Guess what?!? I saw Elder Anthony Fernelius Wednesday right when he got dropped off! His Mom actually drove back around to say Hi to me. It was so tender! I told her to give you a great big hug, and she said she's going to come over to the house so you two can talk about your Missionaries. :) It was so cute, and so nice. I told Anthony I would try to find him during lunch or something. He was grinning from ear to ear. I think it's just the Spirit of this place that makes everyone want to smile all the time. :) Including me.
Elder Anthony Fernelius and Hermana Dodge.
Elder Fernelius is headed to Japan.
Let me introduce you to my District. They are all so awesome!
Back- Elder Barkdull, Elder Williams, Elder King
Elder Dohner, Elder Pahulu, ElderBennett
Front- Hermana Hall, H Barnes, H Clifton,
H Warren, H Dodge, and Hermana Hardy.
Look at the beautiful weather we have been experiencing. It's been so nice to walk outside in a simple sweater and not bundle up like we live in Alaska. :) I'm SO going to enjoy California.
Me and my wonderful companion Hermana Hall
Notice: Elder Olivas right ear in this photo as he tries to BOMB.
Our District loves to opportunity to attend the temple
early in the morning on P-day. Me & Hermana Hall.
H Barnes, Me, H Hall and H Warren on P-day
heading to the Temple to serve.
I'm going to have to talk to Elder Olivas about
photo bombing my pictures today.
Elder Wilson, Elder Pahulu, And Hermana Dodge
These guys are GREAT missionaries.
Show this picture to Daddy. I got his favorite drink
with my lunch. It made me think of you Dad. Love you!
Thank you for keeping me up on the family news. I absolutely LOVE what Todd and Sarah named their baby. (William Tate Z)
I am so happy to know that you talk to Erika, Mom. So JEALOUS! Hahah! I love knowing what she's doing and about Garrett's homecoming. I'm so glad she got to go home.
The work here is nothing less than miraculous. Let's just start with yesterday. Oh my gosh, it was amazing. In the morning we taught Edith, our investigator who has had a very tough life. Her husband doesn't have a job, she works a ton, she feels like she cannot help Pablo, her son, because he speaks English, and all of his friends do so she cannot help him with his homework sometimes when he needs her, etc. She also doesn't feel like Heavenly Father listens to her, and questions weather The Book of Mormon is true. We had an AMAZING lesson on faith. She prayed and we left with smiles on our faces, even her. :)
Our teachers are actually our investigators. It's so inspirational to watch them do this so efficiently, and effectively. This works because they pick an investigator, (or in some cases themselves before their own conversion and baptism) and they sort of channel them through prayer, preparation, and meditation, basically. Then we teach them. Hermana Banfield is our teacher in the morning, and Hermano Usevitch is in the evening. We teach every day, but we teach each investigator every OTHER day, does that make sense? And since we taught Edith (Hermana Banfield) yesterday morning we thought we were done for the day. All of a sudden Hermano Usevitch came in and asked the class if we were ready to teach Pablo (the name of his investigator), and the people who had taught Edith were like, 'No, it wasn't on our schedule! We aren't prepared. Can't we do it tomorrow?' Etc (Remember, there are '6' companionships in our District/class, so 3 teach every day) and so of course, I said, "Hey- I'll do whatever the Lord wants me to do, and so whatever you want me to do. Heck yeah, I'm ready to teach Pablo!" (Insert small stink-eye glare from the companion, and the two other companionships who had to teach too). Hahaha! Our teacher was so excited and said, "Well, ALRIGHT!" I said, "We're on an errand of the Lord, we are here to share the Gospel, so that's what I'm going to do!" Why wouldn't I jump at the chance to fulfill my purpose, at every opportunity?
Okay- we had like 15 minutes to prepare, and we just prayed together before we started prepping, and before we walked in, and the Spirit TOTALLY led the lesson. Pablo has lived a dark life. He just moved to Utah to live with his brothers and Mom after living in California for quite some time, where he got involved with some pretty shady things. He doesn't understand why bad things happen to us in this life, and questions if God really loves us. He asked why all this bad happens around us. We shared with him in The Book of Mormon, Alma 32 vs 6-8, "6) And now when Alma heard this, he turned him about, his face immediately towards him, and he beheld with great joy; for he beheld that their afflictions had truly humbled them, and that they were in a preparation to hear the word. 7) Therefore he did say no more to the other multitude; but he stretched forth his hand, and cried unto those whom he beheld, who were truly penitent, and said unto them: 8) I behold that ye are lowly in heart; and if so, blessed are ye." We then as him why he thought the people who were poor and lowly were the first people, Alma, a Profeta at the time, wanted to teach? He answered, because they were ready to learn. They needed it the most! And we said, "Exactly!" Then he read from verse 13 and 16, "13) And now, because ye are compelled to be humble blessed are ye; for a man sometimes, if he is compelled to be humble, seeketh repentance; and now surely, whosoever repenteth shall find mercy; and he that findeth mercy and endureth to the end the same shall be saved. 16) Therefore, blessed are they who humble themselves without being compelled to be humble; or rather, in other words, blessed is he that believeth in the word of God, and is baptized without stubbornness of heart, yea, without being brought to know the word, or even compelled to know, before he will believe." It felt so wonderful to teach him HOW he could come unto Christ through faith, repentance, baptism, and the gift of the Holy Ghost, then...enduring to the end. He really liked that. I testified that this is the Gospel of Jesus Christ! Then we had him read a paragraph out of one of our pamphlets and asked him how he could apply it in his life, then how he felt about it. IT WAS ONE OF THE FIRST TIMES WE'VE EVER SEEN HIM HAPPY! He even said that it was wonderful, and quite beautiful, and made him so happy. I told him that the best part is that it really is available to EVERYONE. It doesn't matter what you've done, or how much money you have (or don't have), you can partake in this happiness too. He committed to reading the rest of Alma 32 (which is all about faith, and is an awesome chapter), and he had such a sweet light in his eyes. He prayed to close our meeting, and he was excited to have us back to talk more about the peace and happiness that comes from the Gospel of Jesus Christ. :)
The Spirit guided our lesson. It felt absolutely amazing. I looked him in the eyes and promised him blessings. That is the most amazing feeling in the world. Communicating Spirit to Spirit is the best way to go, and the ONLY way to go.
Oh Mom! I forgot to tell you...Elder Bohner got hurt really badly and has to go home Tuesday for surgery. I am so sad about it. We don't know what's going to happen other than that but we are all broken hearted about it. Please ask everyone to pray for Elder Bohner. He's one of my best Pals here.
I love y'all. The Spirit is amazing. I have to go...I'm already out of time. I LOVE you! DearElder.com me! :)
Hermana Dodge
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