Ahoy-hoy everyone!
Transfers.... ready? DUN DUN DUN DUN! Sadly I am getting transferred. I do not know the address, so I apologize that you won't be getting it for another week. BUT! I am going to Covington (Sister Jack, Holmes and Thomas have all served there and LOVED it) to be with Sister Melanie Clawson. She is from Midway, Utah and I think she is 24. She seems really nice. I have only met her once, but I'm excited to serve with her. I am sad to leave La Place because we were just starting to pick things up this last week, but I guess Sister Hill really needs to train. She is training a Sister Rebecca Smith from American Fork! So that is exciting. Anyway, I am excited to go to Covington. President said that they have a lot more member support than I have had in any area, and that is the ward the stake president is in. So that will be fun. I'm a little bit overwhelmed because I am going to have to be an example now because I am Senior companion and it's going to be a little different. Can you believe I have been out 7 1/2 months? It is just flying by. In 6 weeks, I am a little bit past half-way...CRAZY! It just makes me want to work harder than ever because I am losing time. Before you know it, it'll be time to go, and I'll think "What? I just got here!" But I am excited to go to Covington, it's a fresh start, and I know that it is a good, strong ward. (Covington is just across Lake Pontchartrain)
Teaching this week....was MUCH better. We did some tracting, but not too much, but we prayed that we would be able to find at least ONE new investigator, and we did! For some reason our entire mission is struggling with finding people to teach. Some areas are doing better than others, but we have started counting them differently, and it's been really difficult. But in the end, I think how we are counting them now, will make a big difference. But, I don't know if I told you, but our mission is a pilot mission for campaigning the new MORMON.ORG. The senior 12 apostles have been pushing this a lot, and they have said that our mission is basically the flagship for it. We are taking everything we are given and using it to the best of our abilities. We were given these new cards to give to people, and it's really neat. Seriously family. You should make a profile. It's really neat! You can connect it to your facebook, and they can contact you if they have any questions. Cool right? Yeah. It's just an easier way to share the gospel. On facebook you could make a link connecting to your profile and say "hey everyone, check out my profile on mormon.org!" Yeah. I dunno. It's neat. BUT!
Teaching...ha, sorry I keep getting distracted. This week we were able to meet some really awesome people. I believe we told you about our maintenance man Mr. Mike, he was the one that fixed our sink. WELL, we went over to his home (because he told us to come meet his wife), and we were able to sit down and talk with him and his wife for a good while. His wife's name is Suzie. Anyway, we were talking about how they had landed in Salt Lake while traveling, and we asked them if they had ever seen temple square (and we showed them the Salt Lake Temple), and they were just amazed by how beautiful it was (who wouldn't be?). So we started talking about religion, and we were just about to go, and she said "Well aren't you going to give me a prayer book or something?!" And were like "Oh we don't have any prayer books, but we have the Book of Mormon!" And she said, "That's what I meant! I want one, I've seen 'em on TV." So we gave her one and we were able to talk with them about the Book of Mormon, and how we were going to come back and tell them more next time. They are REALLY excited. They are Catholic, and it was interesting because they were saying things like "I don't think it's right to confess to a man, he can't forgive you, only God can!" (True) "I think that sacrament is really important." (True) And they were just really excited to talk with us more! I won't be able to see them progress, but I am really excited for them.
We also were able to teach a woman named Shondra last night. And she is curious to know what the Mormons believe, so we went over the 13 articles of faith in 15 minutes, and then she had to get going, so we are going to try and see her next week. I mean Sister Hill will.
As for the ONE new investigator that we had, she was a media referal. She actually wanted a copy of Finding Faith in Christ, but the text we got said she wanted a Book of Mormon. We were talking about the gospel, and she told us that she is sick of "visiting" other churches, and wants to find the truth...she said she is praying to know where the truth is...WELL HERE IT IS! Ah! She is neat. Her name is Cynthia, and she is excited to read the Book of Mormon. We were going to teach her Thursday, but Sister Hill will be going to Gonzales for a week because her trainee is stuck in the MTC with an ear infection. So they have to wait till it clears before they'll let her fly. But yeah! Teaching overall was just much better.
Ha, we were walking to an appointment we had with Debi (because our car was in the shop), and she lives about 2 miles away, and when we left it was just a light drizzle, but this time Sister Hill and I both had our umbrella's and were expecting to stay completely dry...well we got about 1/4 mile from our apartment and it started down pouring...and I mean down pouring! Again, we were trying to keep our scriptures dry, but no matter what I was soaking wet. We walked about 3/4 a mile in this rain, and we stopped at a members home to stand under their car port for a minute, and we were wringing out our skirts when Brother White (he's probably in his late 60's early 70's) comes out and says... "Are you retarded?!" Ha, ha! He was giving us a really hard time. Sister Jan Smith ended up coming to get us because she was coming with us to the lesson, but ha, it was really funny. We were SOAKING wet. I wrang my skirt out a couple of times. It was crazy. But it was a really good lesson!
Anyway, it was a much better week, and I know attitude has a lot to do with it. I went into this week thinking "It's going to be the best week ever!" Well it wasn't the best, but it was better than it has been. So I am happy enough with that. OH!!!!!!!!!!!! THE MOST IMPORTANT THING! On Sunday we went to a Youth Fireside at the Bishops, and we were able to talk to Shai. She told us her mom's biggest problem with the baptism was that it was on her birthday...we asked her if that was a problem in the beginning and she said no... I know I am one, but...WOMEN! Ha, ha. We say one thing and mean another. But yeah, Sister Hill is still going to talk to Shai's family and hopefully start teaching them, and Shai will get baptized. So you can still send those scriptures to La Place if you want to (wait a week though). But yeah.
Thanks for being such a wonderful supportive family. I am so grateful you are all wonderful and just AH! I LOVE MINE FAMILY! I am grateful that I am here serving the Lord. Somedays it's hard, but I wouldn't have it any other way. And hey, at least the weather is starting to cool off...THANK GOODNESS! I know the church is true, and I know the Book of Mormon is true. I know that when we read it we gain a stronger testimony of who we are, and our relationship with God. I love you all so much, and I love my Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. Thanks for being so wonderful!
Love,
Sister Stacy Earl
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