3-9-2015
What a wonderful week!
Last Monday evening we went to the Millers (neighbors) and taught the
Restoration. I couldn't read their body language on how they felt or
what they thought bc they were both very tired. Tony though said he
wanted us to come back while what we taught is still fresh in their
minds when we watch the resto DVD with them. AWESOME!
Tuesday
after our studies and lunch we went tracting. YAY FOR TRACTING! I love
it so much! We started on Oak Hill st which we came to find out was the
st the library was on. Poor sis Blau was terrified of doing a door
approach! We started way down on the end of the street. Was a good
workout walking up and down those hills. 
Pretty much everyone we talked to wasn't interested. Finally the last
house we went to, a woman opened the door. This was Sis. Blau's first
door approach. The woman was really nice and talked to us for a little
bit. Sis. Blau extended the invitation to come to church. I AM SO PROUD
OF HER!!! She said she wouldn't mind visiting! She ended up letting us
inside as we talked more. She told us she's on the waiting list for a
liver transplant. It was then I noticed she had yellow eyes instead of
white. She insisted she had never consumed alcohol - but that it was
hereditary. We ended up setting up an appt to come back and gave her
our card with our number and our church address. Her name was Lori.
Wednesday
- we taught an 8 yr old girl of a LA family - she's preparing to be
baptized on April 11th! On our way to the Delps, Sis. Blau and I were
talking and laughing a lot! We ended up talking about our personal
lives. We had to wait for the Delps because they had to ru na ten min
errand - so we chilled in the car and talked. We laughed SO much! We
felt like...well, I felt like we were best friends already - only been
one week to the day. I love Sis. blau SO much! My attitude towards
training has changed extremely. I felt very inadequate in the
beginning. We taught Mia the Plan of Salvation.
Thursday
- During our weekly planning, Sis Blau said she came to see me as a
best friend so quickly! It made me so happy she felt the same way! After
lunch we went tracting! YAY! We prayed about what street to go on, and
we both came up with Milton Dr. after knocking on a couple of doors, we
got on return appt with a man named Billy - then the third house a man
named Rick let us in (his wife was home). We ended up teaching him the
Resto. He asked throughout the whole lesson about only needing the
Bible, why BOM? We tried so many different ways of sharing / answering.
At one point, I stood up and leaned over the table to show him an object
lesson. I kept talking while standing afterwards. Suddenly, Sis Blau
came in with a soft voice. It was then that I realized m yoice was a
little louder and firmer than it should have been. I was grateful she
followed the Spirit. It was such a humbling experience. At the end of
the lesson, Rick said, "It's just as if I were to force a slice of pizza
down your throat when you don't like pizza." Sis. Blau, once again
being in tune with the spirit replied, " Yes, but if I never had pizza, I
would give it a try." YOU'RE SO AMAZING SIS BLAU!!! "True," was all he
replied. there was a couple minutes of silence. He finally and I mean
FINALLY (after two hours of trying) he said he would read the chapter we
assigned him! YAY! WHAT A BLESSING!
We
taught the POS (plan of Salvation) to Lina and Juan AND Rex (Lina's
husband). I really struggle to know how to help them. Juan is SO ready! I
know I've already said this, but it's so true! He just sucks it all in
like a sponge! I wish his mom, Lina would be ready. I'm glad she is
taking this seriously though! I think we got a little leeway with Rex
(LA)! I don't know a TON because it was in Spanish. Sis. Bauserman
explained some to us.
Kat and Dan (neighbors) dropped us. 
They still wanna be friends - but not interested in the Gospel. Sad day.
Friday
- had a great time at District Meeting (DM). Afterwards we played
basketball with the elders during lunch! Was a BLAST! I got hit in the
eye....OUCH! No bruise tho YAY! Hurt for two days tho haha! What's a
game without getting hurt tho right? Don't worry - I was still cautious
about my back 
Saturday
- 9:30am the STL's (Sister Training Leaders) came over to do a power up. from 11-1 we went
TRACTING!! WHOOO! Sis. Husted went with Sis. Blau and I went with Sis.
Smith (new STL). We all stayed in Abingdon - aka power up! during this
tracting we felt we should go to Ivey St. When we got there, we found
out there was only one house on that st. But it connected to another st =
Henry St. We tried the one house = not interested./ It was then that it
dawned on me that Henry st was not on the lists of St's we were praying
about. What if Heavenly Father sent us to Ivey St to get us to Henry
st? Four houses later on Henry st, we rang a doorbell. A woman opened
the blinds of the window next to us, then slid open the window making
only the thin screen between us. We said we were missionaries of
the...she came in... "Y'all mormons?" Excited yet cautious we agreed we
were. she ended up telling us a full yet quick version of the POS.
Pretty good! once her husband came home about 15 min later we were
invited inside. She originally said she wasn't feeling good, but the
more we talked with her, the more energetic and happy she became. I love
what the gospel can do for other people! She talked a lot to us! she
apparently a while back had elders come and talk with her! She bore a
beautiful testimony of the Savior. She talked about how we need to go or
stay - do whatever the Lord asks of us. The hymn, "I'll go wherever you
want me to go" popped into my mind. I looked at Sis. Smith and asked if
she liked to sing. She agreed she did. We ended up singing her and her
husband (lula and Dale Greenman) 2 vs of that hymn. She was crying by
the end. We talked for a while more. She had a guitar lying out, and
found out that Sis Smith plays (also has a beautiful voice) - she
performed How Great Thou Art which caused MORE tears. Lula ended
up telling us she was struggling because she was really sick and prayed
to God - she said she felt we were God sent! AWWWW! ( not interested in
lessons tho).
After
them, we went to go check up on Terry. I tracted into her when I was on
exchanges with Sis crapo a long while back, and haven't had the chance
to visit her again. When we knocked on the door and ran the door bell,
no one was coming - yet I didn't feel rushed to leave or really even ...
I don't even think it came to my mind. Eventually, Terry opened the
door. She said we could come in for a few minutes, but her husband,
Terri (yes, they both have the same name - haha) and her little son were
sleeping (like 1:30pm - nap?) We started off with a prayer then began
the Resto. We got to the part about prophets, then Christ with the
priesthood. It then led in to How to Begin Teaching - how we were
there for her and how the Gospel can help her. She then started crying.
She talked to us about the struggles she was going through. In the end,
she too said she felt we were God sent. That's two people in a row that
have told us that! I asked for Miracles in my morning prayers since I
knew we were going on a power up / exchange.... and miracles usually
happen on Exchanges / power ups. That's two already. WHAT A BLESSING! We
had to go, but she said we could go back towards the beginning of the
following week! SO sweet!
After
a delicious meal with the McMurrays, Sis. McMurray went with us to the
Delps to teach Mia! mia had remembered SO much more of the POS than we
had thought! The Spirit works in wondrous ways!
Around 7:30 Sis Blau and I went and sang at the Abingdon Health and Rehab Center. There was a woman that we sang How Great Thou Art.
She ended up telling us that she always sang that song in her head when
she was struggling, and guess what? She told us that she felt we were
God sent! THAT'S THREE!!! Remember how God always works in threes in the
scriptures? Yeah ... well.... THAT JUST HAPPENED IN REAL LIFE! WHAT A
WONDERFUL BLESSING OF MIRACLES! I was so excited to share this day with
y'all!
Sunday
- Sis. Blau and I got to be the teachers for the 9-11 yr olds. Only 4
kids. Super fun! Taught about the Beatitudes. Was great! Had a GREAT
day!
LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!!! Hope to hear from you all this week!
Love,
Sister Thomas
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| Giant Fish Tank |
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| Sister Blau and me |
