This week was pretty amazing because we had an Apostle of the Church come and speak to our Mission! Elder Jeffrey R. Holland! He came to speak to us on last Thursday at 6:45 a.m. We were planning on getting there at 6:30, like we were told to. But then we heard that Sisters were going to start showing up at 5 and we determined with the members of our district that we would not let anybody get there before us and steal the good seats. So, naturally, we made a pact and we showed up at the East Gate of Temple Square right at 5 a.m. to discover that the gates were locked. Upon calling security to let us in, we discovered that they would not let us in. So we got up at 4:30 a.m. literally for nothing. We waited outside in 20 degree weather until about 5:30 when a nice maintenance guy walked by and let us in. I don't even know his name but God bless him. After waiting for another hour or so, Elder Holland was officially in the mission home! He let us all go up and shake his hand and tell him where we were from and that was just the coolest thing ever!
I got two big things out of his comments. One, that Temple Square may not see the fruits of our labors, but hour by hour, minute by minute, we are the most productive mission in the church. And that isn't to put other missions down, but with the number of guests that we have and how many people we talk to and teach, we just get to have that opportunity. What a blessing, even if we can't see the fruits of our labors all the time! The other thing is that a mission is extremely short. We need to make every single moment count. I loved that because sometimes the mission can seem really long, but really, 18 months is nothing. I'm so grateful for this time that I have to focus 100% on the Lord.
I hope everyone has an amazing week!
Sister Moran
p.s. we went to a pumpkin patch with some sisters in our zone last pday so enjoy these fun pics
****************************
Hey there my loving parents! Thanks for always supporting me here on the mission! Thanks for raising me in a nice and gospel centered home! Thanks for sending me packages and letters and for caring about my companions and sending them things too! I really appreciate all of those things and I just don't really think that I can articulate what it really means that you do all of this for me. So just thanks.
Okay so nothing really happened this week but I will tell you about some cool people that we found online:)
Stoney: She (I didn't know if it was a he or a she initially but then we discovered that it was indeed a she thanks to the local missionaries) requested a Bible. So, I called her and talked to her about her request and then I asked her why she wanted a Bible ( I know, what an inspired question;) and she said that she wanted it because it was different than other Bibles. I was like "what?" And she was like yeah it is different than the King James version and I was like ohhhhhhhhhhhh yeah the Book of Mormon. That is what she wants. The Book of Mormon. So then we are talking about the Book and how it could help her come closer to Christ and we were like okay okay do you want a physical or digital and she was like digital and then I was like dang it and I was hoping she was wanting a physical so that way we could send the local missionaries to deliver it to her. SO I told her that she could download the app and then texted her the link. Then (because I wanted her to meet with locals still) I told her that we had people that could study with her in person as well as me online and she could do both. I knew it would be a long-shot but BOOM she said yes, so we sent the locals!!! Turns out she is planning on going to church this Sunday and is a super sweet lady. What a miracle!
Etta: This woman is actually hilarious. The missionary department is doing this new initiative where they are wanting to get away from people requesting just an item, say a Bible or a Book of Mormon. Because, when people get the item, they just tend to stop talking to us when they get it. NOW, the missionary department is wanting to offer people experiences so that way they want to continue to meet online and in person. So now people can request Bible studies and Book of Mormon studies. So, Etta was a Bible study and she wanted to study online. I call her and we talk about it and it was a good conversation and then all of the sudden, she asked me what organization I was from. I told her "The Church of Jesus Christ" and she said "of Latte-day Saints??" and I was like "uh, yeah" and then I was like dang it she isn't going to want to do the Bible study. She went a little anti at that point and I was like ugh and I almost shut it down but then the Spirit was like, just stay patient, maybe she just doesn't understand. So, I answered her questions and corrected her many, many misconceptions. Let me tell you, it got the point where at the end I bore I think the most powerful testimony that I have ever given about the Book of Mormon and how divine it is and how much it has helped me and how it could help her. I promised her that if she read it with a sincere heart with the intent to ask, she would get an answer. And then she was just silent. I asked her "Is that something that you would be willing to do? To know for yourself if the Book of Mormon is true" and she just said "yes". Then she agreed to the local missionaries and we set up a time to call her back and talk more. She is a cool lady. Honestly, I don't know if she will go anywhere because she is pretty stubborn, but I do know that both of us can feel the Spirit.
Nesha: Nesha was another Bible study request and she was the cutest little lady ever and she just had the biggest desire for her and her family to come closer to God. This desire came from her 20-ish year old daughter asking her questions about God and Nesha realized that she didn't know the answers. So, she requested a Bible study so she could learn more about God and then help her family and they could join in later on. Well, said we could do that Bible study and then do her one better and I asked her if she had ever heard about the Book of Mormon. She said yes but not too much. So, I told her what it was and how it would help her come closer to God and know more of Him and of His Son soooo yeah. She said she would like to study that one too because the more she could learn the better!!! When the missionaries went over the second time, she had all of her kids there ready to listen and the missionaries taught the restoration and everyone was just enthralled and loved everything about it! Apparently Nesha said that this gospel is what she and her family needed at this point in time! What a miracle! We text her pretty often and talk about what she learns and how it is going and we are going to call her soon to read the Book of Mormon. It is such a miracle!!!
Kelly (I think that is her name anyway): Requested a Bible and it was a pretty standard Bible request call and then I just felt like I should tell her about the Book of Mormon which was weird because it was out of nowhere but I was like yeet why not and then she said that she used to have one!!! She told me that when she was younger she had gone to church and also girls camp with one of her friends when she was younger but had since lost contact and her Book of Mormon, but she said that she would love a new copy! We are going to be calling her in the next few days so pray for her! I think her name is Kelly... I think lol.
I also talked to a crazy guy named Quentin on the phone and he straight up told me that he was married and that he had a fiance that he was having sex with and he asked me if that was a sin. I said yes that is a sin. He said he wanted to follow Jesus Christ more and I asked him if he was willing to do take the steps to do that and he said no because he likes his fiance too much and straight up, he told me that going to heaven wasn't enough motivation for him to stop and change his life. It was really sad. He said he still wanted to meet with the missionaries though and I told him that I was not comfortable sending them so I wouldn't. He said he would give me a call in a year when he was married to his fiance and was no longer sinning. What a guy. Poor Quentin. Maybe pray for him? He needs it.
I'll end my email with some fun quotes that we have had from this past transfer:
"Your mom" - Sister Simon (Australia)
Sister Brinkmeier in the Temple: "Okay, I'll just tell them that I am diabetic and that I am crashing and I have to go through to the celestial room first" me: "You're going to lie in the Temple?" Sister Brinkmeier: "Well I didn't say it was the perfect plan"
"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take... I think Michael Scott said that" - Sister Moran
"Wow, my beauty is so fake" - Sister Brinkmeier
"Oh FLEEP" - everyone our apartment
"Hey boo boo" - Sister Duapa (Philippines)
"Elder Holland has really soft hands" - Sister Galvez (Georgia)
"This transfer went faster then the money on my card" - Every sister on this mission
Well I hope you enjoyed this email! It took me a hot minute to write so, you're welcome. Also, Sister Brinkmeier and I are trying to think of low-key Halloween costumes that we could wear on square. If you could do some pinterest searching and get back to us with some low-key ideas, it would be much appreciated. Thanks!!
Love and miss you both so much!! Talk to you next week!!!
Love
Em
No comments:
Post a Comment