Christmas, Grits, and the Prophett
July 22, 2014
Y'ALL.
Y'ALL.
This week wasn't all peachy (even in GA) but it was cool as grits (which I tried for the first time today...nine months in, it's about time! Super yummy). We had some insanely fantastic highs this week!!
MIRACLES!!! We've found an incredible FAMILY to work with! We're working with Shaqkeem (age 19) and Shaqkeel (20), Amber (20), and Prophett (10). (Shaqkeel and Shaqkeem are both named after NBA player Shaquil O'Neal, and say whaaat?? We're teaching the prophet! ;) best name ever). They're black and Amber is a singer, and the boys are rappers!! (They're going to rap for us tomorrow. I can't tell you how excited I am.) We met them knocking doors on Saturday and taught most of the first lesson on their porch, then taught them again Sunday and Monday. They are incredibly prepared!! They have comments and questions as we teach, and they've faithfully kept commitments to pray and read the Book of Mormon. We invited all four to be baptized August 9th, and they have all accepted to be baptized and pray about that day.
We're playing hard, but Satan is too. For right now, Keo and Jane are no longer progressing. We had a pretty good lesson with them Friday at a member's home, but just an hour before, someone from Keo's old Christian church showed up on his porch for the first time in about 5 months and talked to him for over an hour. By the time he arrived for our lesson, he felt confused, unhappy, and unsure. We told him that we love and support his family whatever they choose, but we know there are great blessings for his family in this, Christ's church, and that if he prayed and asked God to tell him if what we teach is true, then he will receive an answer. On Saturday they said they were out of town and canceled on us, but when we drove past, we saw them walking outside. We're not sure why they're avoiding us, but we're going to keep checking in and do what we can. We fasted for them Sunday and we're keeping them in our prayers. Please pray for them too.
This has been the most fruitful, smooth transfer of my whole mission. Sister Hjorth and I get along splendidly; the ward is incredibly supportive; and the area is bursting with people to find that are prepared for the gospel. And I feel so happy! I am more confident and capable here than I have ever felt before on my mission. I am so grateful to see the Lord giving me strengths I've lacked and yearned for these last nine months!
Merry Christmas in July!
Sister Taylor
Shaqkeem is exceptionally enthusiastic about what we teach. When we were talking about how the Book of Mormon fills in the missing puzzle pieces of the gospel that was originally contained fully in the Bible, Shaqkeem said, "Yeah, it is like a puzzle! It was originally a complete puzzle, then when the people were wicked they took out some of the pieces, and the Book of Mormon fills in those puzzle pieces, and all the pieces are held together by Christ's authority (the Priesthood), and the finished picture is the gospel of Jesus Christ!"
.....WOW. He just GETS it!! (He's going to be a stellar missionary in a year and a half when he leaves on his mission to Provo Utah, where Sister Hjorth and I will take him and his companion out to lunch). When we invited him to be baptized, he said, "Of COURSE I would be baptized!! I mean, I've been baptized before, but from what y'all are sayin', I see I need to be baptized by someone who has the authority." Okay wow. The rest of them are so ready and understanding, too. We've been teaching them out on their porch every day, and sometimes I worry about meeting all of their needs at once. But I feel that thus far we have been able to do that pretty well. There are several more people who live there and we're hoping to teach more of them through the next several days. I feel very blessed.
We're playing hard, but Satan is too. For right now, Keo and Jane are no longer progressing. We had a pretty good lesson with them Friday at a member's home, but just an hour before, someone from Keo's old Christian church showed up on his porch for the first time in about 5 months and talked to him for over an hour. By the time he arrived for our lesson, he felt confused, unhappy, and unsure. We told him that we love and support his family whatever they choose, but we know there are great blessings for his family in this, Christ's church, and that if he prayed and asked God to tell him if what we teach is true, then he will receive an answer. On Saturday they said they were out of town and canceled on us, but when we drove past, we saw them walking outside. We're not sure why they're avoiding us, but we're going to keep checking in and do what we can. We fasted for them Sunday and we're keeping them in our prayers. Please pray for them too.
God sure knows how to cheer up his missionaries. On a day we were particularly stressed and weighed down, we went to our dinner appointment at the home of two recent converts, Janet and Renee (to which we were instructed to wear red and green)...and they surprised us with Christmas Dinner!! The dining room table was beautifully decorated with Christmas china-ware, Christmas hymns played in the background, and we were all appropriately dressed in Christmas colors. After a filling, lovely meal, Janet gave each of us a small wrapped gift with matching bracelets with a scripture on them. How sweet!! We must have been really in tune, because we'd already been listening to Christmas music all day (when your music selection is the same four CD's plus Christmas music...sometimes it's Christmas a lil' out of season.). That was a delicious tender mercy.
This has been the most fruitful, smooth transfer of my whole mission. Sister Hjorth and I get along splendidly; the ward is incredibly supportive; and the area is bursting with people to find that are prepared for the gospel. And I feel so happy! I am more confident and capable here than I have ever felt before on my mission. I am so grateful to see the Lord giving me strengths I've lacked and yearned for these last nine months!
At one door the other day, an only-spanish-speaking mother opened the door with her young daughter. We communicated the best we could and left a card; and as we left, the mother said something to her daughter to translate, who turned to us and said, "God bless you and the good work you are doing." I know He is, every day.
Merry Christmas in July!
Sister Taylor