that's what we do here.
apparently we've baptized too many people in the last few months. or that was the excuse that we heard when we assembled together for a super-secret meeting with the mission and district president. to discuss how we were going to reactivate 9 Melchizedek priesthood holders and get them to pay tithing. because that is all that is currently standing in the way of our little district here finally becoming a stake! it's pretty thrilling actually...
the problem with less actives is their agency. actually... that's the problem with people in general. we can teach them and you KNOW they feel the spirit. but sometimes they just don't do what you want them to. and sometimes they decide not to do what they KNOW is right. like meeting with us and answering our phone calls. we don't give up though. why? cuz we're the annoying missionaries... ;)
i was told that i had license to be annoying...
my companion and i were giving a lesson this week (since sometimes it is easier to re-use and recycle lessons instead of expending massive amounts of brainpower to come up with new ideas every day...) on 1 nephi 17:13. i hadn't quite thought about it in the way she presented it. we all have our wildernesses. but the lord promises to lead us through them all. he will be our light.
then... inspiration hit. (i LOVE those moments!) and i thought about matthew 5:14-16 (no.... i'm not the brilliant missionary that knows those references off the top of her head... i had to look it up.) which is also in 3 nephi 12:14-16 (nifty though that it is the same verse numbers.) not only is christ OUR light... but he has called US to be a light. i wonder where our light comes from........ anyone? bueller?
we had a man come to church last week... and we met with him twice this week. he's on fire. and he also manages to have the LONGEST lessons EVER. we really try to get them to be short... but for one reason or another... it just never happens that way. but miracles still abound. he is from china. and as far as i knew, the family that lives in our ward only spoke cantonese (the husband served his mission in canada and met his wife in hong kong.) miracles... those darn things! turns out she speaks fluent mandarin too. so they helped us teach TWO chinese investigators this week. we're hoping that he'll be all ready to be baptized this weekend.... so. funny story. (you ready for this?)
i was talking to the district leader on saturday night. he asks if i have anyone that he can pray for. i start listing off the people that told us they were coming to church. "pray for toothless... ching chong... and the girl on the bridge..." his response: "sister! you realize that i do have to pray for these people!" hmmmm... maybe i should work on remembering their real names....
sacrament meeting is always good. i know that when i get transferred (a VERY likely probability on the 20th of this month) i am going to miss the english. but i also know that it will be VERY good for my language. i personally think that heavenly father knew that i would need a little english to keep me sane..... but charisa got her holy ghost! and i've never seen anyone so happy! :) ok. i might have almost been as happy for her...
so what started as a rough week... actually ended so great! we managed to make it out for about 3 hours on tuesday, but went home because i felt like i had been hit by a truck... and slept. poor sister phelps brought home a stack of ensigns... i think they saved her from going totally insane. but i woke up the next day feeling like a new person. and an energized missionary. miracles.... a guy we met in the beginning of january and told us to call him after the 28th came to church (aka toothless) and said he liked it so much he'll come next week! gotta love changing people's lives...
well... i think that's all the jabbering i can do for today! (don't want to bore anyone...)
but i love hearing how the lord works not just in thailand, but around the whole world! it's so wonderful. and the best part - IT'S TRUE!
love you all!!!
sister ellis
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| where we ate dinner. ha. |
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a dr suess tree. no leaves.
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| pre-massacre |
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| post-massacre |
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| a little reminder.... it's written in english. arabic. AND thai. |
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