1) How is the corn doing? haven't seen a photo in a while.
2) Can you begin to feel the change in seasons yet? Do you need your winter stuff sent? Perhaps, if she agrees, I can send it to you while you live near Sister Walters. ;)
3) do you read the scriptures in Spanish for your study time? What have you noticed about them that is different than they are in English? IS there any difference?
4) Did you get your investigator to church to see/hear the Women's Session of conference? Wasn't it great?!? I loved Pres Uchtdorf's story about Great Aunt Rose.
5) Do you have transfers coming soon? Are you worried you'll go? or worried you'll stay?
- It's doing well. Getting pretty gold looking. At least the ones that haven't been harvested. We keep watching for someone to be harvesting while we're driving around so we can take a picture with the harvest, but no luck yet.
- Just a little bit. I don't need winter stuff yet though. I've got some cardigans I can layer with, plus some scarves. So I'll be fine for this month or so I think. If not, I'll let you know. I would imagine you can probably just mail it near the end of October, when transfers are, and just mail it to the office. Then I'll for sure get it and I don't think it'll be too cold before then. I'll let you know if I change my mind though.
- Well, during our hour of personal study, I study in English usually. Sometimes I'll study Preach My Gospel in Spanish to make sure I've got all the words I'll need in my head, but I've pretty much mastered the Gospel words I would say. But then during our hour of language study, for 20 minutes we read the Book of Mormon out loud together in Spanish, to practice reading Spanish, hearing and understanding Spanish, and saying the slightly weird scripture language in Spanish. During the 20 minutes that my companion studies grammar, sometimes I read out of the seminary and institute manuals in Spanish and find quotes to write and put in my scriptures. Sometimes I read from the dictionary and find words that are more common in Mexico or in Latin America, or sometimes I study grammar that I haven't studied for a while and want to brush up on.
- Unfortunately, we didn't get any investigators to women's conference. We almost did, but things came up. However, yes it was amazing! haha it was kind of funny though. So we got there a bit late because one of the sisters we carpooled with was running a bit late. And then during the second speaker, a lady from the stake Relief Society presidency came up to us and was like "Are you Spanish sisters?" When we nodded yes, she said "Why aren't you watching this with the Spanish speakers? There are three sisters back there and I don't know who they are--if they're members or investigators. You need to go be with them." So, we did. Luckily, I've watched some conference things in Spanish before and I am pretty good at understanding anything relating to the Gospel. But my poor companion. She said she understood some but not enough to get much out of it. So we'll be watching it again as soon as we can, but this time in English. My favorite talk was Sister McConkie's. Oh my goodness. You could just hear the passion in her voice! We are all involved in the cause of Christ, as baptized members of His Church. But it's still up to us if we are going to fulfill our duties or not--and receive the promised blessings or not.
- Transfers are the end of October. I believe the 27th. And I'm not worried about staying or leaving because I don't think about it until the Saturday before transfers when I have no choice but to think about it. I don't like contemplating what might or might not happen because I'm here until I'm here, and I'm here to work. So that's what I do.
Well. Where do I begin...
So first off, Mother, please do not be alarmed. Everything is fine now. Okay? Keep that in mind..
So
on Monday we went to help a recent convert and her family out because
they're remodeling their house. All we did was move pieces of wood from
one side of the yard to the backyard so they could be picked up and
thrown away. But the problem was they had nails all over in them, so we
had to be careful. And for one brief moment, I wasn't careful enough. I
stepped on a nail. Now, I haven't done a whole lot of painful things in
my life so I think my pain tolerance must be pretty low. And oh my
goodness did that hurt! Almost immediately my foot was gushing blood. I
was just gonna push through the pain and keep going but that was not
going to happen. I felt like I'd walked through a swamp my sock was so
soggy. Luckily we'd basically finished everything so we told our convert
that we had to leave and got out of their. We called Sister Griffin and
she instructed us what to do so we did what she said. We had a random
reusable plastic bag in our car so I put my foot in that and applied
pressure after taking my shoe off. We get home and I sat on the counter
with my foot soaking in the sink. And I honestly felt like Moses for a
few minutes--I turned the water to blood. But anyway, long story short,
I'm basically 100% now and I hardly even limp anymore. haha so that's
good. The moral of my grandpa's life is now becoming mine: "God protects
the stupid".
On Tuesday we
taught a new couple and the hermano was seriously super into it. It was
awesome! It was also one of the best restoration lessons I've ever
taught. Hermana Henricksen and I, it took us a long time, but we finally
are teaching with a lot of unity and the Spirit is always super awesome
when we do. It was one of the most powerfully spiritual lessons of my
mission I'd say. It was awesome.
Wednesday, we
were somewhat rebuked in district meeting (all the district, not just
us) because we haven't been doing very good talking to everyone. So we
decided again that we were going to do it. And we did! And literally
only one person even accepted a card! But hey, we knew we were doing
what we needed to be doing. And I believe, because of that, we were led
to a couple that had previously been taught and we literally taught at
least one principle from each of the five lessons. It was crazy and
super awesome! Oh man. Loved it. I'm excited to keep teaching them.
Thursday was
crazy, as always. But we finally got all thirteen steps of weekly
planning done in 3 hours! The struggle has been so real because we
haven't been able to finish the last step (companionship inventory) in
the three hours so we always ended up doing it during dinner or after
nightly planning in the evening. But we finally did it! Also, I realized
I've learned a lot throughout this past year about controlling my
emotions. It only took me twenty years but I think I'm finally beginning
to get the hang of it! You'd be so proud, Mom.
Friday we
talked to three men in about the space of an hour and taught each of
them different things. The first looked nothing like the kind of person
who would accept a card with a picture of Jesus but in the end he ended
up accepting a copy of the Book of Mormon! He was awesome, and kind of
reminded me of Grandpa Dale a bit. haha he was fun to talk to. The next
man was walking a dog (his name was Patches) and he is absolutely
convinced that the Bible teaches that once we die our body will rot and
return to the earth, never to be taken up again. We taught and testified
of the Atonement and the Resurrection, but he wasn't having any of it.
He kept talking about all these things from the Book of Revelation and
I'm pretty sure he was just confusing himself. I am so so so grateful
for continuing revelation and for a prophet of God on the earth today.
Of course it's important to know the scriptures, but it's also important
to listen to the prophet who receives revelation for the welfare of
God's children in our days. And finally the next man was basically just
Bible bashing the whole time. We testified and testified and testified
until we were blue in the face (practically) of the prophet Joseph Smith
and the Book of Mormon. But, because he'd studied about "Mormon"
doctrine (honestly, it's not Mormon doctrine, it's God's doctrine, but
that's besides the point) he was convinced that he could befuddle us. He
even accused of of being "deceived by false teachers", of which it
warns in the Bible. Well I'm here to tell him and all of you reading
this that I, Hermana DeBuck, have not been deceived by false teachers. I
know by the very power of God that Joseph Smith is a prophet of God and
that the Book of Mormon is the word of God. I also know that there is
literally no other way to receive eternal life without the priesthood,
which was restored to the earth by God through Joseph Smith so that each
and every one of God's children could receive all the ordinances of
salvation--not just baptism. I know it, and I know that God knows it,
and I cannot deny it.
Saturday we
were in an area and had literally no idea what to do. So after we
prayed, the thought came to mind that we should try some former
investigators. So we looked at the list of people in that town and
picked one, named Ida. We went and realized we'd met her husband, Jose, a
week or two ago. When he answered the door, right away he told us "Oh
good! My wife wants to talk with you!" Family and friends, that was one
of the best moments of my mission. We were able to have a lesson about
the power of the Atonement, covering topics ranging from breaking the
habit of swearing to the martyrdom of the Prophet Joseph Smith. It was
truly amazing. I am so excited for this couple. I know that now they're
ready to progress more than they have before.
Saturday was
also the women's conference, but I believe I already wrote about that.
Suffice it to say here that the conference was amazing.
Sunday we
knocked the house of a potential neither of us had ever met and were
greeted by a high school-aged young woman who actually does believe that
it would be beneficial to have more of God's word. Well of course! She
seems really open and she told us she wasn't sure but thought her family
would be open as well. We're planning on teaching them this evening and
I am really excited.
As far as my
own personal progress goes, yesterday morning during my personal study, I
was feeling a bit down. Have been for the past little bit. But then I
read Helaman 10:4. And I felt like Heavenly Father was talking directly
to me. Because I wonder a lot if He is actually pleased with what I do
as a missionary. And this morning, the resounding answer was YES! The
second half of that message from the verse was that I need to "fear not"
the people. I just need to open my mouth and let it be filled! And it's
rather appropriate that yesterday was the first day of the week and of
this reporting period--I couldn't ask for a better day to recommit
myself to be exactly obedient and just talk to everyone. And so,
although the work has continued not exactly as we would have liked the
whole time I've been here, I know I'm learning from my mistakes and
striving to be better. And that's really the only thing that matters.
The
Gospel is true. The priesthood is restored. The Book of Mormon is
evidence that God loves all His children. Joseph Smith was the prophet
called from the beginning of time to restore the truth to the earth in
this last dispensation. Thomas S. Monson is God's chosen prophet on the
earth today. We are so blessed to hear him and all the chosen vessels of
the Lord speak every six months. This weekend, I invite you all to
write down a question that you would like God Himself to answer, and
then as you listen to the speakers, pay close attention to what the
Spirit tells you. I promise you that you will receive an answer to your
question, no matter what the question may be. If you will listen to the
Spirit, He will tell you what you need and want to know.
Love,
Tu Hija y Amiga,
Hermana DeBuck
Fotos:
1) A picture of my foot, after we'd washed off all the blood and whatnot. It
looks like I just scraped myself or something....I promise it was a lot
cooler looking before we washed it. But I wasn't really thinking about
taking pictures:
3) I've decided that one goal of my mission is to find a ginkgo tree in each area. Finally found one in Rochelle--and it was huge!
4) Also, you'll be happy to know that I actually learned something all those years at Girls Camp: found some Lamb's Ear growing out of the sidewalk of a member's home! How cool! Now if only I could remember what poison ivy looked like...
5) Here's the corn picture, as requested:
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