What a week. We saw many miracles, tender mercies and the weather was just perfect most of the week. 85. Low humidity and breezy. ringing in August the right way!So we had zone conference this week. We had to drive up to Lexington and get our car inspected by elder Bailey so we followed orders and got the car washed and vacuumed. Of course, this is a story because why wouldn't it be. Somerset car washes are a lot different than Jeffrey& Daniel car washes or Rexburg car washes. We pull up the the vacuums and the first set doesn't work. So we pull around to the second set, won't take our money. At this point I'm ready to just give up and do it myself at home but sister Starkey insists that we try the third set so we do and they work. Ok obstacle number one, tackled. Then we go into the auto car wash. We pay our $6 and pull in. It rinses, soaps up the car and starts to rinse it back down and halfway through SHUTS OFF. COMPLETELY. what are two girls-in skirts- supposed to do about that? Uhhhhh? So by now I'm just dying laughing because this car wash has taken 46385959492 million times longer than it should have... We sat there in the auto car wash for 5 minutes thinking it would start back up, but nope. Luckily, they had a do it yourself side. We pull in pay for water and finally finish our dang car wash. Needless to say, I am so grateful for my brothers who loved washing my car and didn't let me go through that hassle!Tuesday: zone conference. So fun, so spiritual, so many awesome trainings! I love getting to see all of my friends at zone conference and be trained by our leaders. It is always so interesting to me that Heavenly Father always helps me start to improve something the week before zone conference and then we are trained on that thing I am working on. It always gives me the boost I need! The assistants trained on slowing down and asking heaven sent questions. It was awesome. President Brough trained on HELPING our investigators not HOPING our investigators. For example, going to their house before church to make sure they are coming, etc. we took his training to heart because we have many investigators who commit to come to church but don't show. Anyway, we were trained and spiritual fed and physically exhausted because we had a lot of travel time. Somerset is pretty dang far! We also drove up to jessamine county to stay with the sister training leaders the night before and got horrible sleep (on the couch and air mattress.) we did have a wonderful study blitz on our purpose as missionaries and why we are out in the field! But needless to say, we got home and slept sooooo good that night. I am pretty sure I woke up in the same position I fell asleep in. Best nights rest.Wednesday was full of tender mercies and conquering fears. After lunch our plans kind of fell through so we started looking through my little pink book, the one that has everyone we have talked to phone numbers in it. Well we came across Amy from gods food pantry (the place we volunteer) and decided to give her a call. Her husband answered and we couldn't hear him, he couldn't hear us and we'll four phone calls later we were finally able to hear him. He freely gave us Amy's workplace address and said that he would "see us soon." What? So we go and find Amy. Yep, we just show up to her work. She was so excited to see us, we were able to help her finish some work and set an appointment with her. She was so anxious to get reading the Book of Mormon again and wanted to come to church with us! After we had that, we had some real KFC, from the wonderful sister Bohannon and of course, it was delicious! We knocked on some doors after dinner before branch coordination and sister Starkey wasn't too pleased with me. We- well I- walked into a fenced yard that had signs all over that said "beware of the dog". Well sister Starkey was really scared of this dog that was non existent. She refused to come In. It was kind of quite hilarious watching her be terrified over something that wasn't there. Eventually, after much discussion she finally entered into the house. Sadly no one was home and there was no dog that came running out from behind the corner to attack us. Heavenly father wins again! :) so we continue Tracting and she isn't too happy at this point, but she is determine to find someone. I love this girl. It is HOT outside and so humid, I don't know why the weather changed all of the sudden, but it did. So we keep walking and knocking and this sweet Philippino lady answers the door. We introduced ourselves and said we were Mormons and she goes "oh yeah, Mormons. There are a lot of them in Philippines." Hello. Yep. That's us. Reppin all the way in the Philippines! We got talking to her and she gave us water and these sweet banana rolls she had made and then she says "I'm catholic." Cool. We keep talking and then her step daughter walks in with her husband. Well, we thought this lady was our age, but her step daughter is our age... So we were a little confused. We start talking with them, the conversation turns to snake handling churches and how the Book of Mormon is the full truth and then her husband walks in. Now it all makes sense. He was about 60 and looks at her and says "you're not supposed to let anyone in...." Hahaha so we then tell him our whole message over again and he blatantly says "you're not going to convert me." Haha my sassy companion blurts out "we do t do the converting, the spirit does." Wham bam! So all ended well and we had to rush to our meeting that started late. It was an awesome day of tender mercies and finding people though!Thursday I was eaten alive for the lord. We were teaching a lesson and this woman's house was so hot because the ad was broken so we sat outside to teach. Well her lawn was going to be mowed the next day which meant it was invested with bugs and it was also twilight, when they all come out. Needless to say, I had a million bug bites that were so beyond itching. I started to carry around itch cream with me. Anything is worth it though to help just one soul come closer to Jesus Christ! To top off this night, we came home to cockroaches everywhere (ok I mean like 5, but still...) and I was ready to sleep outside. Our neighbors have them and so we can't get rid of them until they bomb their house... The struggle of apartment living.Friday we had an extremely awesome and spiritual day. We taught Sonia and her lesson was superb. We read only 12 verses in the first chapter of the Book of Mormon but she was blown away. She loves the Book of Mormon so much and you can totally see it! She felt the spirit so strongly testify of the truthfulness of it to her! We then taught Kat and the spirit was so strong again! When the first vision was recited she had tears in her eyes and she could feel the spirit so strong. She knew it was from God and that God loved her! She is a pagan and so we are helping her come to the knowledge of Jesus Christ! She is incredible! We ate dinner at the Syphax's, the most rad couple and they fed us homemade mac n cheese. It was a prayer answered for sister Starkey who had been craving it all day. I swear he puts crack in that stuff. On our way home we found gods canvas.. We took the scenic route because we had the miles to do so. It was gorgeous! I love Kentucky and tender mercies!Saturday was an all bike day baby! :) back to my Richmond roots! I loved it! We went finding, contacted some people and drank moldy orange juice. This super sweet lady insisted that we drink something to hydrate and pulled out orange juice that was molded on the lid. Heavenly Father protects his missionaries. We aren't sick and we didn't die! Haha! Before dinner we tried our friend, billy, who we thought blew us off on Wednesday night, but he actually didn't. We ended up teaching him and helping him understand the restoration. He is our awesome baptist preacher. He told us we were the only religious people to ever come back and teach hiM. When I invited him to be baptized, I said "will you follow the example of your savior, Jesus Christ and-" and got cut off. He was like "whoa whoa whoa. Is that even a question?" Hahaha he is awesome! He will join the church! He also said during this lesson "I am searching for something, there is something more and I think I have found it." YEP. YEP YOU HAVE. and we are here to help!We raced home to get to an appointment and the appointment, Patsy, wasn't there, but Sonia was. We asked her what she was up to and if she had read the Book of Mormon and she said "you know girls, I haven't had a chance to. The kids went to Eubank and I have to do the dishes and clean the kitchen." WELL WELL WELL. We didn't even give her an option we sat her on the couch and said "read." We walked into the kitchen, cleaned it, did all the dishes and organized while listening to hymns. It was the sweetest thing to hear Sonia outside reading out loud to her son, roger, and ask him questions. It was exactly what she needed.Saturday night we are in bed, ready to fall into a deep beautiful sleep when Teresa called. It was 10:25. She called asking for the church address and the time the worship service started. I literally was dead tired but when I heard that I jumped out of bed and most definitely did a happy, excited, crazy dance all the way around the apartment. TERESA, AFTER 7 MONTHS OF INVESTIGATING IS FINALLY COMING TO CHURCH. she told us that since we stumped her on the whole godhead thing (the fact that God, Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost are three separate, distinct beings who work together in purpose) she would come to church. We promised her at is she prayed and asked God to give her an answer, she would receive that answer at church. We couldn't sleep. I was way too excited!Sunday was glorious. TERESA AND SONIA CAME TO CHURCH. It was incredible! Teresa loved it. Teresa also got her answer to her question. Promised blessing do happen! Sonia also loved church. Sonia is so incredibly humble and meek. She loves learning and loves knowing more about God. She sat quietly and took it all in! She is the bomb! They both are incredible! :)This work is something that is unexplainably hard and miserable at times but so joyful and rewarding at others. Watching souls find their way back to Christ is what makes everything worth it. I love this work so much. I am so grateful for the tender mercies and miracles that I got to see each and every day. I know that my father in heaven is so aware of me and is in the details of my life. He knows me personally and blesses me for my righteous desires and obedience! Missionary work is the greatest thing ever! :)Much love,Sister Hannah
Here is a copy of the talk that gave Teresa her answer:
Sent from my iPad
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