Baptizing in Birmingham

SENT ON MONDAY JUNE 17th

Wow, wow, wow. So much has happened this week and I have so much to say.

 

So this week has been intense. On Friday we went and met a referral. We knocked and she let us in, and we ended up giving her the whole first lesson right there. It went so well and the spirit was so strong. She believes in Jesus but knows she needs to do more. She's a sweet black woman, single mom, and has 5 kids. She's pretty young and was so so touched by the message of the gospel. She had a lot of questions and wanted to know more, and she couldn't stop thanking us for coming. She said that just before we knocked, she was in her room praying and telling God that she just couldn't take it anymore. She was handing it over to Him and just said that she needed some help. And then we knocked on the door. So cool, huh? We helped her recognize how that was an answer to her prayer and that the message of the gospel could change her life. We're going back to see her tomorrow. Pray that everything goes well with her, please!!

 

We've met up with a few other investigators the elders left us. We're seeing several of them this week, as well as some referrals we got from ward members. Our ward mission leader and his family are soo awesome! His future sister-in-law has had all three lessons already and is so ready to meet with us. She wants to be baptized and sealed to her future husband, so we're teaching her on Wednesday. Our warm mission leader's kids are so cute!! His wife is adorable too.  The girls, ust love us! the first time they saw us they ran up and gave us a big hug, because they haven't been able to hug missionaries in 6 years. So cute.

 

This weekend was fun! Remember how I said the whole ward is related? They really are!! Two families started the ward as a branch, and then it grew and grew.  Almost everyone is related to one or the other. This last weekend they had a big family reunion for one family, which is basically just a ward party. Haha. 70% of the people there were in our ward. So we went and met a ton of people! It was at this big park area where the two families used to live, and half the ward members were baptized in the little creek at the park (picture posted of the creek). It was typical Southern food potluck, and I think that's when it really hit me--I really am in Alabama. Haha. Next month is the other family reunion, and we're invited to that too!! haha.

 

The ward has been so awesome. They are ecstatic to have sisters and have welcomed us so warmly. Because we moved in after elders, our apartment needs a LOT of work. Sister Wilson and I had to buy a TON of stuff to make it liveable. We had like two forks, two spoons, two plates, that's it. No rugs, no pans, nothing nice, and it was just nasty and gross and stinky. So it's taken a lot of work to fix it up and make it sister friendly. So many of the ward members have asked us what we need, how they can help and what they can do to make it better. They're so sweet. People are bringing us swiffers, plug in air fresheners (our apartment smells like smoke... but that's because of the complex), kitchen towels, pans, a blender, etc. It's been a huge help and they are so sweet. Our relief society pres. has taken good care of us, but we've spent a lot of money on this apartment lol. It's getting better!!

 

Church was great. They asked all the missionaries to get up and bear their testimonies, which was way cool for me. We share the area with two other missionaries. We see them most days and they are great. They're our zone leaders so we do a lot of things with them. They are fantastic missionaries and it's an honor to serve with them. Relief Society was wonderful and we had lunch with a really nice family afterwards.

 

Sister Wilson and I made cookies the night before (you're allowed to do that as a sister missionary!!) and packaged them up to take to members on Sunday. There's a huge amount of people in town for the summer doing security sales, and they're here for a while. They're mostly from Utah, and they're all younger couples with young kids. They live in some really nice apartment complexes down in Hoover, so we drove up there and visited with them! We introduced ourselves and we also got a lot of referrals from the members. We're teaching a few referrals this week! It was funny because it just felt like Utah Valley up there, in these nice apartment complexes with all these nice Utah families. Haha. It was surreal and felt like I was in Utah again. 

 

Also, EVERYONE tailgates you. Seriously. I can't tell you how many people ride our bumper every single day. Also, everyone has an accent here. Even little two-year-olds!! It's really cute.

 

Sister Wilson and I are doing so well together. I'm happy so many people liked the post on facebook! I'd LOVE to know what people are saying!! We are having so much fun together. We basically feel like we're having a 6-week sleepover with our best friend--while working super hard and getting blessings from the Lord. haha. We do work hard, but it doesn't feel like it because we are having a great time.

 

So I have a beautiful photo album I got at the MTC that I would LOVE  to be filled with pictures!!! Can you put out an announcement to people that I would love pictures of all of my friends? So if a friend wants to send me a picture of them (printed, 4x6) I can stick it in my photo album! We don't have time to print pictures and I don't have any pictures here anyway, so it would be great if people could send me pictures. I keep some picture frames on my desk too that just need to be filled. :)

 

So excited for all my friends going in the MTC this week! The only ones I can remember for sure are Emily Lewis and Landon, but I know there are others too. Good luck to all of them!! I'm so proud of you all. Email me your addresses so I can write you! You will love the MTC. :)

 

Sending pictures! Love you!!

 

Sister Edwards