How are we doing? Is it just me or did last week go terribly fast...? We are sitting here trying to find out where the last SEVEN weeks have gone! Crazy. Last week was pretty great! We found a bunch of new people to teach and got to do some serious knocking. I decided throughout the week when something happened to write down a little note to remember. Here are my little points:
1. Super spoiler
We were on our way to our district meeting and my companion goes, "What...is...THAT?? A super spoiler??" Oh my goodness it was the most hilarious thing, this absolutely massive spoiler on this itty bitty car.
2. I can't eat but I don't know why
End of the month + missionary budget + poor use of money = no food. We didn't have much by the end of last week but I told my companion on Thursday we only had to plan one meal for Sunday so we would make it fine. Saturday comes around and we are on our way to a lesson in Huntington when she laughs to herself. She explains her thought process to me as follows, "Hmm, we don't have much food left...I can't eat tomorrow but I don't know why...OH! Fast Sunday!"
3. Mysterious sunburns
We stopped by the church Thursday and realized we both got a little bit sunburned on our necks and arms. The mystery part is that we were teaching or traveling to appointments all day to that point which means we were out of the sun, yet here were the burns. They are gone now but that was a funny moment.
4. Bug bites
The summer has begun and that means so have the bugs. Yay.
5. Upgraded: senior missionaries
Our bodies are just falling apart over here, haha! My shoulder has been killing me all week, hips are getting stuck, knees and legs are giving out, we are just losing one part at a time #seniormissionaries
6. 99 year old WWII vet
We knocked into this spry little fellow last Wednesday or Thursday; made our day! His nurse let us in to talk with him for a few minutes. We told him happy birthday (he hit 99 two days earlier) and the first thing he said after a thank you was that his wife passed away ten months ago and that they were married for 74 years! #goals He told us all about when he was drafted and how it interrupted their wedding and things but that he "did four years, then got back home to her!" It was darling.
7. España familia
The Españas from Dyker came out to visit on Saturday! We got to say hello and talk for a few minutes before we had to head out to a lesson, but it was great to see them :)
8. Guns N' Roses, Hotel California, and Stayin Alive
Got to hear a bit of music this week, featuring the above (the Spanish store across the street has great taste)
Also, speaking of that little store, today we went and bought some groceries there and the cashier asked if we were sisters. We explained who we were and what we do as a few other workers gathered around to hear. We ended up talking and teaching for a few minutes with all of them and it was really cool! Right after that we stopped by Target and were going up to pay when a lady passed us and said, "hi sisters!" Totally caught us off guard but kinda made our day too :)
This week we got in touch with a sister we have taught before again so that was awesome. She has such a desire to learn and apply the gospel more to her life, we have so much hope for her! It was really cool teaching a few times this week, her included, where we had something planned but then once we got in there the Lord just took over as He does and guided it perfectly another - much better - way. It is something I will miss very much, being able to see Him use us as His servants so directly. I know He will do that regardless, but this work is something special; this is something different.
I found a talk this week called "What Think Ye of the Book of Mormon?" by Elder McConkie and I love it!! Oh my, I was loving that talk. We were studying a section of Twelve Week called "Revelation Through the Book of Mormon", which meant we got to talk a lot about my favorite book! It was awesome. We also set a goal to use the Book of Mormon more in finding and to try and emphasize it even more in our teaching. We haven't been doing too shabby with it.
We were teaching one of our new investigators last week and had just begun when someone knocked the door. Her friend had come by and our new investigator promptly invited her to join us. By the end of the lesson we had two new investigators both committed to read and pray about the Book of Mormon who were excited for us to return next week. #teachwhenyoufind #findwhenyouteach
Yesterday, we had another investigator who also finally was able to come to church! We were beyond excited for her. After having a rather intense lesson earlier that week with her husband, he finally agreed to take her. We drove out to their house the morning of and they followed us to the church where he dropped her off. A few of our members took her right in and even gave her a ride home. We are seeing her tomorrow to talk about how she felt and what she is thinking now.
I feel one of the biggest blessings of this work is the opportunity we have to see people change, ourselves included. Never before did I think this much change was possible. We had a rather intense lesson with one of our less active members this week in a lesson where she changed the subject and began to rage about how she does not agree with the Church's stand on a particular topic. We taught and asked her questions. We came to a point at which she challenged us & we'd testified that with Jesus Christ all things are possible. She seemed to say, almost mockingly, "Do you really believe that?" Instantly the Spirit filled my heart and I knew that yes, I really do believe and know that. Our faith will be tried and tested and challenged but I have learned for myself that when we withstand these trials our faith becomes stronger and more sure and we will find the promise of the scriptures to be true. We might "wax firmer and firmer in the faith," with "the trial of [our] faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ".
Hopefully the next few weeks can be full of people to serve and opportunities to see the Lord's hand all around us. I love you!
Mucho amor,
Hermana Karra Gourley
P.S. The subject line: We were knocking yesterday and both happened to be wearing floral (my dress and Hna Rosario's shirt). We knocked this house and they come running to the door, "Girl Scouts??" ...no. They ask, "Oh are you missionaries!? How cute! And you have a little floral uniform?" .....NO. Ha! So there is the story for that one :)
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