Ughh I really don't want to write an email, but I will do it because I love you all so much.
We got a call Monday night asking if we could help out the activity day girls on Wednesday night. Yayyy!! I was so excited!! We got to go and help teach them about missionary work and hpw we can share the gospel with our friends and family. We got the girls into groups and they did skits acting out different ways to reach out to people. It was so fun!
So on our way over to meet with the lady in our ward to plan the activity we saw a man named Henry outside washing his car. We have been trying to meet Henry since we came into the area!!!!! So we pulled over and went to go talk with him. MIRACLE! We set up an appointment to come back on Sunday.
I was thinking that you all would call me when Grandma Cherie passed- President allowed some other people to talk to their family when that has happened so I was kind of surprised when I found out the news from President. I do feel peaceful about her passing and I am grateful that she didn't have to suffer long, but there is always some sadness when someone dies. You miss having them there with you and you recognize that they have completed their time here on the earth. In Grandmas Cheries case I am comforted in knowing that she has lived a full and blessed life. She has learned many lessons, touched so many lives, and she set an amazing example for all of us to follow. The day before I got the news Sister T and I had gone and visited this amazingly sweet old lady named Dorris. I kept telling her that she reminded me soo much of Grandma Cherie! From her personality, style, everything! --- even the way she talked about her son haha! I loved her soo much and I wish now I had gotten a picture with her to send to you all... next time! We had a great little lesson with her and we discussed faith in our Savior Jesus Christ. We asked her if she knew that Christ's church was restored on the earth today if she would like to learn about it and she said yes! We are going back this week to teach her the message of the restoration. Everyone needs to hear this message at least once in their life time. It truly is incredible and people just need the opportunity to hear about it!
Ok I am getting really tired and lazy so I am just going to wrap this up pretty quickly:
- Alfonso came into the Visitors Center and told me had exciting news. He met with the Bishop a few nights ago and he is going to start preparing himself to go to the temple!!! I just wanted to cry I am soo happy for him!!
- Miracle. Karlos was a man that I was teaching at the VC. He had come in and asked for a Book of Mormon yadda yadda yadda anyways I had lost contact with him and he called the VC the other day and said he got a new number!! So I got his number and we are going to start up the lessons again :D I asked if he was still reading from the Book of Mormon and he said yes!! He is going to come in and show me all the things he has marked up :D
-Carlos!! This is Carlos with a C haha So he came in with his friend and they asked to watch the restoration. One of the sisters told me that Carlos wasn't a member so before I started the movie we talked for a little bit about personal revelation and how God answers our prayers. When I came back after the movie I asked what he thought and he said he had never heard this message before and he would have to pray about it. Perfect answer! I invited him to so that and then got down his information so I could keep in touch with him and teach him over the phone. I asked if he had a Book of Mormon and he said no, but he had one many years ago and he actually had read some of it. I grabbed him a new one and gave him a pamphlet on the restoration. He agreed to read and pray about it and he also agreed to have the missionaries in his local area come and teach him the message of the restoration. Wow it was so powerful and he truly was so prepared! I love serving at the VC and seeing soo many miracles!! It is also fun to share the miracles and to get to send the referrals out to the missionaries who are working so hard in their areas. I know how it feels to receive those texts with a referral and it's seriously like Christmas haha!
-So apparently this guy came in one of the nights and proposed to his girlfriend in front of the Christus statue!! hahahahaha I was sooo sad I wasn't on shift then, but apparently all the sisters were in the back watching the whole thing on the camera hahaha
-Oh my goodness I am such a wimp with the cold now!!! It is like 60 degrees and I am freezing!! I might just have to live in the desert forever haha! I don't know how you all are surviving in the cold weather!
-Christmas lights start this week!!!!!! I am sooo excited!! Also Thanksgiving this week!! We aren't in the vc at all that day so we are going to a few different families homes and helping them bake pies and clean. We are eating with the Beckstrands again this year! I am super excited about that! :D
-I got a super sweet package from Camilla!! I love her!! She is just the sweetest! Papa when you see her give her a big hug from me and tell her thank you soo much!! I can't wait to live close to her and her family in Utah! :D
- Right now I am learning the importance of just slowing down and having patience. Sometimes what I want isn't what the Lord has in mind for me at this time. Sometimes I want to see results right away or I want to have more time in the area, but I just have to trust in the Lord and I know that everything will work out. I know everyone and their dog is focusing on this right now, but I really am focusing on being grateful for everything- especially my trials. I am grateful that Heavenly Father isn't easing up on me in these last few months. I am grateful for my struggles and from my weaknesses because they remind me how much i NEED the Lord. I literally can NOT do anything without Him and without His help! I am grateful that He has given me these experiences and I hope that I might be able to help someone because of what I have learned from them.
Alrighty family I love you all so much. I hope you all know how grateful I am for each one of you. You all individually have a special place in my heart. I am grateful for the special relationships I have with you all. I hope you know how much I love you guys!! Please keep yourselves safe and healthy! Have an amazing Thanksgiving and Papa be safe travelling to Utah.
Till next week!!
Love,
Sister Hamstead