10/14/13: Festiva Sighting

(Editor's Note: Emily sent home her sd card this week.  I told her that we loved all the pictures, but it would be nice to know the stories that went with them, and I hoped she would remember them when she got home)

I wish I could tell you about all the pictures and people, but I am sure you guys can make up stories that are just as fun :) It is a little freezy off and on, but nothing too serious yet, mostly just days when in the sunshine is perfect but the shade is NOT.

I have had a few cranky days, or minutes, or times.  It isn't really fair to say all day because SO MUCH happens in a day.  We learn a lot, but there is always so much more.  Study time is tough in the morning because there are a crazy number of things that I want to go over/learn more about/become better at/look up scriptures for.  But one step at a time right?  Even though I get distracted, I am really trying to focus on the lessons for now, and just looking up other things when I have a specific question or situation in mind.  But I want to know it all!  Sister C's birthday is today so Sister Z and I are going to get/make a cake for her and the zone, so I will eat cake for Dad ;) (Editor's Note: Emily's Dad's birthday was yesterday)

I am learning a lot about the preparation that needs to go into an area, and into people, before those connections do happen and things start moving forward.  It is tough because our purpose as missionaries is to invite others to come to Christ and help them recieve the Gospel, and I love eternal families and I love eternal life and I want people to know.  I want to adopt all of them and bring them all in and show them.  It is difficult to be on the outside of their lives and see how the Gospel makes so much sense and would be so good for them and bring so many blessings and have the patience to wait until they are ready to see those differences and needs for themselves.  That is why the ward is so important.  We can put names and information down in the area book (and don't get me wrong, I love the area book) but unless we leave a person behind who knows those people and will be able to stick around and love them until they are ready to learn more and care enough to go in and help when they are ready, people get forgotten and lost.  So preparing people is tough, but that is what needs to happen.  Everyone prays to find those who are prepared to receive the gospel, so I guess I can handle a little frustration in order to answer some other people's prayers ;) And I do get to see quite a few brother of Jared type miracles (Ether 3:5) and miracles going on around me in the district and zone that I get to be a part of as we all work together :)

Some of our little miracles?  Well addresses are not always recorded very well in the area book, so one night we went to look for a potential investigator who we only had an intersection for an address.  We found him at the first house, and though he is okay with where he is at and not interested in discussions right now, he did have one question about the plan of salvation that we were able to answer for him, and expand his understanding a little bit more.

The next day we got to answer a question which a man had kind of wondered for 60 years.

While on a tracting blitz on Saturday with Sister D we happened to skip a house which Sister Z and I went back to later because he is a member of the ward but less active, so we were able to visit him knowing his name and have him not be forgotten :)

Speaking of which, we did an exchange Friday to Saturday because I am companions with an STL (Sister Training Leader), and Sister D is companions with the other STL so we got to be companions for the day.  If that makes sense.  I got to drive :) The day really gave me more appreciation and understanding of Sister Z, since we were in my area for the day so I had to drive/know where we were going and what was going on.  Plus, as a district we were all committed to 'finding' for 3 hours on Saturday morning, which for us was going to be tracting, and Sister D had never tracted before!  So that was an adventure being the experienced one in something :) But we did some good and she was awesome and it was a good experience for all of us I think.  Sister D and I will actually be companions every week for the next three weeks as well as our companions conduct other exchanges.  Should be fun!

I love you all and have an awesome week!

love, Sister Emily DeFord

We found a Festiva while tracting!  It would have been a great lead in to conversation, but the family wasn't home.  Maybe next time!