So let me tell you - I live in this weird paradox where discouraging things happen yet I'm consistently happy. It's pretty great! That being said, let's start with the beginning of the week:
My companion and I decided to go to a bunch of former investigators and see if they were interested in taking the lessons again. Here's how it went:
1 - "Not home"
2 - Abandoned house.
3 - Moved
4 - Moved
5 - Not home or abandoned house. Not really sure.
6 - Us: "Hello! We're looking for Dave?"
"He died about a month ago."
"Oh."
7 - The address led us to a graveyard in between a Presbyterian church office and a Catholic chapel. Explain that one.
8 - Door slam/ received the meanest glare you have EVER seen.
9 - Not interested
10 - Not interested
11 - *please say in heavy New York accent* "Who're you?"
"We're from the Church of--"
"Oh. MOM IT'S THE MORMONS! Yeah we're not interested."
12 - "We're Catholic, but you girls are doing such a good thing! Good luck!" I wanted to hug that woman.
13 - We couldn't find the blasted house! It was to a guy named Bob. We seriously walked/drove along shouting, "BOB WHERE ARE YOU?!"
So all in all, pretty unsuccessful. We were super discouraged. We were scraping to find work to do!
So one day we were driving to a neighboring town when we drove past an apartment complex. Sister R pointed to them and said we should try there.
"Fiiiiine." I said. I was pretty sick of unsuccessfully tracting/trying to find formers. So we park and start knocking on doors, and everyone is either "not home", or the people without peepholes in the door weren't interested. So we finish building 1, and I eye the car, longing to go to it, but knew we should probably hit building 2. So we walk over there. About the fourth door in, a woman answers. I say my spiel, then the woman's eyes get really big and she says, "You guys from the church in Owego?"
"Yes, we are!"
"Oh I didn't know they had girls. I have a Book of Mormon. I've read it, I started it again."
................ (those were my thoughts)
By now my mind is rushing. And that deer-in-the-headlights look kind of takes over me. She let's us in, and as we sit down she says, "I took lessons about a year ago. I had a baptismal date and I dropped it but...I don't know why...I mean...I didn't mean to. I guess I just felt like I wasn't ready."
Then she said, "It's funny. I prayed yesterday that someone would come, and then you guys show up."
It was SO great! She came to church Sunday. We're teaching her again tomorrow. I REALLY hope things continue to go well with her! You can really see how excited she gets over the gospel and when she feels the spirit. We were so blessed to have found her :)
Then later, we went to go visit a less active family. We were visiting with the mom, when the daughter (she's like...twenty) walks in, points at us and says, "Hey. You should teach my husband. Thursday work for you guys?"
"Uh...yeah!"
It was awesome.
Overall things are good. We're still struggling to find people to teach, but the Lord seems to be putting people in our path for us!
Weather here is getting really sticky and really hot. Quite the adventure, really. Also, people keep commenting on how we don't eat as much as the last set of elders.
ONE OF THE LAST ELDERS HERE WAS SAMOAN. DO I LOOK SAMOAN TO YOU?
Well. I love you all, goodbye.
I really do love you all soo much :) and I LOVE getting your emails/letters/updates! I am so grateful for them!
-Sis Stimpson
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