Where the Light Is

Hey fam :)

This was a packed week --we like those in missionary work! We had some odd fourteen lessons and have an investigator with a baptismal date! I think it is the strangest thing coming here and having an areabook so full of people to teach. Haha. It is a good change though, but certainly a change.

We got in touch with one of our investigators again. We were doing some look ups in her area and decided to stop by. After insisting on feeding us she invited us to her house for Saturday. It was the anniversary of her husband's death and she wanted us to come read from the Bible with her family. We sat in the car before going up to the door the day of and after a prayer geared up. We got out and Hna Staker asked if we should bring a Book of Mormon. I exclaimed, "Well, are we missionaries or are we missionaries!?" We got some. We go marching off to her house just down the street and pass this lady standing halfway in her house. I look at her and say "hello". She interrogates: "What are you doing here??" "Sorry?" I say. "What are you doing?" "Oh we are--" "I get that you're missionaries, what are you doing here??" ........missionary work.....?? She was having a rough day. But...we taught two new investigators in our lesson right after #bendito #referralsfromyourinvestigator #kindareallywantedtoknockherhouseafter #nexttime :)

It was quite possibly the most spiritual "regular" Sunday I have ever experienced yesterday. This whole week was just spiritually packed for me. It was really interesting. I came off of the week before not feeling the best but was trying to keep my hopes up. I just felt like I was stuck in this little rut and honest to goodness didn't know how to even get out of it because I haven't been that stuck that deep in so long. I think it kinda threw me. But, God stepped in as He always does. I got really sick about Tuesday and had a bit of a hard time functioning normally. I feel like He carried me through a lot this week. Saturday I felt way better and wasn't nearly as sick; today I feel great.

Friday came around and zone training meeting was upon us. It was interesting to see how the Lord worked with me. I feel like I can't express accurately how I felt or what I learned. All I know is He was there. And He is here. I remember waltzing around the living room a bit and I told Hna Staker I felt all anxious like before a track meet. She asked if I was nervous for my workshop. I said something to the effect of it not being my workshop but the Lord's. I said it kind of jokingly but was totally serious in my heart.

Zone meeting

It's really interesting how the way I think has changed so much with my increase in understanding. I feel I knew a bit before but didn't understand a whole lot. Imagine the loading bars on all these gospel principles are finally finishing and with each one it's like, "ding! I get how this applies to me; for real now!" :) That's how I feel about speaking/teaching/workshop-ing/etc now. I feel like I finally get how it isn't mine, it isn't me, it's all the Lord. I experienced that several times this week, where I was able to really "be still" and let Him work --and it worked.

So Friday was good :) I loved getting to see some of the other missionaries and things. We had another workshop on knocking given by a member here and then we gave our three breakout workshops. It was good. I enjoyed it. It was really cool to see how the Lord took over because every time I gave the workshop it was different. That was what I wanted. It was awesome. I have had a little bit of a hard time feeling like He is working through me, but He showed me a lot this week how He was using me to do His work. He just knows how to do it so perfectly! I remember earlier talking with Hermana Staker and we were planning for one of our investigators and sat there thinking what she needs and what we should teach. I suggested the "Because of Him" video and just a feel-good, Christ-centered lesson. We watched the video and she looks at me, "Why do we even wonder? Why do we even talk about anything but Jesus?!" In all seriousness, we thought about it. Do we keep Christ at the focus of our minds and hearts? Is He what we are always thinking about? The more I have tried to focus on the Savior the more I have come to understand His role in my life. I love it. :)

This has gotten a little long and ramble-y. I love you! Have a great week :)

Muchísimo amor,
Hermana Karra Gourley

Also the subject line is the title of one of the songs I kinda lived off of this week. It is great. Love you! :)

Response to the weekly question: What made you laugh? Uh...I dunno. Our zone was asked to do a musical number for a missionary fireside of the stake so we practiced it together after zone training meeting and that was hilarious. Haha. But...we have an elder who wants to be a choir director so he stepped up and got us all going, but it was a struggle at the start, haha! We also just made pancakes as a district and elder Ramos was taking pictures of us all so I tried to grab his iPad. He was really impressed with my grip cause he says I have really small hands. Haha! *shrugs* We had this extra box of Cheerios so we gave them to the elders and I saw this and they insisted on a picture. Haha.

Car selfie

They boxed us in

#13months