I totally forgot to acknowledge the cutest letters that the primary kids from back home wrote me! It was the best surprise ever. They all drew me pictures and wrote a little letter. I was laughing so hard at some of them. Here are a couple that were off the wall that made me laugh:
"I do not like Bufuloe. I do not like fish. I do not like tunue. I do not like lozers. I like you you are nice. By Noah." Then he drew a picture of a tank to go right a long with his message.... haha
Next- "Have fun teaching the gosple to other people. What is your favorite color I like gold. I like you bye." Hahahah sooo stinking cute. I love kids too much.
This week was a pretty good one! Let's start out with Felix. He committed to prepare for baptism on August 10th!!! So just 2 Saturdays away. He is so so awesome. They weren't able to attend church because he had an interview during our church time.. but we have still been meeting with him often. And we set up an appointment tomorrow for him to receive a priesthood blessing by Bishop :) He is overcoming smoking/drinking coffee and we both felt prompted to teach him about priesthood blessings and he was so excited for that extra strength from the Lord.
Also, miracle time! Felix was really interested in getting a set of scriptures just like ours (a quad) and so we told him that those cost like $40 but we can get them separately for him for free or we could get him a set for his baptism as a gift.. he really wanted it so he said he was going to start saving up. We decided to order him separate copies of the standard works anyway.. the VERY next day the sisters showed up to give us the Bible we ordered. And in their hands was a super nice quad!!! They said they miraculously were given that and they didn't know why so they decided to give it to us. Tender mercy from the Lord for sure. We got Felix's name engraved on them and have them all ready to give to him! We are debating to wait until his baptism or if we should do it sooner... knowing my personality I will give in earlier because I am just not one for surprises. Too anxious ha..
Serenity quote of the week: We were sitting outside talking to them and I sat down next to Serenity and started asking about her picture Book of Mormon that we got her and if she's been reading it. She said "Ohhh yes I love to. I love reading it to Baby Girl too. (their kitten) And so baby girl really just loves church and she'd love to come. But don't worry I will just put pretty clothes on her and we will put these glass slippers from my barbie and she will be soooo polite!" Hahahaha I was dying. She is the cutest. I told her sadly (not really though) cats and animals can't come to church with us.. but that we can tell them ALL about it afterwards haha.
Saturday we got to attend a baptism for someone in the Manhattan 2nd Ward and it was so great! It was also the worst morning ever ha. Apryl called last minute to tell us she wouldn't be able to go anymore (even though we found her a ride....) and while we were on the phone with her, Felix texted us saying he was soooo sorry but just got called into work and couldn't go. Double whammy and we were devastated. But after the baptism- it was so great! President and Sister Bell were there and we had a testimony meeting with all the missionaries and an investigator. SO so powerful and the Spirit was so strong. Made me want to be a missionary for the rest of my life.
Even though Apryl cancelled on the baptism she was still able to come to sacrament meeting! She is so great haha. I looove being around her. She is in her 60's I believe and has the most energy out of anyone I know. She is soo so positive and enthusiastic about life, I love it. All throughout church she is always going "Hmmmmhmmm" and "AMEN" in her awesome black raspy voice, it is fantastic.
We had exchanges and Sister Call came to our area for the day. Man it was the best ever!!! We had soo much fun! I really look up to her and am so grateful to be serving around her. Also, we may have fallen asleep sitting up in studies and that was the funniest moment of my life. The elders knocked at the door which woke us both up and we were terrified. She went over and opened it and just started rambling for a good 5 minutes, having no idea what she was saying. Hahahaha I was laughing sooo hard. First time I have fallen asleep in studies and it was a scary feeling- thank goodness missionaries aren't exempt from repenting.
Cool story! We went to check up on a former investigator named Kenneth. He answered and was about to ask if we could reschedule but there was a lady behind him that was appalled. She was like "Kenneth this is a sign from God- let them in!!" We were kind of taken off guard/ so happy. So we head in and get to know them. Louisa was the lady's name. She is Muslim and just got out of jail. But as we bore testimony to her of the restored gospel she started bawling! She just kept telling us that she knows God sent us and that she needed that visit. She kept intensely staring at me the whole lesson and it was kind of freaking me out. But towards the end she said "You guys just have this LIGHT in your eyes and I want some of that." Sister Stewart and I looked at each other and just tried not to cry/laugh thinking of Shawn. We are going to meet with Kenneth and Louisa tonight!
We're still teaching Roggar from Ecuador! He is so awesome. We taught the Gospel of Jesus Christ and talked a lot about baptism. He always has lots of questions :) But he said he knows what we teach him is true but he is still attending another church and feels bad going to two churches.. He says if his ride doesn't pick him up for the other church he would love to come with us! So we may have prayed that his ride wouldn't be able to pick him up.. haha. But he is just such a sweet man! All the Ecuadorians we meet here are sooo friendly/open to learning and it is awesome. It is also a problem because they are too nice to say no.
There's a less active sister (Losi) that just moved into our ward that we were asked to go fellowship! She is from American Samoa so obviously I was stoked about that. Her mom and sister are staying with her for awhile to help out because she just had a baby. Cutest baby ever!!! Her name is Rocki Lynn. We loove visiting them and were able to help them get a ride to church. Also, there is this less active lady named Angela that we felt like we should check up on. She lives on an isolated farm and it is sooooo pretty out there holy cow. It is so green and I felt like we were in a jungle. She is totally open to visits so we are going to start teaching her.
We have been so blessed here in Manhattan. I love this ward so much! And I LOVE the people we're teaching. Being a missionary is the greatest. The church is true and the book is blue. I love the Book of Mormon more and more each day and I challenge all of you to read from it every day! It has been the coolest experience to see such a huge strength/power in my own life but in the lives of those we teach as they actually read and keep their commitments. One huge thing I have learned so far on my mission is the importance of serving. Jesus Christ was ALWAYS serving and that is the example he left us. I have seen such a huge strength in our relationships out here with companions, investigators, members as we just serve. (James 1:27 and a quote "Service is the very definition of pure religion.")
Love you all,
Sister Smarttttt
PS funny story yesterday that I just remembered. So Sister Stewart and I were in a huge hurry but a member had told us to come by to get some cookies for Felix. So we stopped by and her husband (who doesn't like missionaries..) answered. He hesitantly let us in then ran to his room and said his wife would be out soon.. So we were awkwardly waiting there for a good 10 minutes debating if we should leave because we didn't hear a peep. Still nothing. Then the dog pees on the floor right by us.. It was the most uncomfortable situation and we were both laughing uncontrollably because we didn't know what else to do. We were not very welcomed, then waiting in the entryway forever and the dog makes a mess that we didn't know what to do with! Adventures of a missionary.
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