HIIII!!!! So what a wonderful week it has been! I'm feeling more like a missionary than a lost lamb.  You all know how easy it is for me to get turned around. haha Let's just say I'm real grateful for Sister Mortenson to get us to the people that we plan to see each day.  This week is bike week.  Fun fact about biking with skirts (since you all want to know haha) we have to clip the front and back together so they don't do crazy stuff.  It's eventful. haha We've also had a couple days this last week where it rained and thundered and lightninged, which was really cool.  Today I'll have to buy a rain jacket at the store so we can bike no matter what! Because the people we talk to and find are worth biking in the rain and ice for!!!

 

Last P-day the Elders in our District and us went to Boot Hill museum.  It's a pretty cool place where they set it up like the Old West days with horses, and itty bitty jails, and old dresses, and pianos and cool things.  It was a fun little break and didn't cost anything because we live here in Dodge.  The Senior couple Elder and Sister Williams were going to come with us, but sister Williams was not feeling well :/  They are a wonderful example and so fun.  Monday night it was back to work. 

 

We visited Angie who is the door across from us in our apartment complex who was looking for a church.  We gave her a Book of Mormon and encouraged her to read the introduction. It was the first time I had gotten to do that which was really exciting!  We tried to check back with her twice this week to see if she started reading but she wasn't at home.  Hopefully this week. But we have 1 new investigator and 2 potential investigators!  Daniel and Kim, a married recent convert couple in the ward, were married 3 weeks ago and baptized 2 weeks ago.  A couple of their nonmember friends came to support them and Kim's nonmember mom Linda. The new investigator is Linda.  We went over to talk with her, and she was like "Daniel and Kim aren't here" so we said, "we actually came to see you!"  We had a wonderful talk with her.  She said she really felt welcome at the wedding and baptism by the people of the church.  She's part of another church and reads the Bible, so we talked about the Book of Mormon and how it also testifies of Christ.  I offered one to her and she asked, "it's alright that I have it?" Of course!!! She said,"I'll start reading it tonight"  Great Idea! haha we hadn't even mentioned anything to read yet.  Oh the spirit felt so good.  I truly believe she has been prepared.  We stopped by yesterday and she's already read like 20 pages.  I suggested she read Moroni 10:3-5 and she read it there on the spot! and she's liking. I can't wait to talk with her more at our next appointment next Thursday, which is way too far away.  I'm so happy and excited for Linda.  Also, Daniel and Kim referred us to their friends and neighbors Caroline and Mike.  Caroline is actually from Liberia so she has an awesome accent.  We got to know them a little bit and what they know of the church. then Mike got a phone call and had to step outside, so we talked a little about the book of Mormon with Caroline.  She said, well I know we are both Christians, and accepted the Book of Mormon.  They offered to have us come back again which was perfect and we'll meet with them next Saturday.  What a great week!! The Lord is truly with us and guiding us.

 

We were searching the area for less active members to help them out, and we came to a trailer that apparently a new family had moved into.  The mom answered the door and said she didn't speak English so I threw out what I knew to introduce ourselves and our message and she invited us to come back another time because she was busy with her kids begging for her attention and going crazy. haha so we went back Saturday and her husband answered the door.  He didn't speak English either and they were about to leave to go to something so we set up an appointment for Today at 6:30, which the Spanish Elders are going to show up to so they can actually teach and communicate better than I can.  We'll text the Elders tonight to see how it goes, because this is a family! And that's who we're searching for!!! 

 

As part of the training I get to go through, I had to memorize the 1st lesson in the 7 topics and 3 sub points for each topic, along with 7 scriptures to go with each section.  Whew! haha I was able to pass it off on Sunday with my Companion and now I get to learn more about lesson 2 the Plan of Salvation.  It's a great opportunity to really study and learn what's most important to teach about during lessons, and will help me to remember to cover everything we need to so nothing is missed.  I can't wait to teach an actual 1st lesson! :) 

 

This week we also found a less active woman named Rebecca.  She said, " I haven't been visited by anyone in the church for a while" Sad!! this is why home teaching and visiting teaching is so important! We help keep each other strong so this never happens!!!!  When I was learning about visiting teaching at first I felt like there was nothing really happening because the people I was talking to already knew the gospel.  But now I understand that what's most important is inviting the spirit into their home and to ask questions so you can teach and share incites with each other! 

 

Also, we met with Sarahi, an17 year old investigator who has been taught all the lessons by the Elders, but then was given to us to teach.  She's been taught and visited for 2 months but doesn't seem to be progressing, we have an appointment with her tonight, so we can find out what's really going on.  I hope we can be guided by the Spirit and apply what we've been taught and are still learning so we can help her as best we can, and invite the spirit so He can teach the rest, because Heavenly Father knows her heart, and can teach her "more perfectly" than we can (D&C 88:78)

 

Yesterday at church Brother Chamberlain asked me and the other new missionaries to go up one at a time to introduce ourselves, say what we like about being a missionary and bear out testimonies.  What a great opportunity.  the war was so welcoming and many members came up and introduced themselves to me.  I look forward to getting to know them better.

 

Really great spiritual experience this week too.  To be obedient is to be wise.  Sometimes I don't feel I completely understand the relationship between us and our Father in Heaven and Jesus Christ.  Then I realized, God gave us families to help us understand that relationship better.  Like you said mom, when our family is in harmony, what a powerful sweet spirit that brings. God said, "If ye love me, keep my commandments" (John 14:15).  I've always thought that was interesting but then I thought, when mom and dad ask you to do something, sometime you do it just because you love them and you show that by doing it.  Think of your relationships with family members.  You know when someone says, "Do you love me?" and you're like" yea what are you really asking? what do you want?" haha.  Well, think if they were truly asking if you loved them.  My response would be, " Yes! with all my heart, always and forever, no matter what!"  Jesus asked that very question of Peter and asks it of all of us.  "_____ Lovest thou me?"  Although we might not serve Him directly by getting Him a glass of water, it is as if we did when we do it for those around us, and He thanks us every time.  Every time we do what pleases Him, it is helping another of our fellow peers here on earth, and we also are becoming more converted in the process. More Christlike, more willing to serve more people, more willing to volunteer when someone needs one, more willing to be what He wants us to Be.  We don't become Him, because He made us different for a reason.  But we become like Him.  Everything we want to be boils down to having Faith Hope and Charity.  We are more confident when we have a perfect brightness of Hope,  we have more knowledge when we study with faith, we are kinder and more loving when we have charity.  And the list goes on!!!  What's the kind of person you want to be?  Look at the root of how to get there and it's Faith, Hope and Charity.  Hope that all made sense.

Wow! I've been hearing this my whole life and never got it before. haha And there still is so much more to learn!

 

I'll try to get a biking pic too, gotta say we look pretty legit. haha Instead of finding Toto, we've found tons and tons of Chihuahuas. Dodge City is pretty much a mini Mexico, have I mentioned that before? haha but really they're everywhere.  Also, I can only listen to the mp3 on speakers instead of headphones so my companion and I can both hear what's going on, so I da know if you want to send the little speakers I have too if it's not too expensive... you're choice. Thanks though!!!

 

I love you all!!!! Thanks for your prayers and support! I'm praying for you too! 

-- Love always and forever!

Sister Harston