Everyone Knows Someone in Colorado: Week 48: 7/14/14

July 14, 2014

Cheyenne, WY

Adam's Birthday!

I had all of these notes written in my planner of things that I wanted to say and do while I was on the computer, and then I left my planner at home! The best laid plans of mice and men...often go astray. That is probably a good theme for this week :) Going astray or changing the plans isn't necessarily a bad thing though!

First of all, due to various situations mostly outside of our control, my companion and I were only actually with each other for about half of the week! This began with an exchange on Tuesday morning when Sister Hay came over to work with me in the good ole' Corner Stone ward. We were able to get some good work done and find some new potential investigators! One of them we actually had a lesson with, and Sister Hay volunteered that we could help M____ learn English!

Wait a second. We do not speak Spanish.

Sister Christensen isn't sure she believes that I am not seeking out Spanish people, we have met three of them in the last week or so and there really aren't that many in Cheyenne. Plus we don't have any Spanish missionaries to refer them too :( However, since I served with the Hermanas before, I was able to say a closing prayer in Spanish which reinvolved M____ in the lesson so she could feel the Spirit, because her husband speaks more English and had moved the conversation beyond her level of understanding. So that was one miracle!

Wednesday and Thursday Sister Christensen and I got to be together and we had one of those days when literally everything falls through. At those times I have to wonder: is there something we really should be doing instead of whatever we planned but we aren't getting the message so Heavenly Father is trying to make it very clear? I am not sure :) However I feel like I have been improving in my ability to recognize and heed and have the courage to follow promptings from the Spirit.

That is huge, because in the world we live in, who really does know what is going on? I would rather be in a habit of heeding promptings from an omniscient Being who wants the best for me, before things get any crazier out there.

I also gave two trainings at two different zone meetings this week, and the most memorable thing I said in the meeting apparently wasn't even in my training ;) Which also didn't go really how I planned it, it was much better!

Exchange number two with Sister Jarvis! And because we had planned on doing quite a bit of walking that day, of course it rained all afternoon :) We did meet an awesome new potential investigator, M____, who was on the phone but invited us to come back on Saturday at noon. Sister Jarvis is a great sister, she is very bold but not judgmental in any way. Which is good, because otherwise the fact that we broke into a house would be very awkward.

Luckily, it was the house that Sister Jarvis actually lives in, because she broke her shoe and needed some new ones but we didn't have a key. So...we pushed up the window from the outside, popped open the screen and I climbed in and went around to unlock the front door. Just like we were pros ;)

The next morning we met back up at the church, Sister Christensen and I took a few deep breaths as we waited there for half an hour and then, exchange number three! With Sister Plenert, headed back over to M____'s house where she talked about her and her husband looking for a church and right now just looking to learn more about Jesus Christ. It just so happens that is what we are here to help with! She seems really open to learning and wants to do it as a family which is perfect! It is awesome too, because we met her looking for a different potential investigator who used to live there, who I hadn't planned on visiting with Sister Jarvis until it popped in my head and we went :) Yay for Heavenly Father knowing where we should be!

On Sunday, we finally exchanged back for reals just before ward council and church. Both of us very tired, but feeling like we accomplished a lot. Then, in Relief Society we had to all gather in the hallways of the church building because the tornado sirens were going. If one is going to happen, I think the church is the safest place to be!

Sunday was also Elder Oldham's birthday and he is now 20!

So this has been a long week, a good week, and I am excited for an even better week!

TMFWD: white :)

love, Sister Emily DeFord