They played Andrea Bocelli at the funeral :)

Ha well this week has certainly been interesting! We had a lot of random funny stuff  that happened, and that was pretty fun. :)

Well, hermana Buys played organ at the viewing of the man who passed away in our ward. That was a big whole adventure all in itself that I wrote down in my journal- I'll have to tell you all later. But I'll give some highlights :) 

- It took us an hour and a half to get to the funeral home on walking and public transportation... It took fifteen minutes for members to drive us home-- missionaries really appreciate when you give them rides. :)

- They played Andrea Bocelli at the funeral :)

- The owner of the funeral home who kinda told us where to go and what to do the whole time was a character, and the only way to describe the way he moved was that he shuffled around. 

-There were random mishaps with the organ (that we laughed about later)

- I gave random people hugs-- cause I wasn't really doing much, and we didn't know very many people, and we figured we just needed to stay in the background and give them space because the majority of his family wasn't lds. Buuuuut random people came up to me crying and I would just give them hugs :) 

Then the next day was the actual funereal ceremony and hermana buys played at that too- and bishop asked all the missionaries to be there. It went really well and was actually a very beautiful and inspiring service. I looooooved the flowers. 

We had zone conference this week- I love missionary meetings :) it was so great and president is awesome and our leaders are awesome and in love feeling the spirit there. One of my favorite parts was when the new senior couple introduced themselves. The husband is a convert and I loved hearing his story!

We finally finished up contacting all the referrals a member family gave us this week. None of the others had really proven to be successful, and we had one left. We showed up and an older lady answered- we told her we were friends with the family up the street and they said that the family in this house would be interested in our message about Christ and eternal families. After talking about who the family was and concluding that this lady didn't know them, she let us in anyway and asked us to talk with her grandson. He was struggling pretty bad- his parents went through a nasty divorce, and he got caught up in a bad group of friends,and I'm pretty sure he's bullied too. He didn't really care about what we said, but we tried to talk to him and apply the gospel to him. He left after a bit and we kept teaching his grandma a little. We see so clearly how this could help their family, and we are so excited  to teach them  again this week :)

Friday was a funny day. We got permission to go to the opposite side of the ward to visit a lady and her mom because the elders didn't have time that day to visit them, and we thought it would be good for sisters to meet with her at least once. It took a long time to commute both ways, but it was fun to visit with them- they are so cute and sweet :)

Then we went to the church because we had to copy a talk for our lesson with hermana Selda in an hour, but the elders took the keys! Bah! They said they were bringing them right then, so we helped people in  the ward set up for the youth activity that night since we were waiting at the church anyway. :)

Saturday felt like pretty much a perfect day as far as missionary work goes :) we had lunch with a member (and helped her with her English- I love doing that). Then we went and talked about the temple with a less active and her mom who are both preparing. Then Hermana Buys and I got a surprise lesson when a former investigator let us in. She totally knows the church is true, but is afraid. She'll be baptized :) then, when we got out of that one, we were going to be suuuuuuper late to our next appointment. We booked it over to this guys house, and when he answered the door, he was like- oh I just got home! Sweet. We shared a scripture on his doorstep (which was awesome, I felt the spirit so strong) because we had to peace out of there pretty fast to meet the member who would take us to stake conference that night. The Pashas are so funny- we love just being with families when their just being themselves. :) then we had a stellar stake conference about hastening the work and sharing the gospel. Some people spoke Spanish, others in English. Someone from the 70 was visiting and he called random people up to give testimony. That was fun. 

Next day, Sunday, we went to stake conference again and hermana buys and I found a spot front and center , so I literally watched conference in high-def. I loved that too- it was an awesome session.

*****

Here are some notes from the two sessions I wanted to share:

If we don't want it enough to pray for it, We don't want it enough to get it

Do not let your fears defeat you 

Youth are incredible especially in missionary work-- most people are converted in their youth (under 30, but mostly between 12-18) (kiddos)

(Because dad is a 'numbers guy')--

The statistics go that for 1,000 doors knocked, there is one baptism.

But, 2 out of 3 people who are taught in a members home are baptized. 

...it's so much more successful if missionary work is done by the members, TRUST ME-- your more powerful than you think!

Three things to be a successful missionary: (for the kiddos)

1 KNOW and believe that Jesus Christ is the son of god and that he atoned for us all... He came to he earth, ministered, suffered in the garden for the remission of our sins voluntarily, and rose again as the resurrected lord Jesus Christ 

2 a hunger and thirst for the Book of Mormon- to make it part of your life. Know the Book of Mormon and it's witness of the savior

3 be trustworthy 

3 steps to share the gospel as a member--

1sincerely pray for the opportunity 

2naturally share the gospel

3invite them to come unto Christ 

The Lord gives us trials, not so we LOSE our faith, but so we find and strengthen it.

Baptism does not stop your progression- it unlocks the power of the atonement in your life and sets you on the path 

We need to protect and guard our spiritual experiences- satan will try to get us to diminish them or get us to think that they weren't from the spirit, they were just our own thoughts etc. Guard against that 

God has all the right answers... We just need to learn to ask the right questions 

Richard g Scott- a sure way to eliminate temptation in our life is to search our our ancestors and seek for their work to be done in the temple 

"When your first name is elder (or hermana), sometimes you have to say things that others won't like."

********

Good conference :)

Well sorry that was such a long and scatter-brained email. We just had so much going on this week! :P

But it was good. Still finding, still searching, but were doing really good :) 

Love you all- have an awesome week :)

Love, Hermana walton