THING I NEVER THOUGHT WOULD HAPPEN AS A MISSIONARY:
#33: Have my fashion sense de-escalate at such a rapid rate. I had a teenage boy investigator pray that I would burn my outfit. What a turd.
What an amazing week! It started out with a weird prompting. We felt that we should call an investigator, Adam, who had dropped us when his aunt who is a member told him he couldn't try to date the missionaries. Lol. He lost interest. But then we felt a prompting to call him. He is one of those homeless investigators, so it was lucky we got a hold of him. He basically said he was still interested in learning about religion, but from a priest of another religion or something. We were outside a few hours later and we happened to see someone walking. ADAM!!! We asked is we could walk with him and he said we could follow him to a coffee shop where he hangs out with his band mates. We sat down and started teaching him the Doctrine of Jesus Christ and pretty soon the barista Caroline asked if she could join in, because she had always wanted to know what Mormons believed. We started teaching them both and they had tons of questions. Caroline, it turns out, is only nineteen but has lived in foreign countries, is like a genius, speak fluent Turkish and can read Arabic or something, and is an anthropology major! I was able to testify to her how studying anthropology for me had made it very clear that what I believe is the source of truth. Pretty soon a band mate joined in, and a customer, and this random guy waiting for the bus. At one point everyone in the coffee shop was listening to us teach. It was amazing. At the end Caroline asked if she could read the Book of Mormon for herself. She was so grateful she made us this delicious herbal tea on the house! It was amazing! We walked away with several new investigators and new friends.
Also, we have amazing news: Brother Linder has chosen to be baptized!! We got the best news ever when we tried to call Brother Boyd to ask him to come to a lesson. {Brother Boyd is the star MVP by the way. He just walked up to the missionaries one day and asked to be baptized because he felt a sense that's what he needed to do} He said, "Well I'd love to, but I just spent last night with him at our family Home Evening Group." So apparently him and his wife have been attending FHE with members of the ward now. "Brother Linder told us all last night he has decided to be baptized!" Brother Boyd told us. We were ECSTATIC. Next time we saw him, he made a date to be baptized. We called them half an hour after we left and asked if they'd like to have the baptism and confirmation of separate days, but Sister Linder said, "Nope! Already sent out all the invites to all of our friends!" They are very loved in the community and the ward.
When Brother Linder came for his interview, one of the missionaries nearly fell over. He had taught him a year or so ago, and said that at the time he had said he would never be baptized. So funny. I remembered the first time we taught them. Sister Forseth had this talk to share with them: "Living for the Eternities" and the blessing of an eternal perspective, with all the amazing blessings we get from covenants. Brother Linder said, "Yeah, that means nothing to me." I don't know what happened, but it was amazing the steps they made in between visits. I remember how his prayers changed. At first he would pray to know the truth. Then he would pray for his head and his heart to align. Then he started praying to be nudged, or pushed, in the right direction by the Spirit. The Spirit took over. Now they are very excited about the Word of Wisdom. Tammy quit coffee this weekand they won't even drink caffeine or herbal tea. They won't even buy gas on the Sabbath! Their commitment to the Gospel is astounding. I remember I thought it would be a while still until Tammy was ready to go to the temple. She was so nervous about it. but now they are gun-ho for their recommends!
Derika taught Sunday School this week. She did AMAZING! She went from anti Mormon to loving everyone in the ward and teaching class. She is so going to be a member someday. It was literally the BEST lesson I've had, and it was so fun! She had everyone in class engaged. she and her husband are so much more in unity than before, it's amazing how the gospel strengthens marriages.
Also we had a cool lesson with the Jarnigan family. We kind of had a breakthrough with them. Their friends are really helping them move along. They have so many questions! And we had a lesson where the parents were just firing questions left and right. They are so curious to know. In the middle their teenage daughter kept asking, "Dad, can I talk now? Dad, I have a question!" So she came over to me and showed me her Book of Mormon. "What does this mean?" She asked. She point to the passage in Helaman 5:44."And Nephi and Lehi were in the midst of them; yea, they were encircled about; yea, they were as if in the midst of a flaming fire, yet it did harm them not, neither did it take hold upon the walls of the prison; and they were filled with that joy which is unspeakable and full of glory." "Why were they afraid but joyful? Why didn't they get burned when there was no fire?" I asked her what she thought. "I think God was with them." It was a profound moment for me. "How did you find that passage, Jenna?" "Well I've read to this chapter. Haven't finished the whole book, but I'm working on it." In less than a month, she's read that far. Incredible. She is really the choice of God!
That's one thing I think I can take away from that scripture. We could not have trials without becoming stronger. We could not have glory had we not known darkness, like in their story. And in the darkest of hours, God is with us.
Love you, But Jesus loves ya BEST!
Sister Pugmire
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