Dear beloved relatives and kinfolk,
It has been a week. Some news! I will be staying in Woodstock with Sister Tait
for another transfer! (: WOOO!
Update on Alex! He was progressing and then fell off of the face of the map. Apparently, went to the Bishop Youth Discussion about a week back! We're encouraging the young men to continue developing friendships with him, but we haven't been able to see him. We hope that as he keeps coming to youth dances, BYD and the like that he'll regain interest given time.
Miracles!
This week, we felt like we needed to go up a little road. The house that we felt inspired to knock on yielded no life when approached and knocked, but as we knocked the third time, we heard, "Nobody's home!" hollered from down the hill. We turned around and looked to where an older gentleman was sitting on his front porch. We walked over, introduced ourselves, talked with Harry (the older gentleman) a bit, and set up a return appointment with him and his wife Emmy for the next day.
We got to their house the next day, and guess who answered the door? Harry! Guess who greeted us when we came in? Emmy!! Guess who sat down at the table with us? Both of them!!! I love it when people keep appointments! We were just settling into our seats when their daughter, Cyrene, walked in. She sat down and said, "I hope it's okay that I didn't bring my Bible." We talked with them for a minute more, got up for Cyrene to show us out the window in the other room which house was hers, and when we came back in, guess who was there?! Emmy's sister Robyn, sitting at the kitchen table with her great big bible in front of her. I loooooove it when people not only keep their appointments, but invite their entire family!!!
We got started with a prayer and preceded to relate the message of the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ to these four lovely people. They asked really good questions! They also told us where everyone else in their extensive family resides so we can visit all of them too. We invited them to read the Book of Mormon, pray to know the truth of it, and to be baptized. They said that they would read and pry about what they read! They don't entirely understand the significance of the priesthood or baptism by immersion yet, but we have an awesome convert named Brother Heishmann coming with us tonight to study with them. We're hoping that he can help us convey the importance of following the example of Jesus Christ by being baptized baptized by immersion by the someone who has the priesthood, or the authority to act in God's name. We will see how this goes! Hopefully there is enough room at the table if more of their family decides to come! ^-^
We also met other amazing people this week! We had met a young man named David a few weeks ago, and we decided it was time to visit him. When we got there, David and his wife Miranda were outside of their trailer home chatting and waiting for their son, Collin, to wake up from his nap in his car seat. We talked with them and got to know them a bit. They were high school sweethearts and he proposed while they were playing guitar hero. Family is hugely important to them. We talked with them about how the Gospel of Jesus Christ strengthens families.
We're going to be meeting with them again as soon as Miranda knows her upcoming work schedule. I am so super excited to go see them again. Their eyes lit up when we told them that their family can stay together for eternity. Their love for each other is so evident and obvious. It's amazing to see a young couple who has the courage to make that commitment of marriage and stick with it when so many of their peers are disinclined to commit to even an easy assignment. It warmed my heart to watch them together. David is very patient with Collin, who is hyper, and is kind to Miranda with his words and his actions. Miranda is gentle and encouraging with both David and Collin as the former fixes cars and the latter uses the cars as his own personal jungle gym. Collin is one lucky boy. I can't wait to watch as his life becomes even more full of light as his parents accept the gospel of Jesus Christ into their home. What a neat family!
Update on Alex! He was progressing and then fell off of the face of the map. Apparently, went to the Bishop Youth Discussion about a week back! We're encouraging the young men to continue developing friendships with him, but we haven't been able to see him. We hope that as he keeps coming to youth dances, BYD and the like that he'll regain interest given time.
Miracles!
This week, we felt like we needed to go up a little road. The house that we felt inspired to knock on yielded no life when approached and knocked, but as we knocked the third time, we heard, "Nobody's home!" hollered from down the hill. We turned around and looked to where an older gentleman was sitting on his front porch. We walked over, introduced ourselves, talked with Harry (the older gentleman) a bit, and set up a return appointment with him and his wife Emmy for the next day.
We got to their house the next day, and guess who answered the door? Harry! Guess who greeted us when we came in? Emmy!! Guess who sat down at the table with us? Both of them!!! I love it when people keep appointments! We were just settling into our seats when their daughter, Cyrene, walked in. She sat down and said, "I hope it's okay that I didn't bring my Bible." We talked with them for a minute more, got up for Cyrene to show us out the window in the other room which house was hers, and when we came back in, guess who was there?! Emmy's sister Robyn, sitting at the kitchen table with her great big bible in front of her. I loooooove it when people not only keep their appointments, but invite their entire family!!!
We got started with a prayer and preceded to relate the message of the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ to these four lovely people. They asked really good questions! They also told us where everyone else in their extensive family resides so we can visit all of them too. We invited them to read the Book of Mormon, pray to know the truth of it, and to be baptized. They said that they would read and pry about what they read! They don't entirely understand the significance of the priesthood or baptism by immersion yet, but we have an awesome convert named Brother Heishmann coming with us tonight to study with them. We're hoping that he can help us convey the importance of following the example of Jesus Christ by being baptized baptized by immersion by the someone who has the priesthood, or the authority to act in God's name. We will see how this goes! Hopefully there is enough room at the table if more of their family decides to come! ^-^
We also met other amazing people this week! We had met a young man named David a few weeks ago, and we decided it was time to visit him. When we got there, David and his wife Miranda were outside of their trailer home chatting and waiting for their son, Collin, to wake up from his nap in his car seat. We talked with them and got to know them a bit. They were high school sweethearts and he proposed while they were playing guitar hero. Family is hugely important to them. We talked with them about how the Gospel of Jesus Christ strengthens families.
We're going to be meeting with them again as soon as Miranda knows her upcoming work schedule. I am so super excited to go see them again. Their eyes lit up when we told them that their family can stay together for eternity. Their love for each other is so evident and obvious. It's amazing to see a young couple who has the courage to make that commitment of marriage and stick with it when so many of their peers are disinclined to commit to even an easy assignment. It warmed my heart to watch them together. David is very patient with Collin, who is hyper, and is kind to Miranda with his words and his actions. Miranda is gentle and encouraging with both David and Collin as the former fixes cars and the latter uses the cars as his own personal jungle gym. Collin is one lucky boy. I can't wait to watch as his life becomes even more full of light as his parents accept the gospel of Jesus Christ into their home. What a neat family!
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| Mom loves surprise photos that show up out of nowhere! This gal randomly decided to take a photo and post it to Facebook. |
Funny story of the week! As you may know, girl missionaries are called Sisters
and boy missionaries are called Elders. We were at the home of a less-active
Sister who has dementia. As we knelt in prayer with her before we left, she
thanked our Father in Heaven three different times that the Elders had come to
visit her today, that the Elders had shared such an uplifting message, and
asked that we, the Elders, would come back soon and often!! Sister Tait and I
thought that this was very funny. We've never been called Elders before! XD
Love you all to pieces,
Sister Naomi Rapier
Love you all to pieces,
Sister Naomi Rapier
