This week was busy and slow all at the same time. We didn't have as many lessons as we normally do, but the lessons we did have were all with investigators, it was so great! We have plans this week to restock our less active teaching pool because for the most part, none of the ones we are currently working with are progressing, so we have to start from scratch.
We didn't have much luck tracting this week. We spent the whole morning of Christmas Eve tracting and no one wanted to watch a Christmas video or talk to us. It was so frustrating! It's CHRISTmas people! At least it wasn't too cold. That was a plus.
That day did get better though. We visited R--- and she was feeling much better and will hopefully be released this week. She will probably be readmitted though because she still can't keep food down. She has lost over 100 lbs because she hasn't been able to eat for 3 months and they've been giving her all the nutrients through IV. But we were able to commit her to a baptismal date! We are very excited for her and we hope she will be able to become well enough by the date we set.
It snowed a ton on Christmas Eve which is good because so many people have been wanting a white Christmas.
On Christmas Eve we got to help with the live nativity that the stake puts on every year. They have a truck to gather food donations, so that was our job, to collect the cans and the money that people donated once they saw the nativity. It was funny because everyone in the nativity looked really fat with their big coats on under their costumes.
I ended up running home from the Mangum's house, roughly a half mile, with Sister O'Mealy driving along side me playing Mannheim Steamroller. I felt really good when I got home. It's not every day that someone gets to run a half mile in a skirt and snow boots! :)
We had fun coming home and playing cards with the bishop and his family after the nativity.
Bishop opened all of our packages and wrapped everything, so we actually had gifts to open on Christmas morning! It was so fun! It ended up feeling a lot more Christmassy this year than it did last year. It helps that we had a Christmas tree and that the house was decorated I think.
We had Christmas dinner at the Hornby's and it was really great because there were 3 non-members there. It turned out really great!
We had a lesson with S--- and his friend H--- showed up. It turns out H--- had taken the lessons before and had read the Book of Mormon but was confused and thought it was strange. So we ended up getting into a conversation with them both and explaining some of the things that he didn't understand. When we set up our return appointment with S--- he asked if he could come too! It is such a miracle!! Our return appointment is today, so I'll let you know how it turned out next week.
The D--- family is on date for January 31! They really want to do this as a family and they are progressing so well! Keep them in your prayers! Our biggest challenge right now is keeping the lessons short and focused. The lessons are great but they are waaaaaay too long! So we are working on figuring out how to shorten them. They haven't been to church yet because he got called into work yesterday. Next week is the week! Pray for them!
L--- came to church for the second time this Sunday! He still doesn't have a testimony, but he is reading and giving it an honest effort. He needs prayers too that he will get his answer! He's another one that we are working on having more focused lessons with. He is insists on feeding us every time we come to teach. This week was pot roast, veggies, hot chocolate, and biscuits, with soda and pistachio muffins for dessert. I'm going to gain so much weight…. it just needs to stop! Ha, ha (I haven't gained weight yet, but I watch it like a hawk!)
M--- is doing so great! She is studying everything she can get her hands on and she has questions and studies out the answers. She is getting answers to her prayers about the truthfulness of what she is learning and she shares it with us! We took her on a church tour and she was crying before we even got in the chapel (which was our first stop). She said she felt such peace there and that she needed that peace in her life. She is coming to church next Sunday! It means we will be doing double duty because our church is at 11 and she can only get off work in time to make the 1pm Sacrament, but it will be so worth it! We are SO excited! She has only ever been to church once and has given us all sorts of excuses but now she is getting answers and finding that Spirit and the peace she has been searching for. I think something is finally happening after 7 1/2 years of missionaries! Please pray for her!! She's got a lot of trials ahead and she needs a lot of spiritual support.
As for funny/ gross things that happened this week:
I ate 4 bowls of cereal before I got to the bottom of the bowl of milk and realized that my milk was chunky. It didn't even taste different! Luckily I didn't get sick. I was so worried! I had to stop telling myself to stop worrying because I was going to make myself sick just from worrying so much!
On a different day, we knocked on a door and these two huge pit bulls come barreling around the side of the house snarling (there was no fence) and my companion screamed and scrambled around behind me. I told her just to stay calm as the dogs got to us, and they ended up being okay. I joked with her afterwards that she was SUCH a good companion. She was going to sacrifice me to the dogs! Ha, ha
That's pretty much it for things of significance this week. I hope you all had a good Christmas! I love you lots!
Love,
Sister Draney