WWPWD

You asked me before about my most spiritual experience. I think it has been knowing that I am sustained by God as I do this. It's hard, and then I remember how in every blessing I get they say that God wants me to know how proud He is of me and how aware He is of me and how blessed I will be for my efforts. It's hard to care all the time ya know? It would be way easier to just go through the motions and teach without real emotion and all that and "complete" my mission. But, I won't grow or progress that way and it would be hypocritical. I may as well leave if I have that attitude ya know? So I am really trying to allow myself to still be myself, but become the person that God wants me to be. Also knowing that angels are with me as I do missionary work is an amazing feeling. I realized that I don't ever see them or hear them or really see exactly what they do, but I always have this thought like "an angel is in this room" or "that happened because of an angel" or "Angels were with you when you did that" stuff like that! It's really cool. I realized that's ow I know they are with me. I am so excited to see them all in heaven! :) Thanks for raising me in a righteous way so that I can have these experiences! I love this whole missionary work thing. It's cool because, like most commandments, God could get the work done in some way using His power and the Holy Ghost. But, because we need growth and opportunities to become like Him, He lets us help out with the work. He lets us test our faith and pay a full tithe so the church will grow, and He lets us pray so that we can see direct blessings, and He lets us come on missions so we can learn to be selfless in our callings when we return and to learn how to be good spouses and stuff! It's hard, yes. But so worth it! Mostly the hard things come when I'm lazy or when I haven't kept my testimony strong that day or the day before. When I don't take the time to really study the scriptures I don't have a stronger testimony. It's so much harder said than done though. It's so easy to just kind of like I said go through the motions, but I never regret acting on the promptings I receive! Anyway, it's good stuff here. What about you? Any good spiritual experiences?

Monday: This day was relaxing! We went to Russellville and made pumpkin bread. Then we went to the Brooksby's for dinner! Sister Brooksby is a great cook and she made us really great shrimps soaked in so much butter and lemons and tons and tons of seasonings. Finger food shrimps. So good! With potatoes, peas, carrots, and a salad. Welcome to the south! Haha they are nice though. They are actually really funny together! Elder Brooksby reminds me so much of dad's family! He reminds me of the old old version of Paul! Haha they are nice. It was a good P-day.

Tuesday: We met D and A today! They are a young couple who were really excited about the gospel! they asked so many questions and are ready for baptism and stuff. SO cute and great! We ate dinner with our close friendly investigators! They're really nice. We helped them clean the kids' rooms. They're so cute! They make the BEST food by the way. Holy cow. Fresh pulled pork, really good chicken fried rice, really good egg rolls, etc.

Wednesday: We did regular missionary work this day! We had Book of Mormon class and correlation meeting. But we also started our fast to begin the 40 day fast! It was really cool. So, we start the day before with a 24 hour fast to know what to fast from for 40 days, we pick something and work really hard and pray really hard to make not doing it a habit! I'm grateful for the opportunity we have to fast for strength. The Lord recognizes our progress and is happy when we sacrifice something hard for the greater good. Fasting and prayer brings blessings!! :)

Thursday: Specialized!! I was so nervous because I had no idea what would really go down at the specialized training. (For mom who may not know, we have District meeting, zone meeting, and specialized training, and transfers that rotate every week. Then there's the special ones with like multi-zone meetings or mission meetings that rarely happen. District is just with your district, which for us is Elder Holden, Elder Foster, the Brooksby's, and us! Zone meeting is with the whole zone and the Sister Training Leaders and Zone leaders instruct us on whatever they feel inspired. We also give an accounting of our weekly and monthly progress. Specialized is with the whole zone again and it is lead by the APs. They give a little bit of instruction, the zone leaders give a little and then president Wakolo gives a lot. Then we all go out to the area we are in and proselyte! And we eat lunch. It's great.) We got there and received some of the AP's instruction, they taught us how to introduce the Book of Mormon using the pictures at the front. It was pretty fun actually. We did a few role plays and I learned that I need to look happier when I talk about things that make me happy!! Then  President Wakolo taught us about the Plan of Salvation. He gave some good insights about how it all works together. Basically, we need the Gospel of Jesus Christ so much. In order for us to progress in this life AND in the afterlife, we need to have faith, repent, be baptized, have the Holy Ghost, and endure to the end. He talked about needing to repent and then be baptized. And we can apply that to sacrament. We don't take the sacrament and then repent later, we repent, and then take the sacrament so we can be clean. Also, again, we need the people on the other side of the veil and they need us. Temple work is SO important! We need the blessings and the help and they need the ordinances. Go to the temple!!

We then went like 3 minutes away from the church in Russellville and did some tracting. Everyone splits up and changes companions. I went with Sister Lewis who is one of our STL's and she is really fun to teach with! We prayed to find a family, and the first house we knocked on was a wife with 2 sons who just moved in and are LOOKING FOR A CHURCH. She was really excited about the Book of Mormon. So cool. Second house, senile old lady who could hardly breathe because getting up to answer the door was exhausting. They'll go back and check on her when she's not half asleep. Then we went to the next door and met this lady who is starting to lose it but she was so nice! She told us the story of her husband's death twice, which was so so sad actually. But we were able to teach her some good principles. She didn't want to hear about the proper authority to be baptized, but they are going to take her a large print Book of Mormon this week. SO specialized was really cool! It was a good fun missionary time. Being with other missionaries is always uplifting and I'm grateful for their examples of faith and happiness and being so friendly and firm in the gospel. This is a good mission! When we got back, we all gave a report of how our blitz went, and my favorite part was of course President Wakolo. He came back like an hour late and when we gave the reports he literally said "bashing is fun!!" Haha that's like the number one thing they don't like us to do because it's contentious and doesn't get anywhere. But I guess when you're bold and loving and smart like President Wakolo, it's fun? Haha he's super great! I guess he's really persistent. Everyone that tells stories of teaching with him says that he doesn't ever back down from people. He pushes them to read and to be baptized and to pray and all that. It's pretty cool. WWPWD (What would President Wakolo do?)

Friday: We organized the study room. Holy Hannah. After many transfers, this room has been DECLUTTERED!! If only you knew. If only you could see. Mom, you would be so proud of me. (Poetic, I know.) It's so nice! We never wanted to go in there. But we somehow made the bikes fit in the closet and totally rearranged everything, so now we have desks! I would usually study on the couch or at the table. It's way better in there. Also, there's this cool tapestry but Sipple and Ponce hate it! They don't like the halo around Jesus or the cute baby lambs. So, I got the desk that faces it because I like it a lot! I had a small realization that day about Jesus. I love that He has so many names because it means He does so much! Maybe that is an obvious observation, but the only name that can fully capture Him is "I Am." He just is! I'm so thankful for my Savior and Redeemer who loves me and knows me. I really liked somewhere that we talked about judgement day, I can't seem to remember when! We talked though about judgement day being done by a friend. Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ are our friends and they are the only ones worthy of that judicial seat. I'm so so grateful for their love.

Also we had the branch movie night! President Hall put on Ephraim's Rescue. One of my favorite quotes was "As I communicate with the lord, the lord communicates with me." We need to turn to Him so that our hearts are in the right place to hear His counsel! food for thought.

Saturday: MISSIONARY WORK!! We had a goal this week to find 15 new investigators. It's a pretty lofty goal. So, we started out at 1:30 after our studies and stuff. We walked a ton and found 7 new investigators! A few families. So cute. Three Spanish families and one mostly English that also speak Spanish. Cutest kids here in Danville!! The people are really so kind. After a long day of tracting and stuff, we went to the church for our Saturday nigh sports night! We usually go to the race track but we didn't have enough miles. So, we showed up, 10 minutes later the elders did too, and that was it. So we just playe phase 10 for the evening and Katie came and we called it a good night! It was actually really good to get to know the Elders a little bit better because we never get to talk to anyone and they are our district leaders, so it's good to get to know the people we work with. I'm so grateful for the priesthood! It's comforting to know that I have been called and sustained by those with the authority to call and sustain missionaries for the Lord's work.

Sunday: I played again in church today! It actually really calms me down. I get to play prelude music before sacrament and it is a great stress relief. I'm thankful for the talent I have to be able to (sometimes barely) play the hymns and invite the spirit. I'm grateful for music and that the spirit can always be there with hymns! Someone said that angels always sing with missionaries! I think that angels always sing hymns in general. Anyway, after church, we were able to go out and do some more finding. We went to a few houses around where we live and then we walked over to a neighborhood that we have wanted to try for a while. Unfortunately, we didn't reach our goal of 15. BUT I think it's really cool that we did set that goal because if we hadn't, I don't think we would have worked as hard to get even the 7. But we set a high goal and the Lord helped us with what was possible. It was a fun week! But Sunday, either they didn't answer or they were sick or about to leave. (Actually all valid excuses. The sick lady was so pale and the leaving people actually did leave a few minutes later.) We stopped and talked to some kids that were playing outside and they were really cute and nice, but their mom came out and said a few words to us and went inside. So we left, and as we left one of the little girls said "BYE FRIENDS!!" Haha so cute! And when we were just talking to the kids before, one of the little boys was like "well we have time right now. My family is just inside" he kept trying to get us to come in but his mom didn't want that. We will probably go back sometime. The gospel is true!! Then, we finished our studies.

Again, I am so grateful for the gospel. The people here are so humble and willing to accept God into their lives. I'm so grateful to know that this is the true church and to have my faith being set in Christ. I am also really working on allowing myself to be molded. We were all reminded of being the potter's clay in conference, and for me this is such a crucial time to do so! I pray that I can get over my pride and be molded into what I need to be while still being me. Does that make sense? I love you all. Please keep praying for us here in Danville! And all the missionaries everywhere!! Your prayers are felt and needed.

Nos vemos!

Hermana Macfarlane