Week 44: If Life Were Fair, We'd All Be Burning In Hell

5 Questions: 

1) Would you have time if Shannon & Tony got permission to take you and your comp to lunch when they were out there?  I gave Shannon Sister Hall's number in the office so they could call before they left for their Indiana trip next week.

2) Did I mention that I was called into the new YW presidency in the ward last week?  I thought I did, but you didn't react at all to the news.  I figured you, more than anyone, could understand how much better that is for me than Primary. ;)

3) Did you hear from your brother (finally)?  He said he wrote to you last week or so.

4) Will you please let me know when you get the little package I send on the 1st?

5) Any new investigators?  I feel badly that you only have two to work with at the moment.

1. We would have time but I am not sure that we'll get permission for that. But if we get permission, sure! We would just have to stay in our area is all....and there aren't a ton of options here. But I'm sure we could figure something out.

2. Yes you did mention it. Sorry I didn't say anything in response. I meant to do so and then forgot...but that's really cool! haha of course, right after you've come to terms with Primary... I feel like that happens to a lot of people...did to one of my companions at least.

3. I did. haha it made my day

4. I will let you know, but I imagine I will get it either tomorrow at zone training or on the 21st (?) because that's the next zone meeting we'll have. We only get packages at meetings like that or transfers.

5. A few more investigators, yes. haha I'll tell you more in a moment.

So I have a maybe bad habit of getting somewhat passionate when someone starts telling me that what I believe (and know to be true) is codswallop. Which may be a problem, but may not be a problem, I don't know exaclty. But so this week we had the opportunity to speak with an 88 year old retired Lutheran (?) pastor. Wow. That was quite the experience. I gave him a card of the painting depicting when Christ visited the Americas and as I explained the story, he told me that I was sadly confused and that I must be getting my information from a bad source because that didn't happen. I told him that I got my information from God so I'm pretty sure it's sound. To be honest, I hadn't completely realized that there are people who believe that the heavens ARE sealed and that God doesn't speak to us--that personal revelation does not actually exist. I was somewhat dumbfounded by that notion as I thought about it after the fact. But in the conversation, my companion and I testified of the Prophet Joseph and of the Book of Mormon. So I know we did everything we could've, even if I did get a little passionate about it.

The next day we talked to a Jehovah's Witness lady. She was super nice! I asked her how she knows the Bible is the word of God and she never gave me a straight answer, unless you count asking me how I know the Book of Mormon is the word of God. But, exactly in the moment where it was on the verge of contentious, my brilliant companion asked if she could use their bathroom--we were standing on their porch--so that eased some of the tension. Then when she came out, we said we had to go and asked if we could say a prayer. So at least the seed has been planted. All in all, it was an overall good experience. I do honestly appreciate her dedication to prayer, and she was very knowledgeable about Bible scriptures. I do know for myself that the Bible is the word of God, but I wish I was more familiar with it. It just confuses me and kind of makes my brain hurt, so I don't study it as in depth as I would like to. I will though, after my mission.

Anyway, this week was amazing! We met so many prepared, elect people. Monday night we met a young man named Alandis who is very interested in turning his life over to God. Later in the week, we had a member with us and we went to Alandis to try to set up an appointment with the Elders since we were in his area (he's English speaking only so we have to hand him over) and we ended up having a lesson and he accepted a baptismal date for 1 August! SAY WHAT?!! Oh man, he is so so golden.  Possibly the most prepared person I've ever met. So that was super cool. Unfortunately, we wrote his number down wrong (we're a little dyslexic) so the elders can't call actually him....but he committed to come to church this coming Sunday (he was going to be in Chicago this past weekend for the 4th) so that'll be cool. The elders didn't seem quite thrilled enough when we told them though....but I guess that's the difference between the two genders.

Also, we met a young lady named Jessica--actually, we met her mother a couple weeks ago and then last week she gave us her daughter as a referral--and we taught her and put her on date! We had faith that she could be baptized in three weeks (she's so ready) but she didn't come to church this Sunday so now she's off date. [Sometimes I kind of wish we didn't have agency--then the Spirit prods me and reminds me of the councils of heavens in the premortal life when Satan tried to take away our agency and then got thrown out of heaven...] But we'll see her this week and hopefully figure out when she needs to be on date for. She's so awesome though. I'm excited.

That's basically it. We saw a lot of miracles this week, but I don't want to wear your eyes out from reading too much. Also, my neck is killing me and I still need to write to other people. Suffice it to
say the work is hard, but the work is true. Satan really doesn't want us to succeed and he knows how to get to us--one of the biggest things I'm learning is to overcome my tendencies to give in to Satan's whisperings. But it's a process and I'm relying on my Savior to help me do so. I love this Gospel and I can't imagine doing anything else than building up Zion here in Rochelle.

Love, Hermana DeBuck

P.S.
How did you prayers go about Joseph Smith?

P.P.S.
Hermana LaBonte told me this morning during exercise that I was talking in my sleep last  night--about the plan of salvation. Basically it's been my dream to know the doctrine well enough to teach it in my sleep--mission accomplished!

P.P.P.S. (Fotos)
We took pictures with the corn again, except we realized that the spot we picked wasn't really  growing at all, so we also took a picture in a different spot where the corn has actually grown. Isn't it so lovely? (Also, isn't my hair fantastic...)

 

 [Finally, I think my eyes ARE actually open....in the tall corn picture....maybe]

 

That's a picture of my neck--in about three hours I got seven mosquito bites on my neck alone (12 in total)....

We got out of an appointment late so we weren't going to be home until after 9:30 so we had to let President (Griffin) know and this was his response.

 

I think the branch knows my name, but it's questionable now...