Buenos :)
Holy cow what a week we have had here. Since being in Dyker my compañera and I have gone crazy with the seeds. We talk to anyone and everyone. Of all our efforts we have had some great missionary opportunities and chances to share the gospel with others by our example and conversation. But of all the seeds planted we have found two new investigators. Two. And do you know how happy we are for those two? Words cannot explain.
We met these two and their kids Saturday when we had zone meeting. We left a little over an hour early to guarantee we would make it on time (meaning --for us-- 15 minutes early). While walking to the bus we saw a cute little Hispanic family. We were walking quite briskly to catch the bus and didn't know if they'd converse with us anyway. We got twenty steps or so past them and I stopped. I pointed out the family to my companion and said if they came this way we had to talk with them. We waited a moment and sure enough they came headed our way. As they got to where we were we awkwardly began to walk that direction again, at their pace. I tried to think of a way to start up a conversation. I looked at the baby the mom was holding and he was looking back at me. Kids. Always go for the kids!! :) I asked how old he was and soon enough a conversation was started. We walked and talked for thirty minutes --unbeknownst to us-- until they had to turn off the street we'd been walking towards their apartment building. We ended up teaching as we were walking and getting to know them. When we parted ways I asked if we could stop by their house soon and get to know them better (we'd already given them our card). They actually said yes and wrote down their address on the iPad for us. They even checked a few times to make sure it was correct! We will be seeing them tonight :) --we also met their super yesterday, planted some great seeds there when they asked how we knew the family.
Anyway, needless to say we are working our butts off out here to try and find people to teach and the Lord is blessing us in so many ways. We walk at least five miles a day easy and are constantly talking with everyone just opening our mouths. And we are so happy. It's great to see how the Lord uses us in His work. We have so many people who ask us why we speak Spanish or who tell us we speak really well and that has opened up so many opportunities. Just on our way home from a lesson today to begin our preparation day we found two new people --both of whom came up to us and asked about our church wanted to know where it is. Tender mercies. They're everywhere. I have such a testimony now that the Lord truly does bless our efforts and put those people in our path if we are ready and willing to act, to recognize them when they recognize us!
In other news, this week was rather eventful on the iPads. We do iPad checks every week twice a week and were given some new instruction for Facebook use as well. Hopefully all these things will help us better be able to use the tools God has given us for this work. A bit of a hinderance however has been my area book. Only I have area book at the moment while training my companion and this was the week it decided to rebel. Basically our whole book was wiped. Glad there wasn't too much not synced, but trying to re-enter everything and make sure we accounted for everyone was a bit difficult. But, we got it done 👍🏻
Last Tuesday we had interviews with President. That was great as always. We love getting to see President and Sister Reynolds. Also the Assistants had a workshop for us and that was awesome. We always get such great counsel from them, and they just make us so happy when we see them cause they always have such big smiles on their faces (btw Elder Ko and Elder Serrine are the Assistants now). We are so blessed to serve with such awesome missionaries. Speaking of, our district is awesome. These missionaries here are the real deal. I'm so excited to see what success we can all have!
Speaking of success, the elders had two baptisms this week, and the Chinese sisters had one too!! The baptisms (we only went to the ones for the elders cause we don't speak Chinese...) were so beautiful. I
could not keep the smile off my face. Seeing those people take the big step of faith to follow Jesus Christ and be baptized, it was great. We also committed one of our investigators to be baptized today. She said "Claro que si!" Now we are going to continue teaching her and helping her develop the testimony she desires.
Also, my compañera and I had the wonderful experience of being sick all this last week. That was less than ideal, but we muscled through :) Our morning exercise was probably just a little less than exercise haha. We're feeling a lot better now though, ready to work harder and play harder this next week!
OH. AND, we have a Target!! And a DSW. Me and my companion about died. We went today. Finally bought a pillow (#sixmonthslater) and a blanket. Refrained from buying any shoes though haha, did try on some heels though 😜😊
Last Saturday we had zone meeting as previously mentioned. Elder Weisler (one of our elders) gave a workshop on submitting to the will of the Father. It threw me back to the last district meeting before I went home and I gave a workshop on that same topic. The meeting was great. I always love being able to receive instruction from our leaders on how to improve our missionary work.
We also had a ward missionary activity on Friday following the first baptism. That was great! We had so many people there and everyone brought friends and nonmembers, it was awesome! We will hopefully be having another one soon. One of the sisters we have been teaching came to the activity and brought something to share as well. She's come to church both Sunday's we've been here and wants us to help her prepare to go to the temple. Awesome.
All in all it has been a pretty rocking week. We've worked a lot, had lots of fun, and seen tender mercies everywhere we go. The Lord blesses this work. Also, there's this super cool song Sister Mejía
sent me that we used to listen to when we worked out in the mornings. It's called the pump up song. I'll send it home. It's pretty great. My favorite part of it is the quote that says, "the greatest decision I
ever made in my life was to give up something I dearly loved to the God I loved even more. He has never forgotten me for it, learn from the past" by President Monson. I feel like it goes right along with everything I've been learning these last few months and with the workshops we had in our district and zone meetings. Someone said in zone meeting when we were kind of discussing the topic of submitting to Gods will, "It [agency/the ability to choose our will] is the greatest gift He's given us. Therefore, it is the greatest gift we can give to Him." I loved that. What more to do than align our will with His? I feel submission is deeply connected with humility. I rediscovered a talk last week called "Lord, Is It I?" by President Uchtdorf. Probably my favorite thing.
I know God blesses us when we strive to submit to and do His will. I've seen as we've done that how He has poured out blessing upon us, literally where we cannot receive them all. I hope you have a great week, look for the tender mercies and seek to do His will everyday. I know when we start our day and ask what is most important to Him --and thus to us-- we will be guided in doing Gods will (also from the pump up song #presidenteyring). Have a fabulous week!!
Muchísimo amor,
Hermana Karra Gourley
Ps, the subject line is cause we sing all the time and that's one of our go-to's :)
PICTURES!!
1-4: #cantgetagoodzonepicture
5-6: I have a companion who likes pictures and we had a subway car to ourselves #photoop #neverhappens
7: #atlanticave-barclays
8 (main blog pic): when you've been tracting/street contacting for five hours in the rain and finally catch a bus home...
9: #nightlyplanning
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