September 9th 2009

So it's been a crazy week! Lots of cool/weird/fun stuff happened. Well, I hit my 1 year mark on September 3rd! Crazy weird! Time sure flies. We had a meeting with our ward mission leader the next day and they suprised me with a birthday cake and sang happy birthday to me. It was the nicest thing ever! I love that family. The Nielsens! It seriously made my day. I wasn't expecting it at all. It was a random call we got from him. We usually meet on Thursdays and he couldn't. So it was a really nice suprise.
We tracted around the head quarter referrals that we got last week and we found a family to teach. A mom, Veronica, and her two foster sons Anthony and Orlando. They are a way nice family. They let us in and invited us so come back on Friday. The spirit was really strong and the seemed to really understand.
We had our mission president interviews on Saturday. Those are always nice! I love meeting with him. We've been doing the Book of Mormon challenge where we read it in 146 days and get quiver scriptures for topics he assigns, and we share one with him in our interviews. Miracles have been happening since we've been reading and applying the book of Mormon in our teachings. We actually discussed my release date and I'll be coming home February 9, 2010. I thought I'd be staying longer but I guess the Lord says other wise. I'm good with that though. I'll continue to serve the Lord even after my mission!
We had a crazy experience on Sunday before church. We met a girl named Mary who holds a "bible study" in her home. Or as she calls is a "fellowship." She's a very nice lady, loves God, and wants to help others find there way. So she invited us to go to this thing she was having. The spirit wasn't very strong there but she's a good teacher and is trying. But at the end the did what they call a "Manifestation Prayer" where anyone can pray if the feel inspired to. So she prayed to start it off then her friend Steven followed her. They called God "Dad" and "Daddy" They talked to him so casually. Then after they got done it was silent for awhile and so she decides she was going to end it. So she starts praying again and then COMMANDS Steven to speak in tongues and then translate what he says. After he got done, she COMMANDED another guy named Robert to "Prophecy" And they were speaking like they were God. It was the craziest thing ever! I can't even explain it! The spirit was FAR from that place. We had never felt so empty! The sisters and I just sat in the car after for a second to ponder on WHAT THE HECK JUST HAPPENED! He immediately prayed for the spirit to be back with us. Not a good feeling. Crazy weird experience though.
Last night was really sweet. We had a lesson with Cory at the Schoppauls home and the spirit was so strong! I taught baptism and confirmation and had the impression to recommmit him for baptism. The last time he was commited it was a soft commitment, kinda fluffy. So I felt the spirit really strong and hard core committed him. I talked of Jesus' baptism, authority, and the gift of the Holy Ghost and committed him to follow Christs perfect example and be baptized by the proper authority and prepare himself to enter into that covenant on September 24th. Tears filled his eyes and he said, OF COURSE!! It was a great experience!!! The spirit changes lives!! I love it!
Then their Less Active son we're working with had us try this really weird food that he likes. It's pork boiled in pigs blood and has like seasonings and what not, and you eat it on top of rice. I can't believe I tried it, but everyone was doing it :) HeHe just kidding. Sister Kim and I tried it at the same time. It wasn't bad. Not something I'd eat everyday. We took pictures. It had the texture of dirt almost. HA it was fun.
But things are going great! I love being a missionary! Thanks for all your prayers and words of encouragement
Hurray for Israel!
Sister Oreo