January 20, 2014

January 20, 2014

Well I had a really good week this week! Except for the fact that everyone and their dogs decided to cancel on us... but it was okay we made the most of it and we were able to meet a lot of new people. We spent about 15 hours tracting, talked to over 65 people, knocked on like 800 doors, and survived without freezing to death!

SO here is basically a run down of the coolest things that happened.

On Tuesday we had a great lesson with this investigator Peggy. She has been struggling to read the Book of Mormon, so we read some of it with her... and the spirit was so strong that she literally started crying and said that "God really must have sent you to me". It was neat. Then I had this really strong feeling that we should go see this lady named Kathy. We had never met her, I just found a note written a long time ago that said missionaries should go see her sometime.. but they never did. And for some reason I really felt like we needed to. So we went and she was home! She opened the door.. and at first she was pretty cold. But we kept talking and then she told us about how she loved our church and she really wants to learn more.. but her husband won't let her.. and it is really hard for her. She said she wants to meet with us but she can't. We gave her a Book of Mormon and she was so happy! She said that someday she will be a member of our church. And then she said "You coming to my house today was really a blessing from God." And it was SO cool because I know that she needed us to come over just when we did.. and I am really glad that I received that prompting and we were able to help her. It just reminded me that Heavenly Father really is inspiring us as missionaries to find the people that really need us!

Later that night when our appointment canceled... we decided to go see this guy named "Andrew Shults". So we get to his apartment and there is a car with the license plate "SHULTS" right in front of the door... so I was like "Splendid he is home". So this guy opens the door.. and I ask if he is Andrew.. and he goes "Uh.. no Andrew doesn't live here anymore he moved. My name is Brian" I was like... hmmm really? Is that why ANDREW's car is right there. I didn't say that though because ya know that would be considered potentially not socially acceptable. So we talked to him for a few minutes then he said he had to go... and then I said (by total accident) "Bye Andrew" and he was like "Bye!" and I was like.... LIAR you ARE Andrew not Brian. So yeah... Andrew is a scam... and it hurt. Okay not really but seriously if you are going to lie to 2 innocent missionaries at least don't be SO obvious. haha

Wednesday and Thursday we went tracting for what seemed like an eternity... mostly because it was freezing and windy and we couldn't feel our feet. But that is all part of the fun! We met some cool people so it was worth it. We met this lady Michelle and she was so nice. Funny story, so the other day I was studying and in the Bible Dictionary under "Gospel" it says that it literally means "Good News" so I have been saying "Let's go tell everyone the 'good news' everytime we go out and my companion has been wanting to hurt me. So we have a lesson with Michelle and then she goes "I really just appreciate you guys going out and spreading all of this GOOD NEWS with everyone!" I was like... how did you know Michelle how did you know? It is because it really is the best news ever.

And we had another one of those "we -are -tracting -for- like- 4 -hours- and- no- one -will- let- us -share- anything -with -them- so -we -pray- to- find -someone -and- then- at -the -next -door- we -do" experiences. This guys name was Ed. He said when we knocked " I would love to learn more. I have 10 minutes before I have to leave. Tell me everything you can!" And I was just like... wow this is a dream come true. So we talked about the Restoration and the Book of Mormon, and he said it was a lot to take in because it was so different than what he has learned.. but he said it could be possible. We gave him a Book of Mormon and he was really excited to read it! It was just cool because I don't know how Heavenly Father does it but everything just worked out so that we could meet him.

Kirtland was good.. nothing too exciting happened. It is the slowest time of year... so we just have to make it until March and then things will hopefully start picking up again!

Last night this old lady in our Ward invited us to come over at 7.... and we get there and there are a bunch of young people there watching football and eating pizza. She was like "I invited you to come to my grandchildren's party to share a message!" So... right in the middle of the football game 2 missionaries show up and start sharing a message from the scriptures. It was hilarious. The grandma was so sweet.. and everyone else was like "Who are you and why are you at our party". It was classic. But hey we got to share a message with a lot of people so go grandma!


One of the biggest miracles of the week.... was dun dun dun....  the Fun Buffet. Let me start at the beginning. So there is this super nice woman in our ward... who invited us over for dinner. Which is really so nice of her... but from what we heard.. it isn't the most sanitary experience in the world. So I was kind of dreading it. THEN she calls us out of nowhere... and tells us that she wants to take us out to a fun buffet. Needless to say we did a few celebratory dances in the street. And when she said "a fun buffet" she meant.... The Fun Buffet. hahah and yeah it was.... fun..... such a fun time at the fun buffet. And then randomly the lady started getting super emotional and started crying right there in the middle of the fun buffet.. and I was like "Come on Barbra, you can't be crying in the fun buffet... that just isn't fun." I will include a picture of the funnest place in Ohio. But really even though the Fun Buffet was pretty ghetto.... it was a serious miracle. And it was fun. So fun. Just too much fun.

Overall I had a really good week! We are praying that all of our appointments for this week will work out since last week things didn't go so hot. I am really hopeful they will!

Anyways I have to get going. I hope you guys have a great week and I am excited to hear how everything goes for Dad! You guys are the coolest and I miss you a ton. But I am so grateful that I have this opportunity to serve and bring the Gospel to others. Nothing makes me happier! 

Love you all!