Week 25
Wow what a week! I got to go to the mission home and pick up my new companion! She is SOOOOO CUTE!!! I love her so much already! We're on the same page and she's so cute! I don't feel like her trainer at alL! I feel like her equal! She's from Alabama originally, but has spent the past few years in Washington state. She is a recent convert of 3 years...her name is Sister Poklinkowski...I'm just going to write sister Pok. for short though.. haha She already contributes quite a bit to lessons and I feel like her equal rather than her trainer which is so nice! I adore her and am so grateful for this opportunity to serve with her!
As much as I LOVE missionary work, it was really nice to be able to help Sister Edgren (the mission mother) in the kitchen a little bit and feel like a part of a family. That's something that I really love about this mission: all the missionaries are so close and we are close with the mission president and his wife as well...we're all a part of this mission family and I just love serving with some of the strongest missionaries in the church!
Something that Sister Pok. and I have been discussing a lot in the past week is the importance of being able to share the gospel in any conversation. I love what Elder Holland says about listening... that if we listen with love to someone, there will always be something that you can tie to the gospel and expound upon for them! My Aunt Sandy is an amazing example of this. She can start a gospel discussion with just about anyone! I feel like a lot of the times, when I just start a normal conversation with someone first on a train or a bus, that they are much more open to talking. As we get talking, I start trying to play a sort of game...where I try to figure out what they are saying can tie back to the restored gospel of Jesus Christ... It's almost like a puzzle! I try to fit the conversation together and lead it in a sort of way to be able to testify of this glorious gospel! I really want to master this by the end of my mission! I want to solidify this ability to turn any conversation into a discussion about: our identity as literal children of God; or our ability to return to Heavenly Father after this life and be with our families; or the direction the Book of Mormon gives! Because then when I return from my mission (not getting trunky, just making goals! haha) I will already have those skills to remain a consecrated disciple of Christ and a consecrated missionary despite whether or not I have a black tag on. The gospel really does apply to people in any situation! No matter the trails we have, whether big or small, no matter our age, no matter our cultural background, this church is the only church that contains the FULL gospel! What a blessing to have this knowledge! And what a privilege I have to help people apply this universal gospel in a very individual way!
My mom asked a few questions that I'll answer here:
Tell me some more about the people you are teaching, are you regularly teaching anyone specifically?
Yes, we have a lot of people that we meet with regularly! I feel blessed to have so many investigators! Most weeks, are days are absolutely filled with lessons! I'm so grateful! I have been teaching Lucyna (with the darker hair) since June...and Czesława we have been teaching for about 2 1/2 weeks. Love them both! Totally opposite people, but that's what's so amazing about this gospel! Lucyna is a slow learner and slowly but surely understands more and more as we teach super simply! Czesława is speedy and understands everything, but doesn't really get what's different about our church and the Catholic church...(for anyone who's wondering, it's priesthood authority, Book of Mormon as full gospel, and a living prophet...just a couple main ones)
Is anyone interested in being baptized?
I think I need to better help people understand the importance of being baptized by authority...you don't know how many times I've heard people say "but I've already been baptized...why do i need to be baptized twice?" well because the priesthood authority to baptized was restored straight from John the baptist to Joseph Smith and now every worthy male can also have that authority in our church! Not to mention the gift of the Holy Ghost given by proper authority is also essential...which is given after baptism! Even Paul baptized people for a second time when he found out they hadn't been baptized in the name of Christ or given the Holy Ghost after baptism (i think that's found in Acts 9...maybe)
How often do you get an opportunity to come teach investigators another lesson?
Most of the time!
How often is tracting effective?
Honestly I've never been tracting because I don't really believe in it...the chances of someone answering the door is super slim and then the chance of them letting us in is even slimmer! I figure that when the parents come home to their kids after work, why would they let two random people come in and share a message? You just want to sit on your couch and relax! I find it's more effective to talk with people on their way home...for instance on bus rides home, etc. Exchange numbers and then plan a time when we can meet...that way they can plan WITH us a time that works for them...rather than us barging in on their family down time when they just want peace. But that's just moim zdaniem.
Are your days mostly tracting in parks, or knocking on doors, or visiting inactives, or working with members?
When we're not teaching investigaotrs, we're teaching inactives...when we're not doing either, we got and seek out former investigators and talk to everyone in our path along the way. Having that destination (a former's house) allows the Lord to put people in our path rather than just walking in circles in a big area.
So those are just a few Q and A type things :) I'm so glad I get to be here for another transfer! I feel like my work is only beginning! I love the work and love my companion and love the branch and love my investigators and love my family and love the Lord!
Funny Moment: we went to a less active member's house named Katja...she didn't answer her doorbell so we called her...she picked up and said that she wasn't at home...which is a little strange because I could hear her voice through her open window! hahaha Sister Pok and I were laughing pretty hard at that one! But we'll go back sometime next week :)
Love,
Sister Blake
Wow what a week! I got to go to the mission home and pick up my new companion! She is SOOOOO CUTE!!! I love her so much already! We're on the same page and she's so cute! I don't feel like her trainer at alL! I feel like her equal! She's from Alabama originally, but has spent the past few years in Washington state. She is a recent convert of 3 years...her name is Sister Poklinkowski...I'm just going to write sister Pok. for short though.. haha She already contributes quite a bit to lessons and I feel like her equal rather than her trainer which is so nice! I adore her and am so grateful for this opportunity to serve with her!
As much as I LOVE missionary work, it was really nice to be able to help Sister Edgren (the mission mother) in the kitchen a little bit and feel like a part of a family. That's something that I really love about this mission: all the missionaries are so close and we are close with the mission president and his wife as well...we're all a part of this mission family and I just love serving with some of the strongest missionaries in the church!
Something that Sister Pok. and I have been discussing a lot in the past week is the importance of being able to share the gospel in any conversation. I love what Elder Holland says about listening... that if we listen with love to someone, there will always be something that you can tie to the gospel and expound upon for them! My Aunt Sandy is an amazing example of this. She can start a gospel discussion with just about anyone! I feel like a lot of the times, when I just start a normal conversation with someone first on a train or a bus, that they are much more open to talking. As we get talking, I start trying to play a sort of game...where I try to figure out what they are saying can tie back to the restored gospel of Jesus Christ... It's almost like a puzzle! I try to fit the conversation together and lead it in a sort of way to be able to testify of this glorious gospel! I really want to master this by the end of my mission! I want to solidify this ability to turn any conversation into a discussion about: our identity as literal children of God; or our ability to return to Heavenly Father after this life and be with our families; or the direction the Book of Mormon gives! Because then when I return from my mission (not getting trunky, just making goals! haha) I will already have those skills to remain a consecrated disciple of Christ and a consecrated missionary despite whether or not I have a black tag on. The gospel really does apply to people in any situation! No matter the trails we have, whether big or small, no matter our age, no matter our cultural background, this church is the only church that contains the FULL gospel! What a blessing to have this knowledge! And what a privilege I have to help people apply this universal gospel in a very individual way!
My mom asked a few questions that I'll answer here:
Tell me some more about the people you are teaching, are you regularly teaching anyone specifically?
Yes, we have a lot of people that we meet with regularly! I feel blessed to have so many investigators! Most weeks, are days are absolutely filled with lessons! I'm so grateful! I have been teaching Lucyna (with the darker hair) since June...and Czesława we have been teaching for about 2 1/2 weeks. Love them both! Totally opposite people, but that's what's so amazing about this gospel! Lucyna is a slow learner and slowly but surely understands more and more as we teach super simply! Czesława is speedy and understands everything, but doesn't really get what's different about our church and the Catholic church...(for anyone who's wondering, it's priesthood authority, Book of Mormon as full gospel, and a living prophet...just a couple main ones)
Is anyone interested in being baptized?
I think I need to better help people understand the importance of being baptized by authority...you don't know how many times I've heard people say "but I've already been baptized...why do i need to be baptized twice?" well because the priesthood authority to baptized was restored straight from John the baptist to Joseph Smith and now every worthy male can also have that authority in our church! Not to mention the gift of the Holy Ghost given by proper authority is also essential...which is given after baptism! Even Paul baptized people for a second time when he found out they hadn't been baptized in the name of Christ or given the Holy Ghost after baptism (i think that's found in Acts 9...maybe)
How often do you get an opportunity to come teach investigators another lesson?
Most of the time!
How often is tracting effective?
Honestly I've never been tracting because I don't really believe in it...the chances of someone answering the door is super slim and then the chance of them letting us in is even slimmer! I figure that when the parents come home to their kids after work, why would they let two random people come in and share a message? You just want to sit on your couch and relax! I find it's more effective to talk with people on their way home...for instance on bus rides home, etc. Exchange numbers and then plan a time when we can meet...that way they can plan WITH us a time that works for them...rather than us barging in on their family down time when they just want peace. But that's just moim zdaniem.
Are your days mostly tracting in parks, or knocking on doors, or visiting inactives, or working with members?
When we're not teaching investigaotrs, we're teaching inactives...when we're not doing either, we got and seek out former investigators and talk to everyone in our path along the way. Having that destination (a former's house) allows the Lord to put people in our path rather than just walking in circles in a big area.
So those are just a few Q and A type things :) I'm so glad I get to be here for another transfer! I feel like my work is only beginning! I love the work and love my companion and love the branch and love my investigators and love my family and love the Lord!
Funny Moment: we went to a less active member's house named Katja...she didn't answer her doorbell so we called her...she picked up and said that she wasn't at home...which is a little strange because I could hear her voice through her open window! hahaha Sister Pok and I were laughing pretty hard at that one! But we'll go back sometime next week :)
Love,
Sister Blake
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