be why you?

4 March 2013

well THIS is extremely exciting!!!!! http://www.lds.org/scriptures/new-edition?lang=eng

and THIS is awesome :) :) http://www.lds.org/church/news/members-are-key-to-effectiveness-of-increased-missionary-force?lang=eng

 

This week has been great! The Appleton ward is seriously SO amazing :) :) It's awesome. And, we had stake conference!! Which was AWESOMEEE. Seriously a slam dunk. Thumbs up for prophets & apostles of the Lord!!!!! :) :) :)

In other news, I have eaten chocolate cheese. It takes like fudge but you can tell that it's cheddar. and it has walnuts in it. Yea, Wisconsin! ;)

I'm not sure if I've mentioned this beore, but being a missionary is like being a spy. It's awesome haha :)

 

We've been spending a lot of time going through the area book & ward directory, contating all the former & potential investigators, working through a list from the Bishop & Relief Society President, and contacting all the part-member families. So that's been good. It's productive, even if they tell us they want their name removed from the records. Also, we went with Sister M (Relief Society President -- so great!!) to contact C W (a new move-in) to see if she wanted Visiting Teachers... well, it turns out that C is a male, and he's currently in prison in Illinois haha. BUT the person who answered the door was like "yeah, you can come back! I'll never turn down a message of Jesus!" so that was awesome :) We're also working with the C family, and their kids are SO CUTE. I love them :) Brother & Sister C have a CRAZY background & they're very open about it.... it blows my mind. And it testifies of the reality of the Atonement - lives can change!! It's so so awesome :)

On Friday we went to dinner with a part-member family, and Sister P opens the door and says "I have been waiting all week for this!" haha it was just so cute, she didn't even say hello :) We also contacted a less-active/part-member family in that same area... they're from Mexico so they're most comfortable in Spanish but they speak & understand English pretty well. Well, I know about 3 phrases in Spanish, but I understood quite a bit (which was a pleasant surprise) when they were talking to their kids in Spanish. And I used 1/3 of my Spanish to say "What's your name?" and then the Dad asked me (in Spanish, so I'm guessing) "Oh, you speak Spanish?" "Um....... pocito??? (a little bit?)" haha. Anyways, I wish I'd taken Spanish in High School. Even though I'm not speaking a foreign language on my mission, I really wish I knew another language. Also, I'm trying to learn a few phrases in Hmong...... HAHAHA just guess how that's going haha. Yesterday at church I greeted a Hmong sister - "Nao Jong!" and she starts going off in hmong and I'm just like uhh... and then the hmong-speaking Elders laughed and said she was like "oh you speak hmong!" and then they told her that I didn't....... anyways. That's not that interesting of a story hahaha sorry :) Oh - mouse update. It's dead. We trapped it. IT WAS HORRIBLE. EW. YUCK. this is why they did not send me to the philippines hahah. SO HORRIBLE EW.

Okay... now for spiritual stuff. Actually, first, I just have to say how much I love this ward. So many couples here are just AWESOME examples of how a Gospel-centered family should be, and the Spirit is so strong in their homes. They have family home evening; they love each other & their kids; their homes and lives are centered on Christ; they're unselfish & willing to do anything it takes to build up the kingdom of God. It's AWESOME :) :) It's such a privilege to work here. I just hope we can work hard enough and be obedient enough to help this ward the way they deserve :) Also, we had dinner last night with the M's! Their oldest is a daughter, and then they have two sons -- Nathan and Jacob!! so that's pretty fun :) :)

Something I've been thinking about in my scripture study lately is the youth theme for 2013 - "Stand in Holy Places & Be Not Moved." I've been reading 2 Ne 23:13 / Heb. 12:26-29 / D&C 87:8 / 2 Ne 28:19 / 2 Ne 9:40 and thinking that you could also phrase that, IF you stand in Holy Places, THEN you will not be moved! kind of interesting. let me know what you think :)

SO - Stake Conference. SO SO GOOD. One of the speakers pointed out that in Alma 22:15, when King Lamoni's father says that he will give away his whole kingdom to know God, Aaron (the missionary) has already done that exact thing! He gave up his kingdom to go & serve the Lord. it made me think (again) about how we can't ask anyone to do something that we haven't done ourselves. We can't help someone to become converted beyond our own conversion. :) Just pretty cool I thought :)

THEN Elder Dallin H. Oaks was the concluding speaker. He said there's been an increase of 10,000 missionaries over the past 6 months. !!! He emphasized that more and more wards & branches will be getting 2 & 3 sets of missionaies, instead of just 1. We're going to have to rely more & more on the finding efforts of the ward council and on the leadership of the ward mission leader (that's kind of what the 2nd link talks about). He also slammed home that EVERY member is going to need to be a missionary, and bulleted our responsibilities. 1st, Pray for help. Then, talk to friend about religion. Bear testimony. Provide reading material. And invite your friends to church :) He also gave 4 things we can do to help less-active members - 1. be their friend; 2. listen & seek to understand their concerns; 3. help them feel God's love by showing them their eternal possibilities; and 4. help them feel that they can change. That's just from my notes so that's not 100% accurate but it's pretty close :) He also emphasized that the MEMBERS must lead out in this rescue effort. AH SO GREAT. :) :)

He also told the jacket story hahaha. that was fun :)

Anyways, it's been a pretty great week :) I'm still adjusting to a new companion & area, but it's been pretty good :) I love you guys so much!! I hope to hear from you soon.... you're the best :)

 

love, love, love,

Sister Cece Proffit :)

 

xoxoxoxoxxoxoXOXOXOxxoxoxooo x :)