I feel like I have lots of thoughts today so sorry if this email is a mass mush of things....
Learning never ends! Not even at the end of your mission! I still feel like a new missionary. Often times I wonder if I've even changed at all because I still have SO MUCH to learn about the simplest truths that we teach every single day! It always amazes me how much the Lord continues to reveal to us. Learning really is an eternal thing. Just when we think we know something, the Lord humbles us and shows us that there is more to know.
On my mission I have found out that I love to learn, I love to seek knowledge. I love learning about what past Prophets and Apostles have said. They are so full of insight! I feel like I just can't get enough of the scriptures or Preach My Gospel. My companions tease me because I carry my PMG with me everywhere I go. But it's because just in case someone says something inspiring, or meaningful, I want to write it down so I don't forget it! The scriptures teach us the importance of keeping a record, so why not do it? I have to admit, I haven't been the best at keeping a journal my entire mission- but I have made it my goal to do all I can to at least write something down for the day to trigger memories.
Ok so last Thursday we had a pumpkin carving contest with all the sisters and senior couples. It was soooo much fun! Sister Jones and I teamed up and carved a baptism symbol into our pumpkin with M.I.M carved at the top. (Ya, that's when you know you've been a missionary too long.) The other sisters did some pretty funny stuff. It was a good time. I love serving at the Liberty Jail because you get so close to all the senior couples and the sisters you live with. Sister Ogletree and I are the "house party planners." And so every Saturday night, after planning, we've been gathering with all 8 sisters in the house and playing fun get to know you games and eating lots of junk food. It's been really cool to get to know the sisters on a different level and hear about their funny stories and experiences. Haha plus, Sister Ogletree is as fun as they come, and so she's always full of these creative, hilarious ideas to get to know the sisters. I love it. It doesn't get any better than this! I feel like I have made so many lifetime friends on the mish.
Yesterday we were able to teach our investigator Eric, that we found outside last week. He is just the nicest guy! We brought a member from our ward with us- and he was awesome! To be honest we were a little worried how it would go because when we studied for Eric, things did not go smoothly. Being in a trio has its difficulties. It can be hard to know how to balance a lesson with 3 people. But once again, the Lord worked through us and it was such a powerful lesson. As we taught him about prophets, I kept feeling like I really needed to ask him if he knew what the role of a prophet was, so I did. Turns out- he had no idea why they were so important and so we were able to explain to him that they are vital to Christ's true gospel. Maybe you're thinking that's really not that big of a deal- but I just had this "ah hah" moment because the spirit totally put that question into my mind. I hadn't even thought about asking that question as we prepared to teach Eric. It's just so evident to me that God loves Eric as an individual- so much so that he would inspire me to ask that question so we could teach him with more clarity. And another great thing that happened was the things our member shared about himself- we found out he was a convert to the church and he was able to share his own testimony of how he knew the Church was true. It was just.. the best! Members are so powerful. I don't think we, as members of the church, realize the great work that we have to proclaim the gospel. Missionaries are wonderful of course, but we can be so intimidating to people because of our name tag- but members bring a sense of reality to the lessons. They are meant to be there every single lesson so each investigator has an automatic friend and someone they can turn to outside of a missionary!
So I received great news in the mail the other day- thanks to my sweet Sister Graff and Sister Dodd's help- I will be flying back to Missouri on December 1 for Ola's baptism that night! I AM SOOOOO EXCITED! I was really worried I wasn't going to be able to attend his baptism but now I will be! It'll be weird to go back and not be a missionary, but I'm just happy that I'll still get to be there. We have worked so much with him and grown so close to him. He is just the greatest and has become such a good friend to all us sisters who have helped teach him and prepare him to be baptized. The fruits of being a missionary are splendid. Even though it takes many negative experiences to see the positive, it's always worth it, just like I said last week. I love this work! I know time is short, but I'm doing all I can to make every second count!
Love, Hermana Conrow :)
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