Wednesday, June 20, 2012

It's been a good week

Dear Family,
 
I loved getting everyones emails.  They all made me laugh and I really enjoyed hearing about what is going on with everyone.  Happy Father's day dad and Happy Birthday Liz!!  I hope that it is super special for you.  This week has been pretty crazy but really cool. 
 
I was really happy that Brother Vassefi called you dad on Father's day.  The vassefi family is amazing and they translate as we teach the recent converts in the ward who only speak Farsi. It is a unique experience teaching and translating but we really love this family and all the help that they provide.  It's also nice because pretty much anything I say Brother Vassefi says "You said that beautifully."  Aww go on...  Anyway we went over for dinner on Sunday and brother Vassefi thought of the idea to call our dads all on our own.  It was really fun, because even though I couldn't even hear what you were saying- having that connection be so close it made both sister heath and I want to cry.  I thought a lot about you on Sunday. 
 
This week we have had a lot of cool little miracles.  First there is this girl that we have been working with and she has a testimony of the gospel but there are some things that she needs to work on.  Anyway It has been frustrating at times because there are times where we feel that what we are saying is falling on deaf ears, but we have loved her and worked with her.  Then we had a lesson on Thursday and out of no where she starts talking about how she is doing things to change and repent.  It was amazing.  As sister Heath and I left the appt we wondered what we did to help her.  We came to the conclusion that we didn't do a thing except love her and always support her.  Honestly sometimes I think missionaries are really just glorified visiting teachers and God takes care of the rest. 
 
So this week we have been trying to show a lot of faith.  It got to the point that we realized we needed to drop about 3 investigators.  It is always hard for me to do it.  Mostly because I always get worried, "Who am I going to teach now."  It's sad to say but I don't like dropping people because of selfish reasons.  I know that the Lord will take care of them and that he will put the church in people's lives when the time is rights.  Well anyway this week we dropped 3 investigators and miracles always happen when we do that.  We picked up an investigator that we have been trying to teach for about 3 months now.  Not only that but she comes to church every Sunday and it getting married by the bishop.  Now she just needs to have the desire to get baptized.  Anyway we just barely started teaching her this week and it is great.  That would have been miracle enough this week, but then...
 
We got a call from a member in the san diego mission that her friend wanted to come to church and take the lessons.  This is a former investigator from about a year ago that we had tried to pick up again on several occasions.  Anyway she came to church on sunday and as I was talking to her in the hall between sacrament and sunday school she said she had a dream about to elders and she woke up and knew that it was time to convert.  So we went over and had a lesson with her after dinner with the Vassefis and set a baptismal date with her for July 28.  YEA!! the only problem is that she is moving into the Carmel valley ward in 2 weeks.  I haven't gotten around to telling our district leader that we are going to pass off an investigator to him that just happens to have a baptismal date.  Maybe I should do that soon.
 
Oh and then the last little miracle-  We had a lesson with our investigator Kelli yesterday.  She is frustrating because she has an awesome support system but each time we had a lesson with her we felt like she was holding back.  Well I was worried that we were going to have to drop her if she didn't open up to us and start searching but then we had a lesson at the church and she just started telling us all of her concerns and worries about getting an answer.  We figured out a lot of things that are holding her back from getting an answer.  We left her in the chapel praying and are excited to see what happens.  I think it could be a long journey for Kelli, but I have no doubt that eventually she will get baptized because she feels the conviction that this is the Lords church.  I'm excited for her. 
 
This is my last week with sister Heath and I'm really sad about it.  We were talking to the assistants the other day and they were annoyingly good about not letting any transfer secrets out, (The Spanish Assistant told all the Spanish missionaries what was going to happen before he left.  Why can't our English assistants do the same things?!)   but from what they said it doesn't look good.  If I'm honest it never looked good.  Anyway we are super sad especially because we feel like good things are happening in Del Mar.  We have worked hard to get the ball really rolling and we want to keep working hard together.  If there is one thing I have learned is that the Lord knows what he is doing and we are put where we are supposed to be. 
 
Well I've run out of time. I love you all so much.  Liz I hope that your delivery goes well.  I'm really sad that I can't be there.  I love you!!
 
Love sister Allred

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