1 lap down- setting a good pace
Oh my goodness this week was fantastic! For me personally I feel like I'm beginning to catch the vision! It's very easy to get into just doing the motions but not really realizing what we are doing as missionaries. Lately I've been thinking a lot about what a big deal it is for people when we knock on their door. We do the hour of tracting a day or even more sometimes and everyday I've been meeting, for the most part, very kind people who have great families. Elder Nelson and I have done a pretty good job at speaking with these people, getting to know them, sharing briefs statements of restored truths, and then inviting them to do something, but when we ask when we can come back they just don't commit. This saddens me because the more I think of it, the decision they make to not invite us back is like me choosing not to come on a mission-disastrous. I read in Alma today how I can help us get in the door.....Alma 13:27-29
27 And now, my brethren, I wish from the inmost part of my heart, yea, with great anxiety even unto pain, that ye would hearken unto my words, and cast off your sins, and not procrastinate the day of your repentance;
28 But that ye would humble yourselves before the Lord, and call on his holy name, and watch and pray continually, that ye may not be tempted above that which ye can bear, and thus be led by the Holy Spirit, becoming humble, meek, submissive, patient, full of love and all long-suffering;
29 Having faith on the Lord; having a hope that ye shall receive eternal life; having the love of God always in your hearts, that ye may be lifted up at the last day and enter into his rest.
I need to let them know how important it is. Alma, because he understood the changing power of the atonement he had a sense of urgency and honesty. he was begging them to listen and testifying that by following Christ we will receive joy. I can and will do the same. We don't have to be gloomy or dramatic we just need to understand it's a big deal and give it our all at every door to let them understand!
Elder Nelson and I are doing great! We are becoming a solid team! He's so kind and loving to our investigators! He does a great job in lessons teaching according to their needs. At times it's a little frustrating to him that he's knocked all of Bridgeport and hasn't seen any notable success but we keep going at it and just like this week we've gotten and will see results!
Okay first with our good friend Robert. He's 47,lives in a broken down camp trailer with no running water, when he left Arkansas he left his ID so he has been unable to get a job or get food stamps, he's addicted to a variety of substances, but he wants to change, he's reading the Book of Mormon, he came to Church for 3 hours, and he's beginning to let the drugs go! Luckily now he has some food, a heater and a new thick sweater supplied by one of the members in the branch. One of the neighbors is trying to help him get a job in the orchards. Also, and most important, we are thrilled to have another week to help Robert come closer unto Christ! So far we've taught him the restoration and the word of wisdom, this week we will teach him the plan of salvation how he needs to change and how he can through the grace of Christ.
Also:)
We are currently teaching a hispanic family. Judith is a single mom she has 2 boys Bryan(13), Alex(10) kimberly(6) and ashlee (10 months). We had a phenomenal lesson of the restoration with actually 2 members in their little mobile home. They loved it we had a great time flipping to scriptures in the bible together. I sat next to alex and helped him find james 1:5. After sharing the first vision we introduced the El Libro de Mormon. Bryan's face just lit up as we quickly-because it was time to go- shared the book he said,"I've been trying to find this book!" We read a little bit of 3 Nephi 11 with him he was just overjoyed! Even though he is only 13 this kid is crazy smart about the bible when he and his little brother came to church yesterday he gave me some tough questions! I'm so excited to get to know more of this family and help them receive more strength and peace through the restored gospel!!!
Also we've were able to become friends with some hard to find less actives! I'm going to cook some rice crispies this week for them! Also Member missionary work is getting along still a lot to do but we've been working hard on helping specific families and they can in turn help us invite some of our investigators/their friends to church so it's going well!
Also during a lesson last night with a man with some kind of hamstring issue he asked me to pop his toes haha and I gave him so advice or tried to in Spanish how he can recooperate! When we first met robert, he had some suuuuuuuper distigusting dishes that we washed for him at our apartment haha the mobile home park days were super handy.
Stockton-I'm not throwing snowballs everyday we almost freeze to death while tracting haha just kidding well sort of:) I really hope you're feeling better. Are you going to get surgery on your ankle? I hope school is going Okay! I'm so proud of all the things you have overcome these last 6 months you are becoming so strong!-spiritually and mentally of course your ankle isn't doing so well so we could work on the physical part well I love you pal! Have a great week!
Madsen-Weather is cold.
How are your games going my good friend! Hope you're not beating up on Stockton while he's a little crippled! I remember when my hamstring was torn and he picked on me and then ran away. I give you permission to get him back for me! that would be quite nice actually so please do:) I love you Madsen! You're becoming Great. You are Great. Keep being who you are sometimes High school is a big mess. I'm so proud of you and I love you. I hope you are doing good on loving others in all moments it's tough but we can do it hahaha we can!
Madsen & Stockton & Emma
Lately, I've been becoming more aware how much Satan is in our lives he lies to us all the time. All our negative thoughts come from him. A lot of the time these thoughts get into my head and I become less motivated to do the work and discouraged. We have to fight him. I've been working on Praying for help and doing I am statements in the morning and it really helps my confidence and attitude which makes me more able to help others! If you feel like satan is tempting you tell yourself ... I am:
strong
capable
kind
worth it
great
a child of God
a disciple of Christ
etc.
it really helps!
Emma:
You're birthday is coming up I'm so excited! You're turning 12! Wow growing up so fast please know I love you and know you're amazing! I hope Basketball, violin, and school is going great!
Maleck- Maleck hope school is going great! what are you doing for recess in this cold weather! Hope you're staying warm! Are you still playing basketball? if so keep playing hard and don't forget to pass don't tell stockton but he never passed and it got annoying:) don't be like that haha you're the best love you Maleck! Hey make sure you pray every night and follow Christ you promised to!
Mom and Dad
thank you for serving so hard as young woman's president! I bet you're just the best! They are sooo lucky to have you! Oh and thank you for the quotes and your inspirational message it was greatly appreciated! We are in the Omak zone! the branch we go to is a very small. largely English branch, Yesterday I translated the meeting into spanish for bryan and alex as well as some other hispanic members. There are many less actives that haven't qutie used their doors. The branch is so kind and loving to us. We often go to the President Schoenwald's house for dinner he has a great family and his wife played rugby. They have four little boys and often I feel like I'm back at our house a couple years in the past haha. I'm becoming closer to many of them. I really try to show them how much I love them. We have half the brewster branch that lives in Bridgeport and mostly elderly couples live on our side of the river. But I've always loved the older people so it's ok!
Dad I hope you're doing ok can't imagine how busy you are! Thank you for teaching me how to work hard. I pushing it and trying to have moments of fun too!
Aunt Jen thank you so much for your letter I laughed pretty hard when you said girls are waiting for me at home! thank you for the money as well you're so kind I hope your family is doing well!
Grandma and Grandpa Rigby
thank you so much for your letter and the money both of them really lifted my spirits. I love you both so much Grandma I pray that you get feeling better I'm so sorry and Grandpa thank you so much for helping my dad.
Nestled at the base of Chief Joseph Dam on the Columbia River, Bridgeport’s main area industry is agriculture with apple and cherry orchards in and around the City. Outside of the City wheat fields are prevalent.
The area rich with outdoor recreation opportunities and beautiful scenery is a popular destination for anglers, hunters, kayakers, boaters, photographers, golfers, and other outdoor enthusiasts. Locals and visitors alike enjoy the sun in the summer and the snow in the winter.
Citizens enjoy a slower-paced way of life without the usual stressors of a larger city. People who live and work within Bridgeport enjoy an easy commute with no traffic signals and no rush-hour or gridlock. Bridgeport boasts a lower cost of living than the State average and the lowest power rates in the country, making it an affordable place for many to live or own vacation homes.
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