but I felt the waves of hatred as I tried to find a face beyond the security screen. I had never felt so terrible! I broke down crying on our way home because I didn't understand what I was feeling. What I was feeling was a portion of the rejection that Christ felt. It hurt! Rather than being upset, I turn to the things that we are taught to go to: the scriptures and prayer. These things aren't just "primary answers" or things to keep us busy. They are conduits that help us reach out to Heavenly Father and for him to reach back and help us. These simple things allowed the Atonement to come into my life and let the Savior take the lead. Without the gospel, prayer, and scriptures this event would have traumatized me for weeks, but with it I was healed that evening and my life continued on the next day like it had never happened. The Atonement is REAL. The small daily things allow us to access the Atonement and be healed through the blood of Jesus Christ.
-Sister Dunn
-Sister Dunn
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| We love the temple!! |
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| I just wanna touch Mary and Joseph! |
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| Lunch with Aunt Sherrie and Uncle Neil |
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| Sister Krueger and me |
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| At the Visitors' Center |
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| My funny picture for the week.... |
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