Greeley Letter #8

Sister Tafengatoto's first ever snowman!

 

Song from 1909 Deseret Hymn Book

 

New Year's Eve

 

Sister Mangum found this giant carabiner at the store

and "just had to get it for" Rashauna.

 

 

I LOVED the pictures from the family New Year's party and was laughing so hard in the library I created quite the scene. Ooops.

  

Miracle week!!! 

 

C update: We met with him and taught the Plan of Salvation and had the most spiritual lesson with him thus far. He offered to say the opening prayer (that's one of his biggest fears, saying prayers, reading scriptures out loud, giving a talk, bearing testimony) so that was an amazing way to start. This week he texted us a cool scripture that he found. He showed up to church on Sunday even though he was sick and not feeling great. He even participated a little during our Gospel Principles class. He has always been too afraid to say anything!!! It's so cool to see how much and how fast he is progressing. He is very sensitive to the spirit. It's awesome.

 

R and S (grandfather and grandson): Agreed to prepare to be baptized on February 8th!!!!!! We've taught R the Plan of Salvation multiple times because he has questions about it almost every time we have gone by in the last two weeks. However, he has a true desire to understand and piece by piece, it clicks. Sometimes it's in the beginning of the lesson and sometimes at the end, but each time we visit there is a moment when we can see and feel the spirit teach him these truths. After that moment, he simple says, "I understand now" and we are able to move on. S came back into the picture (after not being able to get a hold of him for a few weeks) and has been making amazing progress. They both have such a sincere desire to be baptized, but I was nervous what would happen when we taught them about the commandments. Sometimes people feel the spirit and believe, but don't want to act on it. We taught them daily prayer and scripture study, as well as regular church attendence and they are still on board! It's so important to help people understand that everything Heavenly Father asks us to do is to help us. So that's what we focused on while teaching these principles. I'm so excited. Visiting them makes me so happy. They are so humble and are sincerely seeking and finding truth. I love the questions they come to us with. I love the spirit that helps us to answer them.

 

Sister Tafengatoto made her first snowman. We met with T, another less-active we are working with. She's making some great progress, too. For instance, she made a new year's resolution to go to church every Sunday. We also invited her to read her scriptures daily. It's amazing how many people still have testimonies of the Book of Mormon, but have just fallen out of the church habit. Keep loving people and be patient. That's what a lot of people need out here and we continue to see miracles happen. Families in general are so inspired. Our immediate family, our heavenly family, and our ward family. All have so much potential to strengthen those in need of help.

 

Thank you for all of the Christmas cards and letters!! I was at a leadership meeting when I recieved the Jensen's Christmas card. I showed some of the other missionaries their awesome picture and bragged about how neat my home ward is. J and J, our recent converts, are excited to work towards getting the Priesthood. We got to talk about the blessings that come to a family when that happens.

 

Sunday was what Sister Tafengatoto called our "Rocky Mountain Day." We had a lot planned in order to accomplish everything we wanted to this week. I liked that name and we worked hard to reach our goals. It was a tiring but really spiritually rewarding day. We expressed a desire and acted on it and as a result, we had some unexpected miracles. A less-active couple came out of nowhere and asked if sister missinaries would come to teach their grandchildren, so they can be baptized. Sweet!!! We have so many people to teach right now it's almost overwhelming, but we just keep going and pray a lot and it all works out.

 

Sister Tafengatoto said to me one night, "You know one thing I've learned from you is that it's all going to be alright. You always say that, even when things are crazy or going terribly, and everything always works out!!" That was really cool to hear. I hadn't realized that I said that all that often, but I guess it impacted her in a positive way. It helped to remind me that we aren't out here just to baptize people, but also to strengthen all those around us. Invite everyone to come closer to Christ.

 

Happy New Year!!

 

Love, Sister Rashauna Hoer