Can you believe it's already November? Yeah, me neither. I'm going to have to make this quick because Sister Roberts and I are driving to Enid in a little bit for a few days. We have a training to give and a training to go to and then an exchange so... whoosh. And people think Mondays are our days off. Ha!
Each day is something new. This week was especially jam packed. I went down to Edmond for an exchange with the sisters down there and we spent hours knocking doors in the richest city of our mission. It definitely wasn't terribly effective. In fact, one woman told us that we were creepy and needed to beat it. Using the word "creepy" at least five times. But it was an interesting change of scenery. In Edmond there are hills and huge houses. It's definitely the only suburb I've been in since my first night in the Mission home in March. This exchange made me appreciate how much easier it is to have patience than it was at the beginning of my mission. The entire 24 hours I was in Edmond, we only spoke to about 3 people. But my mind has been turned over to the Lord to recognize that while we are doing what we have felt inspired to do, he will watch over us and care for us and ensure that we have success. In his time, not in our time.
This week, we've been able to spend a lot of time in our area with people who haven't been to church in a while, people who come to church but do it just because they have to, and with full blown active members. We're trying to strengthen the relationships we have with them in order to help them bring others to the Gospel, instead of them trying to help us. Because when it's all said and done, we'll leave, and the members will remain. It's been interesting to hear their stories, their conversions, and how easy it is to forget the faith you once had. I have such a testimony of callings, especially visiting and home teaching, because they encourage people to go out and talk to people who don't feel needed or loved in the Gospel. Sometimes that visit is all it takes to remind someone of their testimony. In the Bible Dictionary, under the definition of faith, it says "Faith is kindled by hearing the testimony of those who have faith." Romans 10:17: "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God."
We also were able to go on an exchange with the Hermanas, the sisters that we live with. Hermana Anderson is a missionary that I have always looked up to for her diligence and her love for the Savior, so this exchange was definitely for me. And a lucky excuse to go into their area and speak Spanish again. I miss it. Sometimes I sneak into their office during studies and make them talk to me for a while in Spanish so that I don't get rusty. Hermana Anderson bore her testimony to me about how everything she does is out of love for God. And how she just wants to make him proud. And share what she has with as many people as she can. And I know she is accomplishing that.
Later that evening, because it was Halloween, we were asked to stay inside if we didn't have any set appointments, and no one wanted to set appointments with us on Halloween, so my companion and I cleaned our house and set up our Christmas Tree and decorated it with Restoration Cups (little plastic cups with pictures of the Apostles on them), pass along cards, Book of Mormon action figures, and random ornaments we found around the house. It looks glamorous. Then, when the other sisters came home, we made Pumpkin Apple Cider and watched Mr Kruegers Christmas in our PJs. Effective use of time, I dare say.
So overall, We have been seeing so many miracles, and I'm sorry I don't often include them...But, here's a fun side note... I think we're turning in to full blown Okies down here. The other day we were driving to a little town called "Perry" on a flat, flat, flat stretch of land and listening to Christian country music, probably the most twangy banjo music of all time, and carrying on a completely normal conversation. And then we stopped and evaluated ourselves. And realized we had accents. And were willingly listening to banjo music, and not even satirically. So the OkieCulture is definitely infectious.
Here's where the miracle of the week comes in... On our way back from Perry, we were on our way to the house to eat dinner when Sister Roberts felt really, really impressed to go to Subway. And was oddly insistent on it. So we pulled up to a Subway on the outskirts of town and walked inside to a deserted Gas station/Subway combo... The lady at the SubWay counter, Cindy, was awfully friendly and we chatted with her for a while. It took her a second to glance down and see our tags but when she did she got so excited and told us that she had been taking lessons from missionaries in Texas but then she moved and now there are missionaries who have been trying to contact her while she's been here, but she doesn't know who they are or how to contact them. She is moving into our area in the next little while! Then, without us having to ask many questions, she said, "Do you know why they killed Joseph Smith?" and we looked at each other and then looked at her and she answered her own question, "I think it was because he was telling the truth and everybody was scared." So... Miracles. Needless to say, we're going to go to SubWay at that sketchy half gas station until we can get more contact information from her.
Obligatory Declaration: God lives! And listens to our prayers. And loves all of us a lot.
I love you, too!
Sister Best
Photos: Halloween! -The closest we got to a costume and our Christmas tree!
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