Hello loved ones!!!
How are you?!?! I hope you have had a wonderful week! This email is coming a tad later in the day so I hope you didn't think I was not going to email haha. The reason for this is because we had a zone outing this morning. The outing was called flour ball...yeah not my kinda thing haha. It involves filling pantyhose up with flour and then throwing these creations at each other. I didn't play the whole time because 1) it was so hot and 2) the elders get really intense. So I decided to observe and sit in the shade. I felt like a mom but oh well. It was fun to see the other elders today!! We drove to Joplin for that so we had to get up super early this morning. It was a fun trip though. But because of that I don't have time to really write letters today. I need to catch up on a few and am getting behind but I will work on it :) I am so blessed with wonderful friends and family who write me!!
Thanks for the packages mom and Ciara!! it is hard cause I write this email before I get home and see the mail. But I got those last P-day. Thanks for the healthy snacks Ciara :) Really though haha I need that. I also love the Disney pic with Corey!! I sure loved that trip.
I hope Ciara had a good birthday week. Are you all getting excited for the Spring Creek partay?! I sure hope so! Take some pictures for me :)
Well let's see about this week....
We tracted...A LOT. We are in the process of finding people. Tracting is exhausted but sometimes that's all it comes down to. We are trying other finding ideas but some days we just knock doors. It is hard but we have been blessed to find a few families who say to come on back. So we will see how that goes. When we tract though I really wish you could witness it. Some people we encounter are just so fascinating. Sister Boone and I also have our hair up in messy buns cause that is the only way to cope with the weather. I feel bad sometimes for our appearance at the door haha.
We have had a few dinner appointments this week with members and we have shared the Restoration with them. I love teaching it to members because it helps them remember when they came to know that Joseph Smith was a true prophet and that the church is true. This also helps them think of some people they can share the gospel with in their own life. It is so weird that I am a missionary who gives an "after dinner thought." Still hasn't hit me I guess!
We are working on getting the members to help. It is a big struggle in this area. We are blessed with a few who help us all the time but we could use more. I hope I remember this when I am older so I can help the future missionaries in my ward. I never realized before how big of a role members are in the work.
We had interviews with the mission president this past Thursday. He came to our District Meeting in Pittsburg and interviewed us all. It was nice to meet with him again. I can't say how grateful I am to have him as my president! He is amazing!! One thing that he helped me realize was that this is the Lord's mission, not mine. I am working on trying to really make that my mindset because I know that all of this is His work and I am just his instrument. It was really good to get some counsel from him again! I think Heavenly Father knew I would need to see him a lot for extra help haha. Sister Boone says we normally don't see the president this often at all so it has been a blessing to me. Oh random but he said that his brother is one of the stake presidents in Elko. So I am guessing the other stake? Anyways his last name is Shumway too so that was cool.
There was a baptism Saturday for an 8 year old girl in our ward named Jenna. I love this girl!! Her family is moving this week and we are really sad. I will put up a picture with her. It was a wonderful service. It made me think back on my baptism. I don't remember a lot but I remember the feeling I had. This was the same little girl who asked me if missions were fun :)
Sister Watts was the one I mentioned last week who we set a date...We moved it to August 18th cause of some ward conference conflicts. Sister Boone and I have been back and forth with her about if she is ready or not but this week we had a lesson and the spirit was definitely there! We both felt the same confirmation that she is ready. We are looking forward to it and hope things continue to go well.
We fasted as a Zone on Saturday for miracles in our zone because the work has been up and down the past few months. We fasted for a loooong time cause our dinner appt got moved down haha but I felt strength thinking about all the elders who were fasting too. We will be looking for the miracles :)
EVERYONE here smokes or chews tobacco. We teach the Word of Wisdom all the time and that is a big struggle for recent converts to continue to live. We use this program to help them stop. I feel like a motivational speaker as we do it with them cause it is pretty scripted but we try to personalize it.
We had a wonderful teaching experience last night!! We are teaching a part member family. The husband is a non-member. We went to have dinner and they were so kind. The mom says that they always treat the missionaries as if Christ were coming to their home. They don't have a lot but they gave their best. I was so humbled to see how kind they were and how much they truly admire missionaries. Brother and Sis Vance (parents of Jenna) came over to be at the lesson. The spirit was so strong!! They added their testimonies of forever families and how the gospel has blessed their life. After their testimonies, Sis Boone was like "Invite him..." I was nervous but I felt it too. I invited him to baptism and he said yes. We are working towards Sept 1st. It will come up here soon, but he is so prepared, so willing and has an open heart. This was a miracle to meet this family and we are so excited to continue to help him work towards Sept 1st.
I gotta wrap this up but I will give a bullet point version of random things I want to tell ya:
- everyone says "windahs" not windows
- I see cardinals all the time. They are so pretty. I am used to gray pigeons in Vegas
- the sunsets are the best. I look forward to them every day! the sky turns orange
- Everyone says was instead of using the past tense were haha
- I saw an armadillo!!
- I am getting crazy sister missionary shoe tan lines...no good
- John Deere stuff is everywhere. always think of Corey!
- We went to an Amish market this week...They have 22 lb watermelons. They were HUGE. The amish children were adorable.
- The bug bites are getting crazy. I got one on my face so sadly it looks like a pimple. not cute.
Alright family well I love you a ton. Have a wonderful week up in the SC! Be safe and know that I love you and am so grateful for all of your love and support. Until next Monday!!
Love,
Sister Magness
Pictures:
1st - we used your subway card :)
2nd - Jenna's baptism. sorry for the glasses glare!
3rd - beautiful sky early this morning
4th - gross pic after flour ball today
PS - Sis Boone's bday is this month. Any ideas on how to surprise someone even though they are always with you? haha send some bday ideas.
LOVE YOU!
No comments:
Post a Comment