February 4, 2019

Heyyooo! This week was awesome but the weather has been insane! On Wednesday this week it was -26 degrees Farenheit with the wind chill. And today our car said it was 60 degrees! And members of our ward have told us that next week it's supposed to get super cold again. On Wednesday we weren't allowed to drive, bike, or walk outside. So, we had another day where we stayed inside and tried calling people the missionaries had previously contacted in our area to see if they were still interested in learning about our message. Thursday we were allowed to go outside again. Sister Gatchalian decided to drive out to Blanchester to go tracting because we had some extra miles to use because it was the end of the month. We didn't end up finding anyone to teach, but we'd only been out for like 45 minutes and we both could hardly feel our faces and our hands and feet, it was crazy! I keep thinking I'll get used to the cold eventually, but now I'm really not so sure that will ever happen haha.

On Monday night we went over to visit Katie again, and she invited us inside for cupcakes and ice cream because it was one of her daughters, Everly's, birthday. She was really busy that night so we didn't have a chance to share a message with her, but she told us she was so thankful for God leading us to her. We were able to come back Sunday night and visit her again. Her boyfriend, Cody, was with the little girls upstairs so we were able to have a pretty solid lesson with her, because she wasn't was distracted with what the girls were doing. She asked us how conversion works for us in our church, and she asked us to explain the difference between our church and the Christian church. We were able to share with her that we are actually very much Christians, and that Christ is at the center of everything we talk about in church. We told her about the Book of Mormon and explained that it is similar to the Bible, but that it takes place in the ancient Americas. We shared with her each of our personal "conversion" stories, and bore testimony of how powerful the Book of Mormon is, and how because it's message is all about Christ, that it's brought us closer to Heavenly Father and happiness than anything else ever has. As soon as we shared with Katie that the Book of Mormon takes place in the Americas because God loves his children no matter where they are on Earth, Katie told us that it all made so much sense to her. As soon as I handed a copy of the Book of Mormon to her, she said she got chills and could feel of its power just by holding it! We read Moroni 10:3-6 together, and Katie said she could feel the truth of the book just by reading a few verses. Sister Gatchalian and I were so pumped because Katie was giddy she was so excited to start reading the Book of Mormon for herself. There is a family in our ward (the Ostlers) who said people we are teaching are always welcome over anytime, so we invited Katie and her girls to come to the family home evening we'll be having together with them tonight. A girl named McKaylee, who got baptized about a year ago, will be giving a lesson as part of her personal progress. Katie said she can't wait to meet McKaylee because they have very similar situations. McKaylee also has two young kids, and her husband isn't interested in religion, like Katie's boyfriend isn't really interested in religion. She's so excited that she'll be able to get to know someone who will be able to understand how she's feeling. Anyways, we invited Katie to read the Book of Mormon and pray about it to know if it is true. She accepted and was so excited to get reading. Today she texted us and told us she couldn't stop reading it because it just made so much sense to her. I'm SO PUMPED!! Heavenly Father really does lead missionaries to the people who are prepared to hear His message for them.

So I told y'all about Tim last week. We were able to have another lesson with him this week, and boy he had so many questions. He'd done a lot of research about the church online, and not all of his resources were super sound. He asked us if we were involved with the Scientologists, because he had been watching that Leah Remini show about Scientology. We assured him that we weren't and discussed how Christ is at the center of our church, and all that we do is so that we can work to become more like Him. We talked a little bit about the Plan of Salvation, and we shared about Christ's Atonement. We talked about how God knows that we will not be perfect, which is why He sent His Son for us. We read 2 Nephi 28:32 with him and talked about how Christ's arms are always open to us, we just need to reach out to Him and let Him heal us. Tim told us that he understands that, but he said he feels like he doesn't qualify for the Atonement, but that he wants to keep reading the Book of Mormon. He's been reading in Alma because he's really interested in all the wars and battles between the Nephites and the Lamanites. We're planning on going back to visit Tim again this week and bringing a member of the ward with us who served in the military so that he can share his experiences with Tim and how Christ had helped him through his trials.

I have such a bad memory I can't remember if I told you about Janet, but we had been visiting a lady in our ward named Sheila, and she referred us to her neighbor across the hall, which is how we met Janet. She is the sweetest lady, but no matter how many times we tell her we are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints she still thinks that we are Amish. She told us about how she had known some elders when she lived in her home in Wilmington years ago, and she always refers to them as "her Amish boys" haha. Anyways, she'd lost her husband and felt really badly about some things she's done in the past. As we visited with her we were able to share about the Plan of Salvation and the Atonement of Jesus Christ, which she loved because she loves Jesus so much. She asked for pictures of us so she'll always be able to remember what we look like, so we printed out some pictures of us together and made some cookies for her.

Oh ya I almost forgot! This week we had interviews with President and Sister Welch, and then Saturday night we had transfer calls. Sister Gatchalian is going back to the Salt Lake City Temple Square Mission and I'll be staying in Wilmington for at least another 6 weeks, and then we'll see what happens! My new companion will be Sister Yates. I haven't really talked to her before but she looks super nice!! Transfers will be Tuesday morning, I'm super excited!

I feel like I'm forgetting to write about so many things, but I'm running out of time, so I guess I'll have to save that for next week. I love you all and hope you are all staying safe! Talk to you next week!!

We visited members from our ward and they
had the sweetest dog. His name is Duke and he
came up to me and buried his head in my shoulder
and my leg. It reminded me of Ziva.

This was on Thursday. We had to take breaks
warming up in the car while we were tracting.

Super legit American flag in lights on someone's house

 

This was on the door of one of the member families

we visited this week. They have a lot of farm animals,

and warned us about their crazy rooster haha.

This is Janet, the one who asked for pictures
of us and thinks we're Amish still.