Hello my family dear :)
Sharlan, you are too crafty. I was looking at the picture of your mission call, and Sister Young leaned over and said "WHAT IS THAT?!" then I bragged about you. You're just too fantastic!
So tonight, Sister Young and I are in charge of FHE for our Singles Branch and we're having a missionary night. We've organized it into four areas: One memorizing the first vision, one setting up Mormon.org profiles, one writing down frequently asked questions, and one writing testimonies in Books of Mormon. We're going to have a break out and do each one really briefly and then come back together and share a couple of quotes and go over some questions. We're really excited about it!
We had Zone meeting this week, and one thing that our Sister Training Leaders talked about was the need for men in the church. They told us that often times the fathers in the families are left behind because the are not quite ready, while their wife and children are ready. "Don't forget them" they told us. "Teach the whole family, teach fathers." While Sister Young and I don't have fathers and families in our teaching pool, we related their lessons to our Branch. We have quite a few strong young women, and not so many men. Like 5-7. If that. So, we had a Phone conference with our Zone Leaders Elder Weaver and Elder Pinie to talk to them about some of our concerns and to get more spacific help. We brought up that we don't have a lot of Young men, and even fewer Melchizedek Priesthood holders. So we asked them what we could do, since singles don't respond very well to "Sisters with Tags" inviting them to activities. They feel like they're just a project or assignment. Our Zone leaders told us to send the girls after 'em... And so we're cookin' up some great assignments for our ladies :) haha
One thing that Elder Weaver mentioned to us was that in order for our members to become converted, they needed to come in contact with people who were converted. And then he said that they would become converted as they sacrificed things for the Gospel. "Conversion comes when we sacrifice" Elder Weaver said. I started scribbling that one down as fast as I could in my study journal, and while their was a pause on the phone Elder Weaver said "I hope you're writing that one down, cause it was goooood!" "You bet I am" I said. How are you becoming converted?
We got a new Branch Mission Leader last week, Chris, Since our last one headed out to BYU for school last week. He served his mission in Colorado and got back about a year ago. He's going to be good for our Branch. Real good. One of the first things that he asked us to do was to start meeting with the members and setting goals with them. 1. Spiritual goals: things that will help their own testimony grow and 2. Missionary goals: things that will help others testimonies grow and invite others to come unto Christ. He served in a Singles Branch similar to this on his mission, and he is going to work wonders here. Sister Young and I are really excited to work with him.
On Thursday, the Sister, Monica Rogers, who I mentioned last week ask Sister Young and I if she could meet us somewhere since she had something for us. We told her that we would be at the church in about 20 mins and we could meet her there. We we met her, she handed us each a large picture frame. On her wall at her home she had a picture of Christ on tiles and framed and it was WAY cool, so I had asked her about it when we were there for dinner. She said that it took a lot of work to make, she's very crafty, and that it was a big project for both her and her husband. Sister Rogers had made a picture for BOTH Sister Young and I, with non other than my favorite artist Liz Lemon Swindle's paintings on it. I may or may not have started crying. It was a lot of work for her and her husband to put together and she wanted to do it for us. They are BEAUTIFUL! They're going to be a mission treasure :)
Sharlan, you are too crafty. I was looking at the picture of your mission call, and Sister Young leaned over and said "WHAT IS THAT?!" then I bragged about you. You're just too fantastic!
So tonight, Sister Young and I are in charge of FHE for our Singles Branch and we're having a missionary night. We've organized it into four areas: One memorizing the first vision, one setting up Mormon.org profiles, one writing down frequently asked questions, and one writing testimonies in Books of Mormon. We're going to have a break out and do each one really briefly and then come back together and share a couple of quotes and go over some questions. We're really excited about it!
We had Zone meeting this week, and one thing that our Sister Training Leaders talked about was the need for men in the church. They told us that often times the fathers in the families are left behind because the are not quite ready, while their wife and children are ready. "Don't forget them" they told us. "Teach the whole family, teach fathers." While Sister Young and I don't have fathers and families in our teaching pool, we related their lessons to our Branch. We have quite a few strong young women, and not so many men. Like 5-7. If that. So, we had a Phone conference with our Zone Leaders Elder Weaver and Elder Pinie to talk to them about some of our concerns and to get more spacific help. We brought up that we don't have a lot of Young men, and even fewer Melchizedek Priesthood holders. So we asked them what we could do, since singles don't respond very well to "Sisters with Tags" inviting them to activities. They feel like they're just a project or assignment. Our Zone leaders told us to send the girls after 'em... And so we're cookin' up some great assignments for our ladies :) haha
One thing that Elder Weaver mentioned to us was that in order for our members to become converted, they needed to come in contact with people who were converted. And then he said that they would become converted as they sacrificed things for the Gospel. "Conversion comes when we sacrifice" Elder Weaver said. I started scribbling that one down as fast as I could in my study journal, and while their was a pause on the phone Elder Weaver said "I hope you're writing that one down, cause it was goooood!" "You bet I am" I said. How are you becoming converted?
We got a new Branch Mission Leader last week, Chris, Since our last one headed out to BYU for school last week. He served his mission in Colorado and got back about a year ago. He's going to be good for our Branch. Real good. One of the first things that he asked us to do was to start meeting with the members and setting goals with them. 1. Spiritual goals: things that will help their own testimony grow and 2. Missionary goals: things that will help others testimonies grow and invite others to come unto Christ. He served in a Singles Branch similar to this on his mission, and he is going to work wonders here. Sister Young and I are really excited to work with him.
On Thursday, the Sister, Monica Rogers, who I mentioned last week ask Sister Young and I if she could meet us somewhere since she had something for us. We told her that we would be at the church in about 20 mins and we could meet her there. We we met her, she handed us each a large picture frame. On her wall at her home she had a picture of Christ on tiles and framed and it was WAY cool, so I had asked her about it when we were there for dinner. She said that it took a lot of work to make, she's very crafty, and that it was a big project for both her and her husband. Sister Rogers had made a picture for BOTH Sister Young and I, with non other than my favorite artist Liz Lemon Swindle's paintings on it. I may or may not have started crying. It was a lot of work for her and her husband to put together and she wanted to do it for us. They are BEAUTIFUL! They're going to be a mission treasure :)
We have our first exchange of the Transfer with our Sister Training Leaders, I'll be leaving for the day and going to Monte Cristo, SPEAKING SPANISH, and Sister Young will be staying here and having our Training Leader come. Whew. Spanish. It'll be fun. Pero, Con Dios, todas las cosas estan possible.
We've been working with a young girl the past couple of weeks, Stephani. She's started coming back to Church after a bit of a dip and we met her a little more than two weeks ago. When we first stopped by and asked if we could set up an appointment with her she was like "Sister Missionaries, what do they want with me?" We've been meeting with her twice a week now, and she adores us. We've got her reading and preparing for our lessons by studying Preach My Gospel, and she loves it. Last week we talked about the Plan of Salvation and invited her to write in her Journal which Kingdom of Glory she wanted to go to after this life. The next visit she showed us her Journal entry with CELESTIAL KINGDOM written big and bold in pink on the page. She is on fire and doing so good. She's getting to know Branch members and she's going to really help lift things.
We've started to have a Book of Mormon Study/Gospel Principles class twice a week on Wednesday and Friday nights to get investigators and members involved more. Members don't have a lot to do during the week, and it has been my personal baby to get this class going. "If you build it, they will come" I've been telling everyone. Give the members opportunities to be more involved and they will be involved. Give the opportunities and ideas to share the Gospel and they will share it. Be an example to them. That was something else our Zone Leaders told us, if you want your Branch to be excited, you have to be excited. Be their mirror. I learned that in all the Drum Major Leadership camps as well. Neat how everything just relates back to each other. But anyways, we've had a lot of success in our activities and feeling the spirit in these classes, even on our Friday night one. Got to give these young adults something to do in San Antonio on a Friday night...hehe. We're real excited about it :)
We also sent out a mass text to all 27 of our members Saturday night reminding/inviting them the Church, since sometimes it's a struggle getting members there, let alone investigators. We had a second place high of 38 young Single adults yesterday. Second to our first Fast Sunday with 49 members there. Since Sister Young and I have come in, in the last two months, we have about 13 more people constantly coming than our first Sunday. Whew. Keep it rolling.
AHHHH! Conner. I almost forgot Conner! Conner is the Boyfriend of one of our members. He's been coming to Church for a while, and we've been dying to teach him. But his Grilfriend Anna was a little hesitent. So we've been waiting patiently, respecting her. She told us last week that he told her he wanted to take the lessons. Freak out. Lots of screaming after the phone call. Anna's family went out of town the next week, and Conner was waiting for them to come back, since he needed to have the lessons at their house since his Parents weren't super supportive.We have a lesson set up with him on Wednesday. He's going to be Solid. Anna is leaving for BYU this coming week, so we've got to get him involved with other people as well, but we're so excited to teach him!
We also saw Mark, our investigator that was Baptized last month and then passed off to the family ward. He's all spiffied up in a white shirt and tie and recived the Aaronic Priesthood. The family ward has done wonders for him. It was good to see him.
Our Young Basic Trainiee investigators are just pluckin' along. We got them those cheap CTR rings the other day cause they were asking about them. They're so great. We wanted to see if Sister Young and I could swing going to their graduation on the 23rd of August. We'll see if we can get permission. Who knows.
Oh and y'alls talk about the new Temple video is killin me. It's like waving a chocolate Cake in front of a dieting Dudley Dursley. Pretty close anyway.
I left my Camera memory card and converter at the library the other p-day after sending pictures and I haven't been able to find it since. I'm really kind'a distraught about it since it had all much Pictures from the MTC and San Marcos on it. So keep my little Memory card in your prayers. Maybe it will find it's way back to me. God is in control.
My mailbox has been real empty lately. I did enjoy your letter this week though mom :) and yours too Shar, you're a life saver with your letters. I love you, Sister.
Send love. Kiss the Kids. Say Your Prayers. Dry your tears and know that I love you
And "Take heart, the Lord loves his Children" (President Jones).
Until Next week! Adios mi familia :)
Can't wait. LOL. Smiley face
-Your Hermana in Texas
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