Thank you to everyone who sent birthday love my way! It was so good to hear from everyone!
It's been a great week. The Lord sometimes gives us hardships so that we can learn and grow from them. I know that's especially true on your mission. I know, though, that when we let the Lord's will be first priority, and let HIM be first priority, that he sends down help and strength in abundance. I hope you all will find an opportunity to put the Lord first this week! He is everything! :)
This week has truly been a blessing. It's so amazing to see the miracles that happen when you strive to work with the members. Members really are so crucial. We picked up a family as new investigators this week, and it was something that happened beyond our efforts. The transfer before last, my companion and I had dinner with the Jenks family. We talked to them about their missionary efforts, and they expressed their desire to find someone that we, the missionaries, could teach in their home. Such a righteous desire! We had high hopes for them, for sure. But seeing as how that was around two months ago, it's something that sort of fell off my radar up until a few weeks ago. We got a text from Sister Jenks asking for a Spanish Book of Mormon that they could give to their friend that they were bringing to church. We gladly and excitedly obliged! Again, we didn't think much of it afterward, but continued to hope that some set of missionaries would get to see the fruit of the Jenks family's labor.
Last week in church, Brother Jenks came up to us and asked if we could come over for Family Home Evening at his house with this friend they'd given a Book of Mormon and her family, letting us know that it was his intention to invite her to take the lessons from us. We were so excited for him! What an exciting thing to have your prayers answered about! This is exactly the thing that he had been praying for, and he wasn't afraid to act on it! The lesson went really well, and it was SO cool to see a member teach about the Plan of Salvation so simply. He gave us a couple of opportunities to bear our testimony or share our thoughts, but he and his family did all the teaching. Once the lesson was over, he invited her and her family to take the lessons from us, saying, "This is something that brings my family so much joy, and I know you're going through a hard time right now, and we want this to be something that blesses your family as well. ... You'll never know until you give it a shot!" We have another appointment with them tonight at the Jenks' home. :) Miracles, I tell ya. Miracles everywhere.
We're supposed to write the mission president about the work in our stewardship, but sometimes I feel I don't do any of the work that even seems productive. The Lord seriously always just drops it in our laps. What an honor to be his instruments.
I always enjoy the start of a new transfer. Especially since we've made it a priority to talk to our bishops and ward mission leaders to discuss the needs of the ward and his expectations of us. And we are ALWAYS excited to get the list of families he wants us to visit! I've already seen how much success comes from striving to make your bishop and your ward mission leader shine. I've already shared with you the miracle we saw by contacting the Millers (Gary and Ardie). Things are still going really well with Gary. He's been out of town for the U.S. Open, but he's been really great about letting us text him "homework assignments" and about following up with his reading. We left him with 2 Ne 31 after we taught him the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He's really excited about learning about the actual Gospel of Jesus Christ instead of just all the stories about him that he's grown up with. When we followed up with him about his reading in 2 Nephi, he told us that he understood the commitment that baptism is, but said he just wasn't there yet. He's pretty determined to take baby steps right now, which I support. But I know Heavenly Father has other plans. :) Pray we can help him know his Heavenly Father's will in a loving, Spirit-filled way. :)
Otherwise, it's been a good finding week. I'm sure the Lord will let us know who is ready! We still haven't been able to get in with our investigator who is on-date for baptism, but we have dinner with her and her fiance on Thursday. So far she still wants him to baptize her, but we're not 100% sure. Even since her fast a couple weeks ago, we still haven't been able to talk to her about it. Praying that even if it's not July 11, she'll still be able to get baptized!
The work is going well! So grateful for all the support I have from home!
--
"The Gospel's True, Folks!"
Sister Melanie Nielsen
PICTURES!
When the members INSIST on giving you desert because they found out it's your birthday the next day. :)
Birthday breakfast that my companion so graciously made
When you pose in front of a security camera at a member's house with your companion and it looks like she's hitting you in the face. HAHA!
Birthday dinner with Paulena (Earnado's wife). I sure do love her!
Those sunsets, though. :)
Birthday present!
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