Week #41

Aloha! LONG TIME NO SEE!!

 

So incredible news. I got transferred! I am now with Sister Hvistendahl (pronounced Vee-sen-dale) and she's from Greenland! Yep, you know, up where Santa Claus lives? And what's more, she is one of FIVE members in the entire country! Her father, her mother, her brother, and a woman that lived in Denmark and then moved there. I won't be boobin' to her about it being cold anytime soon! She is amazing in every possible way. I'm actually training again, but it's her second transfer. And Sister Daniilakis (my trainer) is training as well! So I have a sister, and making Sister Daniilakis a Grandma all over again! :) I am amazed at her strength and the true, absolute, sincere desire to be a messenger of God. It is an absolute joy to work with her. We have worked hard, and it has showed! I think this past week has been the most miraculous time period on my mission. I am astounded at God's goodness. Time is short, (mostly because I've been trying forever to print emails...grrr) so I'll only get to include some of them.

 

Juan. Remember him? The "I need to touch the temple" man? He has been amazing. We have been able to teach him three times so far this week. He can't stop reading The Book of Mormon. He says that he knows it's from God. He has some difficulty with realizing why he needs to be baptzied again. But I think we cleared that up in the last lesson. We felt inspired to go over The Plan of Salvation again last we talked. We used scriptures from the Bible and The Book of Mormon, and he said that he finally understood. He actually was wondering the day before what the purpose of life was, why people had to die early (he's had a violent life, brother getting shot, girlfriend leaving him after years of living together, father and stepfather dying, etc.) and why we have hard times. It was so tender. At the end, we had him pray, and it was perhaps the most sincere, tender prayer I've ever heard. Satan is really trying to get on him. Every time we talk together and he prays something happens to the phone, even though there were no problems beforehand. we get cut off, the static goes, etc etc. This time was no different. Finally I prayed, commanded Satan in the name of Christ to leave. Immediatelythe phone worked perfectly and did for the duration of the call.

 

Mario answered his phone! We committed him to baptism on Sept 15. The local missionaries for him and Juan are way behind on the ballgame. It's very frustrating to do it alone and thousands of miles away. We've been working with the Church missionary department to set a fire under their rears. But we're not really doing it alone, we have the Lord. Positive: I'm learning some tips of what not to do once I'm not a missionary in a Visitor's Center!!!

 

We took an English motorcoach, and SIX people referred to meet with missionaries. That NEVER happens. It is a miracle. We're going to start teaching them.

 

We called an investigator that S. Hvistendahl had from before, and her name is Mandy. She's getting baptized on Sept 15!!

 

We took a Danish motorcoach, and it was fun. We fell in love and had a blast. They asked lots of great questions, and I'm pretty sure they thought the two of us were the best thing since sliced bread. Then took a Danish tour with some members from Denmark that S. Hvistendahl knew, and then a family randomly saw us and joined in! The father is athiest, mother agnostic. And yet the little girl, when we saw God's plan said that she thought God put the rock there to save the son so he wouldn't die. I hope they were paying attention!!! :D It was more miracles.

 

Some have asked about our living situation. Well, it's been getting worse and worse, and they finally emergency evacuated us yesterday. At least it wasn' on Pday this time! 13 days with no pday is hard physically and emotionally, and i'd be sad not to have a real one. The black mold was making us all sick so that was the final straw. It was frustrating that it took this long, but it's a final relief. You can really feel the spirit in our new apt, and that's something I missed. Cleanliness is next to Godliness! They're going to have to tear everything up (carpets, plumbling, walls, etc.) and fix everything befoe it's habitable again.

 

I have been so grateful to see the abundant blessing in my life. Past, present and future. I am grateful to see the many miracles we have this week. Sister Hvistendahl and I are committed to do our best to be consecrated, hard working missionaries. It's going to be great for conference! Training this time around is a whole new experience. I am truly humbled by her kindness and compliments toward me, and I'm learning alot fromher. Good things are ahead!

 

Love you all! The church is true. The Book of Mormon is the word of God, and we have a Heavenly Father who loves us.

 

Lovesn'Hugs,

Sister Lake

 

(Oh yeah, we're announcing coordinators that means that we're in charge of language tours after music and the spoken word. That pretty much sums it up. )