Sister Emily DeFord

Called to serve as a full-time missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Colorado Fort Collins mission.

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Tuesday, May 27, 2014

Week 40: 5/19/14

May 19, 2014
Cheyenne, WY
 
That awkward moment when...you start talking to people about the distance between Washington and Colora....Wyoming :)
 
Actually, yesterday a very cute little girl asked me how far away Washington was.  Not satisfied with "It is a long drive" she said "But was is the number?"  Haha I just do not know. {Editor's note: about 1,020 miles, give or take a few}
 
So I am super stoked because yesterday I finally was able to attend church here in the Corner Stone ward!  The weather was beautiful and warm so no snow at all!  Already from my visits with the members I have been starting to love this ward, but oh man I am so excited to be here!
 
(Mom I can sympathize, with how yesterday went, I am not sure I will be able to remember the rest of the week before that, but here is the gist!)  Bishop Lopez likes to ask the missionaries when he sees them how many lessons they have taught thus far in the week, he feels the responsibility of the ward to reach their goal and our goal of 20 lessons in a week. Yesterday at ward council was no different, and being informed that both companionships needed about 10 lessons to reach that goal, he asked if we thought we could teach 10 lessons in one day. I thought he was joking, and was pretty dubious, until he started counting families in the room.  With the members of the ward council offering their families and homes, we set up lessons for most of the evening (and as it turned out, they were lacking a Sunday School teacher for Gospel Principles), with several families having both sets of missionaries over within an hour.  Those lessons would bring each of us up to 19 lessons for the week.
 
We were left a few hours in which to contact the people we had planned for the day, and supply the 20th lesson ourselves. This was a miracle to me in itself, of the enthusiasm in that room from the ward leaders to achieve that goal together was incredible.  They don't just talk about the goals they set, they do something about them. More miracles followed, as we were able to have lessons with 2 of the people we planned for the day ourselves, as well as contact and set an appointment with one other, and follow up with an investigator who had not attended church as planned. It was an exhausting, but wonderful day as we tried to truly bring the Spirit to every lesson and teach specific to those families, despite the short time in which we were meeting with them.
 
One of the people we had planned and were able to teach yesterday was D. She is an investigator who had her first lesson in February and agreed to be baptized, but had been unable to have a lesson since then. We committed her to continue the lessons and explained that though we want to help her, and will help her all that we can, this is her journey and she must take the action to make changes in her life. She is excited to do so.
 
We happened to drive past the Elders last night, close to the close of the evening.  They were also exhausted after the marathon of lessons.  That is the best kind of tired though :) It doesn't always come from teaching 10 lessons in one day, but it comes from working diligently and faithfully throughout the day, whether that is in lessons or tracting or in one of those days where no one will answer their door but you went out and did your best.  We read in Doctrine and Covenants section 4 yesterday with the Bishop's wife about consecrating our whole heart, might, mind, and strength to the work of the Lord, and truly that is what we are blessed to do here.  We may be tired after, but we did our part and the Lord truly works miracles when we do so.
 
Also, I love kids!  Talking to them never fails to brighten my day.  As we were teaching several families yesterday, I was blessed to have some good conversations with 3 and 4 year olds, they have great things to say!
 
Yesterday was sure an exercise in teaching and full of opportunities to apply the things which we practice and study!  You never know what is going to turn into a missionary experience :) Just as I have been typing this at the library, the man next to me mentioned how fast I type and we were able to begin a conversation about the Church :) Miracles everywhere ;)
 
Okay, let's see about the rest of the week...we again had a couple of sick days as we have not yet been able to get the doctor in Boulder and the Lab in Cheyenne to coordinate so we can get my companion feeling better.  I did a lot of studying and I think "The Testaments" was played over 5 times....Options for sick movie watching are pretty limited as a missionary ;) We walked dogs for hours at the animal shelter and I learned about a 'small world' miracle.  A sister that I served with in Longmont had told me about a woman she taught in Laramie who was baptized a few months ago.  A man in Cheyenne who is less active and we are working with is dating that new member and she is a major factor in his motivation to come back to church.  it is incredible, unbelievable, exciting, I love missionary work!
 
One more plug for the cause of the missionaries.  Please, please, I beg of you, do not forget or cancel on the missionaries!  It is hard enough when people who aren't members of the Church do it.  I know sometimes we think "oh, it's only the missionaries" and we truly do still love you, even when that happens, but it is sad that these things, the gospel of Jesus Christ, is often moved to the 'luxury' part of someone's list, something that can be put off.  This is for here and now, today, every day!  It is a necessity, and not only that, but invites the windows of heaven to be opened to bless you and your family.  This I know for sure.
 
I love you and hope that your week is full of sunshine!
 
love, Sister Emily DeFord
 
 
TMFWD
 
 

This week, by request, is stripes!
 
And I have a super awesome family who sent me a halfway package--complete with only one sock out of a pair!  (Something about sock pictures this week...) :)
 
 
 
 
 
Roll of Duct Tape cut in half

Half a Bow

Minionary
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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