Our companionship is awesome! We have fun talking about everything! -- gospel related, of course -- Our biggest topic this week is how much our journal entrees and letters and day to day living makes us appear to have constant mood swings. Feeling the greatest joy in one moment, then the greatest sorrow the next. It's crazy! I survive quite well, just adapting to every situation we come across. It is interesting, though to think about our days. Every hour, we have a different appointment with a different person with their own struggles and concerns and need for spiritual nourishment. We as missionaries have to quickly switch from focusing on one person's need to another. One hour, we may be overjoyed with their strong faith and seeing them commit to baptism. Then the next hour, we see another of our investigators slipping away and being overcome by the influences of the world.
This past week, we had an amazing baptism. Monday morning, right before FHE in the Singles' Ward, one of our investigators was baptized and she is simply amazing. The spirit was so strong and she bore her testimony of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon. What was amazing is the fact that we started teaching her the Wednesday before. The spirit testified the truth to her and she knew it. However, as Sunday approached for her confirmation, her family tried to work on her to convince her of the choice she made. Saturday, she was still excited to come to church and said nothing would keep her from going. Then Sunday came. Her family wouldn't let us talk to her - over the phone or in person. She was unable to come to church. It's so heart-wrenching to experience that. We just continue to pray for her and seek for inspiration to know how to help her.
We have been blessed with eight new investigators this past week. President Darrington told us that the people in Orlando that are the most prepared to hear and accept the gospel will be the college-age. And I can see that it is true. We are doing great things here in the Singles' Ward. I love it!
As it relates to the ASL program, I'm not sure what to do right now relating to that. P-day is dedicated to writing all my MTC teachers and district then waiting for replies. So, right now, I'm looking for advice in how to start and run a program. Even basic advice works right now. I've got a basic outline plan at the moment, but I'm wondering what kind of schedule to follow day by day, if there are responsibilities and tasks that need to be accomplished on a weekly basis. Also, how to organize and map a huge area, working with three stakes to bring together the Deaf and hard of hearing, the correct line of authority and leadership to organize the ASL program with the ward level and stake level, etc. I'm sure as soon as the next transfer starts, we'll be able to figure things out - but the more advice and help, the smoother I hope it will go.
All is well! We're doing great! The Lord continues to bless us daily with His tender mercies. Onward and upward with the missionary work in Florida!
‘Make no small plans: They have no magic to stir man’s souls.’ This is the vision I have for the South. I believe that one day the South will baptize more people into the church than all other English speaking missions in the world together. There are great hosts of marvelous Baptists, and members of the church of Christ, Methodists and Catholics who are honorable people, and have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and love him. As they see their church veering off to the right or to the left of these basic teachings, they will begin to search for the truth. And as pivotal teachers come into the church and have influence, we will see the time when we baptize hundreds and thousands, tens of thousands. In your day you will see a million members of the church in the South. There will be Temples plural in the Southern States. What a great call you have to serve with these marvelous people. ~Spencer W Kimball (1974)
