Monday, August 25, 2014

8/25/14 - New Adventures in Sylmar



   It’s funny how the Lord will give you situations that highlight your weaknesses... in neon orange!  Note to self- your future kids WILL know Spanish!  Seriously, this has been a fun week! Crazy, but that's mission life.  So, this week we had 7 lessons w/ investigators, plus 3 w/ inactives. so 10 lessons, that's a crazy high record!! It was almost 2 a day, so much fun.
   3 investigators we have are Luis, Peter, and Ricky: 
-          Luis- taught Gospel of Christ. He really connected with the member couple we brought. Set up a baptismal date next month! Yay. Went back Saturday to teach Plan of Salvation... found out he picked up and moved.... no contact info, no phone, nothing. "Find one, drop one" - well, that's the Valley for ya!
-          Ricky, we taught Word of Wisdom and Gospel of Christ, and set up a baptism for Sep. 27th! Not quite sure he's really got it engraved yet, but we'll keep working with him, and now we have a goal to work towards!
-          Peter is sweet, he got hurt form playing in his wheelchair b-ball league, but he should be coming to church next week! He's so great, but man, we gotta fight tooth and nail to set up the date. Challenge accepted. He knows it’s true, just can't quite choose God over his family yet.... better that than drugs, though, right? But the spirit's working on him!
    Church, I’ve come to find out here, is ALWAYS an adventure!  We had 5 adults at church, that have never come before!! Soooo super awesome! Total miracle.
    - Charles-old guy the sisters did service for. He came and because our ward is super duper old, he had a TON of perfect fellow shippers.
    - 2 black ladies the elders are teaching, along with 4 kids, such a cute family, and young blood too.
    - A cokehead named Katie- she is sweet, not quite all the way there, but is trying to get Jesus in her life, so that's a start right?
    - Beatrice- she's on probation right now, and seriously I just feel so connected with her. She seems so nice, but she seems to have gone through... too much. But I get this crazy feeling that maybe I came here for her... we'll see more this week and I’ll write you a letter about her.
    Crazy thing for the week. So I went down to NoHo this week for exchanges. Super fun! But man, these areas are hard! We will knock for 4 hrs, and get 19 conversations. ahhh I’m soooo proud of my girls, they're so tough!  But, last night we're at our mission ward leaders house, and walking in we notice 2 helicopters circling the area a couple streets down. They have red flashing lights, the spotlight like in movies, the whole shebang. The ENTIRE meeting, we hear these cop copters circling, and they are still out there when the meeting is over. Always exciting business in the valley.
   Well, love you all! Gonna copy my spiritual note I sent uncle Ed for his birthday. Have a great week!
-Sis McNeill

I noticed your favorite scripture- Alma 26:12- mine is too! That is on my missionary plaque back home and I have a little picture of it hanging off my bed. Back in my last apt. me and my comp had our little "miracle board" that was wrapped around that scripture. I will boast of my God. And it’s through our work that we boast of His glory. 
Sometimes as a missionary, it feels like no matter how much hard work I'm putting in, there's not much to show for it. Other missionaries will bring in 4 people to church and we can't even drag 1 in. It’s easy to feel like you can't add as much glory to the Lord's kingdom as someone else. But last night I was thinking a lot about the widow's mite, and it hit me. Ammon says "I" will boast of "MY" God. Ultimately it’s between you and Him. It doesn't matter how much the world, your ward, or even other missionaries think of your work. It’s His work, and so long as you give your heart and your hands to Him, He will accept your work, no matter how little it is."

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