Hello again,
Thanksgiving was great here in Leander! My companion and I had dinner with members in our ward named the Poonwahs. Brother Poonwah is from Asia I'm not sure where exactly and Sister Poonwah is from Maryland. They met on LDS Singles in 2001:) Sister Poonwah is a really good cook so I was excited when she invited us over for Thanksgiving dinner two weeks ago.
For dinner we had turkey (which was fried), potatoes, vegetables, and of course stuffing. For dessert there was a pumpkin roll..and it was so good along with one of Bro. Poonwah's favorite fruit pies that he buys from a bakery in Austin. It had a regular crust and a custard middle with fresh fruit on top. That of cours was good too.
I've had dinner with them several times while being hear in Leander and Bro. Poonwah always tells us if we leave his house hungry it's our own falut, so there was more than enough to eat.
Also at dinner was one of Bro. Poonwahs' colleagues from work named Israeal and he came along with his wife and two sons. After dinner we talked a little about our religions and beliefs. Israel is from Morocco and his wife is Hispanic. She was raised Catholic but Israel is Muslim so they've been thinking about raising their sons Muslim also. He shared a little about his culrture and we were able to share/teach a little about the restoration and the plan of salvation. I don't think they're converted but it was nice to talk with them. I love it when members get involved with gosple conversations so it was nice to have Bro. and Sis. Poonwah there to share things too.
After dinner we went into the living room so my companion and I could "share a message" with everyone. We all went around in a circle and shared the things we were thankful for becasue of the restoration. Israel and his wife also shared things they were thankful for because of their belief in God. The Spirit was strong and it was nice to get to be in such good company:)
The rest of the week was a little discouraging because we're having a difficult time getting our investigators to progress. Sometimes I get really frustrated and it's hard to stay focused but the more diligent we are the easier things become. It took me awhile to learn that but I feel like I'm just now, finally getting the hang of things.
My companion and I have also been visiting with a less active family for the past month and the mom came to church yesterday. It' s been a blessing getting to know them. To see them change and get reconnected with the Spirit again. We all have the light of Christ within us so we're naturally drawn and have a desire to feel pure love that can come through the Holy Ghost.
Other than that I can't think of anything else that's gone on. People are starting to put out Christmas decorations so it's been nice to see that when we're trackting.
I love you guys and wish you all the best throughout the coming week:)
Sister Green
Monday, November 30, 2009
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Hello all,
Wow, can I just tell all of you how much I love you? I've learned so much this past week in my studies and my mind has been opened to a greater understanding of life. I've been studying the Plan of Salvation the past few days and I'm really happy because things are making more sence to me. While I try to find ways to apply the things I've learned to help our investigators I can't help but think about ways I can apply this to family also.
One important thing that I've learned and it's also been something that investigators/individuals who know a little about the church wonder, is that all of the ordinaces that we have on this earth (pertaining to the gospel) are here for us to recieve exaltation. Yes there are different degrees of glory, because we all will be rewarded for the things we do but we have before us everything we need to recieve the highest which is eternal life.
I don't know why but I've never thought about this so deeply before. Our whole purpose and God's plan for us is to become like Him. That is what he wants for us and that is why our Savior has done all He has. The only thing keeping us from receiving these blessings in abundance is ourselves.
I'm understanding more how a parent feels when they know of the blessings a child can recieve if they are obedient and how badly it hurts when they do things that could've been prevented if they would've listened the first time.
The gospel is so simple that a child can understand it which simplicity I think surprisingly keeps people away, but it can also be very profound and we can learn a lot more if we desire to. Our agency is one of the many gifts we've been blessed with and it's extremely important. I've had to turn to the Lord a lot to ask Him for patience because I know as well as He knows that the gospel blesses individuals and families but sometimes people can't or don't want to see that.
The Atonement of our Savior helps us overcome our sins and weaknesses. Life isn't easy but we were not sent here to fail. We have everything we need on this earth, at this time, to help us return to our Father in Heaven safely; so that we can recieve all that He has, and He wants to give it to us.
I'm not perfect, and for the past few months I have been blessed with the sometimes discouraging realization of just how unperfect I am. But I know that we're not alone. Heavenly Father loves us and will give us the things we truly stand in need of if we ask. Strength, patience, forgiveness, love, knowledge, understanding, anything.
I'm not the best at collecting all of my thoughts sometimes but I love all of you and I hope you've been able to understand me a little. There is nothing we can't accomplish without the help of our Heavenly Father and Savior and there isn't anything, except for ourselves, that can keep us from all being together after this life. This has made me want to try a little harder and to be a little better even though I fall short sometimes, because everything has an eternal perspective.
I love you all and hope you have a wonderful week,
Sister Green
Wow, can I just tell all of you how much I love you? I've learned so much this past week in my studies and my mind has been opened to a greater understanding of life. I've been studying the Plan of Salvation the past few days and I'm really happy because things are making more sence to me. While I try to find ways to apply the things I've learned to help our investigators I can't help but think about ways I can apply this to family also.
One important thing that I've learned and it's also been something that investigators/individuals who know a little about the church wonder, is that all of the ordinaces that we have on this earth (pertaining to the gospel) are here for us to recieve exaltation. Yes there are different degrees of glory, because we all will be rewarded for the things we do but we have before us everything we need to recieve the highest which is eternal life.
I don't know why but I've never thought about this so deeply before. Our whole purpose and God's plan for us is to become like Him. That is what he wants for us and that is why our Savior has done all He has. The only thing keeping us from receiving these blessings in abundance is ourselves.
I'm understanding more how a parent feels when they know of the blessings a child can recieve if they are obedient and how badly it hurts when they do things that could've been prevented if they would've listened the first time.
The gospel is so simple that a child can understand it which simplicity I think surprisingly keeps people away, but it can also be very profound and we can learn a lot more if we desire to. Our agency is one of the many gifts we've been blessed with and it's extremely important. I've had to turn to the Lord a lot to ask Him for patience because I know as well as He knows that the gospel blesses individuals and families but sometimes people can't or don't want to see that.
The Atonement of our Savior helps us overcome our sins and weaknesses. Life isn't easy but we were not sent here to fail. We have everything we need on this earth, at this time, to help us return to our Father in Heaven safely; so that we can recieve all that He has, and He wants to give it to us.
I'm not perfect, and for the past few months I have been blessed with the sometimes discouraging realization of just how unperfect I am. But I know that we're not alone. Heavenly Father loves us and will give us the things we truly stand in need of if we ask. Strength, patience, forgiveness, love, knowledge, understanding, anything.
I'm not the best at collecting all of my thoughts sometimes but I love all of you and I hope you've been able to understand me a little. There is nothing we can't accomplish without the help of our Heavenly Father and Savior and there isn't anything, except for ourselves, that can keep us from all being together after this life. This has made me want to try a little harder and to be a little better even though I fall short sometimes, because everything has an eternal perspective.
I love you all and hope you have a wonderful week,
Sister Green
Monday, November 16, 2009
11/16/09
Hello all,
I only have a few minutes to write to you today. Pday's gone by pretty fast and we got a flat tire last night so we spent a little while at PepBoys this morning. After e-mail we're on our way to a zone activity where my companion and I will exchange companions for a day.
The sister I'm going to be on exchanges with trained my companion and she has also served in Leander before so I'll probably learn more about the area from her when she gets here:)
This past week has gone okay. A lot of our lessons have fallen through and our investigators haven't been keeping with their appointments lately. We also had a baptism scheduled for the 21st but our investigator called us this past Wednesday and told us she wasn't ready to make the commitment.
This woman that my previous companion and I have been teaching (as well as missionaries before us in 2007) and her comapnion before me, is really sweet and has been through a lot. She questions her abilities but is a wonderful single mother with a five year old. This is the same woman I've written to you about previously who's boyfriend looked up anti things online. Through much prayer, he moved out and things were moving along but she is still worryed that she's not "LDS" material and she really doesn't like Relief Society because all the women cry and she has a difficult time with that. We've told her that they're just expressing the things in their hearts and that she doen't need to compare herself to anyone else, but she's still strugllin with that as well as some WOW (Word of Wisdom) problems.
We were able to have dinner with her on Saturday and it was good to see her. She was also happy and relieved that we didn't "hate her" for not wanted to get baptised yet. We were able to talk with her for awhile and share some hopefully strenghening scriptures with her and also let her know how much she was loved by Heavenly Father, our Savior, and us as well as the members. We assured her that we could take things slowly and she was more than welsome to continue coming to church even though our visits wouldn't be as frequent. After dinner she walked us to the door and we parked our car around the block so she walked outside with us. As we were walking away she said "Thank you for not giving up on me". When I heard that I thought "How could I"?
Before I came on a mission everyone told me that teaching people and then having them turn away was going to be one of the hardest things I experience, and it has been. I'm realizing why prayer is so important because it can be really difficult emotionally sometimes. Somedays, when no one seems to want to learn more about the gospel, it's almost like we're getting a very small but real taste of what the Savior went through or other prophets when no wanted to listen. So far this has been a great, trying experience but I'm slowly being softened and molded into the woman my patriarchal blessing promises I can become with faith and prayer:)
Sorry again if my e-mail's a little chopping but I had to type fast. Love you all and hope you have a good week.
Sister Green
I only have a few minutes to write to you today. Pday's gone by pretty fast and we got a flat tire last night so we spent a little while at PepBoys this morning. After e-mail we're on our way to a zone activity where my companion and I will exchange companions for a day.
The sister I'm going to be on exchanges with trained my companion and she has also served in Leander before so I'll probably learn more about the area from her when she gets here:)
This past week has gone okay. A lot of our lessons have fallen through and our investigators haven't been keeping with their appointments lately. We also had a baptism scheduled for the 21st but our investigator called us this past Wednesday and told us she wasn't ready to make the commitment.
This woman that my previous companion and I have been teaching (as well as missionaries before us in 2007) and her comapnion before me, is really sweet and has been through a lot. She questions her abilities but is a wonderful single mother with a five year old. This is the same woman I've written to you about previously who's boyfriend looked up anti things online. Through much prayer, he moved out and things were moving along but she is still worryed that she's not "LDS" material and she really doesn't like Relief Society because all the women cry and she has a difficult time with that. We've told her that they're just expressing the things in their hearts and that she doen't need to compare herself to anyone else, but she's still strugllin with that as well as some WOW (Word of Wisdom) problems.
We were able to have dinner with her on Saturday and it was good to see her. She was also happy and relieved that we didn't "hate her" for not wanted to get baptised yet. We were able to talk with her for awhile and share some hopefully strenghening scriptures with her and also let her know how much she was loved by Heavenly Father, our Savior, and us as well as the members. We assured her that we could take things slowly and she was more than welsome to continue coming to church even though our visits wouldn't be as frequent. After dinner she walked us to the door and we parked our car around the block so she walked outside with us. As we were walking away she said "Thank you for not giving up on me". When I heard that I thought "How could I"?
Before I came on a mission everyone told me that teaching people and then having them turn away was going to be one of the hardest things I experience, and it has been. I'm realizing why prayer is so important because it can be really difficult emotionally sometimes. Somedays, when no one seems to want to learn more about the gospel, it's almost like we're getting a very small but real taste of what the Savior went through or other prophets when no wanted to listen. So far this has been a great, trying experience but I'm slowly being softened and molded into the woman my patriarchal blessing promises I can become with faith and prayer:)
Sorry again if my e-mail's a little chopping but I had to type fast. Love you all and hope you have a good week.
Sister Green
Hello all,
Sorry I didn't get an e-mail off last week. I'm learning and was politely chastened by my dad, so next time I'll be sure to send a quick e-mail instead of nothing at all.
My Zone Conference a couple of weeks ago is still on my mind and I constantly think about the things Elder Snow shared with us. One of the things he said, that I loved was that we as members of the church are entitled to receive revelation in our stewardships. The past couple weeks have been challenging but there have also been really comforting moments too and Zone Conference was just what I needed.
My companion and I have an investigator named Diana(in her 50's) who lost her husband 18 months ago from cancer. My first companion and I heard about her thorugh a lady in our ward named Sister Haro and she along with a neighbor friend who also lost her husband a while ago went to the church to meet with the bishop. We were able to meet them that evening because we had our weekly coordination meeting with the ward mission leader.
I hadn't heard about either of them for awhile and last week we stopped by this members house to drop off books she could give to the Diana. After talking to Sister Haro we decided to stop by and visit her. We went to her neighborhood and started knocking on doors there so it looked like it wasn't set up (even though it kind of was). We were able to speak to Diana for a little bit and when we asked her if we could come back and share more she told us she would give us a call. To be honest I wasn't really convinced but the next day she called us and asked if we would stop by.
When we got there we started talking to get to know her better and she started telling us about her life. She spent 10 years as a Jehovah's Witness and has looked into many other religions since. The emotions and the pains she feels from losing her husband are still very strong and everytime she talked about him or about how lost she felt, she cried. She told us that she was stuck because she didn't want to die because she was afraid, but she also didn't want to live because she felt alone. It was really sad but we were able to testify and teach her the plan of salvation. There's still a lot of hurt there and of course it can't all go away with one visit but she wants us to keep coming back which is really good.
The day before we met with Diana, my companion and I were walking down the street to start knocking doors. We both saw a little house and my companion felt promted that that should be the first door we knocked on. A nice older lady answered and after we introduced ourselves and told here what we were doing she allowed us to come inside.
She also opened herself up and told us about her life and some of the things she had gone through. She suffers from depression and sometimes it's difficult for her to do or want to do things. We taught her the restoration and my companion and I felt prompted to talk a little more about the power of the priesthood. We talked to her about how men who have the preisthood can come and lay their hands upon her head and through the guidance of the Holy Ghost they can comfort her and tell her things the Lord wants her to hear. She agreed and two elders came to give her a comfort blessing. After they left we prayed and she said she felt lighter like everything was better. It was great to witness the faith that she had in this restored power that we've been blessed with.
Sorry if I'm rambling and some things I type don't make sence but I wanted to make sure I shared these things this week.
My testimony of the gospel as a whole is being strengthened. I'm grateful for this opportunity that I've been given to be merely and instrument in the Lord's hands to bring souls unto Christ. As members of the church we have a wonderful responsibility to share the gospel with others.
I love you all very much and thank you again for all of your support. Your prayers have strengthened and I'm grateful. As always I hope you all have a wonderful week.
Love you guys,
Sister Green
P.S. Sorry for any typos :)
Sorry I didn't get an e-mail off last week. I'm learning and was politely chastened by my dad, so next time I'll be sure to send a quick e-mail instead of nothing at all.
My Zone Conference a couple of weeks ago is still on my mind and I constantly think about the things Elder Snow shared with us. One of the things he said, that I loved was that we as members of the church are entitled to receive revelation in our stewardships. The past couple weeks have been challenging but there have also been really comforting moments too and Zone Conference was just what I needed.
My companion and I have an investigator named Diana(in her 50's) who lost her husband 18 months ago from cancer. My first companion and I heard about her thorugh a lady in our ward named Sister Haro and she along with a neighbor friend who also lost her husband a while ago went to the church to meet with the bishop. We were able to meet them that evening because we had our weekly coordination meeting with the ward mission leader.
I hadn't heard about either of them for awhile and last week we stopped by this members house to drop off books she could give to the Diana. After talking to Sister Haro we decided to stop by and visit her. We went to her neighborhood and started knocking on doors there so it looked like it wasn't set up (even though it kind of was). We were able to speak to Diana for a little bit and when we asked her if we could come back and share more she told us she would give us a call. To be honest I wasn't really convinced but the next day she called us and asked if we would stop by.
When we got there we started talking to get to know her better and she started telling us about her life. She spent 10 years as a Jehovah's Witness and has looked into many other religions since. The emotions and the pains she feels from losing her husband are still very strong and everytime she talked about him or about how lost she felt, she cried. She told us that she was stuck because she didn't want to die because she was afraid, but she also didn't want to live because she felt alone. It was really sad but we were able to testify and teach her the plan of salvation. There's still a lot of hurt there and of course it can't all go away with one visit but she wants us to keep coming back which is really good.
The day before we met with Diana, my companion and I were walking down the street to start knocking doors. We both saw a little house and my companion felt promted that that should be the first door we knocked on. A nice older lady answered and after we introduced ourselves and told here what we were doing she allowed us to come inside.
She also opened herself up and told us about her life and some of the things she had gone through. She suffers from depression and sometimes it's difficult for her to do or want to do things. We taught her the restoration and my companion and I felt prompted to talk a little more about the power of the priesthood. We talked to her about how men who have the preisthood can come and lay their hands upon her head and through the guidance of the Holy Ghost they can comfort her and tell her things the Lord wants her to hear. She agreed and two elders came to give her a comfort blessing. After they left we prayed and she said she felt lighter like everything was better. It was great to witness the faith that she had in this restored power that we've been blessed with.
Sorry if I'm rambling and some things I type don't make sence but I wanted to make sure I shared these things this week.
My testimony of the gospel as a whole is being strengthened. I'm grateful for this opportunity that I've been given to be merely and instrument in the Lord's hands to bring souls unto Christ. As members of the church we have a wonderful responsibility to share the gospel with others.
I love you all very much and thank you again for all of your support. Your prayers have strengthened and I'm grateful. As always I hope you all have a wonderful week.
Love you guys,
Sister Green
P.S. Sorry for any typos :)
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