I love you sooooo much! It sounds like you all had a good break. Too bad real life has to set back in. Sounds like you had a good new year too! We rang in the new year at 10:00 and went to bed by 10:30. We did have some bubbly (of the sparkling cider variety) and some cream puffs though. Ever since that one time we had cream puffs on New Years I always associate them with New Year's Eve. And Brave is maybe the worst Disney/Pixar movie ever. Hermana Stewart and I both agree that it's about an hour an a half of nothing. And then we watched A Goofy Movie, which is the worst movie ever. I didn't like it as a kid, and I still don't. It was fun to be with the other missionaries though. We just camped out in the Relief Society room and hung out. Probably the only time that will happen, but President Riggs didn't want us to be out on the streets.
We had such a good week this week! We decided to focus really hard on reaching our goals this week, especially when it came to member present lessons and investigators that came to sacrament meeting. As I've mentioned before, we've had some trouble working the ward. Before I got here there were some disobedient missionaries that really damaged the relationship with the ward and how much the ward trusts the missionaries, which is really a shame, because Old Town used to be one of the best wards in the stake for missionary work. Our district is finally in a state that we can start trying to repair the damages. And one of the ways that we feel that we can go about that is really focusing on the members. We've been trying to do that in two different ways. First, President Riggs feels very strongly that we pick about 15 families in the ward that we see on a weekly basis to ask them The Revelation Question. Basically we ask them if they have received revelation for a way that we as missionaries can serve their family, their friends, or their neighbors. This has been a struggle in the past because for some reason our people haven't been getting the gist of what we've been trying to ask and they always tell us just to pray. We are praying. We want to do more! And what we really want is referrals! So this week we decided to revamp The Question and really focus on the revelation part and working together as members and missionaries to bring people to Christ. We also made more of an effort to actually visit our people. It's really hard to see them because we cover an entire zone. We live at the bottom of the zone and sometimes to visit the people that live at the top of the zone in Arlington, it takes us an hour to drive there. Not because it's that far, but because there is always traffic here! So we made a real point to plan and set up appointments with our members and it's gone really well. We still haven't visited all 15 due to people not being home and such, but we have visited and asked more members that we ever had in the past! The second area that we've decided to focus on is member present lessons. I tell you, I'm gaining such a testimony of what members can do to up the spirituality of a lesson. Our goal was to have eight member present lessons this week and we had nine! And there were times during lessons that our members bore, sweet powerful testimony of the truthfulness of the gospel. And sometimes when we didn't know what to say, our member was right there to jump in and answer our investigator's questions way better than we ever could. Some of those lessons would have turned out very differently if it had just been Hermana Stewart and I. I think it's really been a testimony strengthening experience for all those that have been involved, and especially for me. Our members are so strong and they really do care that other people have the chance to hear and receive and be blessed by the gospel. And I think through putting in the extra effort of planning and setting up lessons where members can come too we will all see the work progress further. Also, Mom, I would love it if you would send lesson ideas to do with members and ward missionaries. I really liked the Alma fortress idea, but I don't remember it, so it would be super helpful if you could just send me some ideas. Thanks so much for that. I would love to do more hands on things, but I think I'm lacking in the creativity department.
So the other night, I felt like a real missionary. I really don't like street contacting, because it's still really hard for me to talk to strangers. I know I just need to put my big girl panties on and get over it, but it's harder than you think. Anyway, the other night we were at this apartment complex where one of our investigators live. We were just checking on them because we had invited them to come to a baptism the day before and they stood us up. The didn't answer the door that night either, so we went back to the car. Well there is a bus stop right in front of where we had parked. And there was a man standing there. And from the looks of it, he was Hispanic I put my scriptures and my bag in the back seat and was about to get in the car when the guy looked at me. I said buenas and smiled but didn't really have any intention of doing anything else, when all of a sudden I found myself walking up and introducing myself and my companion. I gave him a pass along card, and my companion started talking to him about church and stuff. And he realized we were Mormons! A lot of people think that we are Testigos, so that was a bonus! He said that there was a beautiful Mormon church close to where he lived in Honduras that he would pass every day on his way to work. He also asked us for our phone number so that he could call us when he had a little bit more time. I don't know if anything will actually come of it, but at least a seed was planted. And I'm getting better at talking to strangers!
Our church time changed to 1:00, which is awesome, so yesterday morning we had some time to check on some references before heading to the chapel. As it happens, there were also some Testigos that were also out in the same apartment complex. Super awkward! So we went tracting with Testigos yesterday morning.
As church was ending we were talking to one of our members and he has a three year old son named Chris that is super naughty. But he loves me. I don't know why, but all the naughty ones love me. We were saying goodbye and I knelt down to see if Chris would give me a besito (a kiss on the cheek). And he did! And then one of the young women in the ward came up and wanted one too. We'll just say that this certain young woman is basically all the things I do not like about Provo all rolled into one 17 year old. And of course everyone just adores her and blah blah blah, you know the type. Everyone that is, except Chris. He refused to give her a besito. He wouldn't even look at her. He ran away and hid behind his dad. Hermana Stewart and I both got a certain (large) amount of satisfaction from that. I know, I know, I really need to develop charity. It was funny though.
Well family, email time has come to an end. I love you so much, and I miss you tons. Be good this week (Nathan!).
xoxo
Hermana Simpson
p.s. Kelley, you've stepped it up when it comes to letter writing. I'm going to write you an awesome one today! And it sounds like you had a good birthday. Loves.
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