Dear Family and Friends!
Today, we get our new Mission President, President Bonham. I know pretty much nothing about him (other than his middle name is Everett...coincidence??) so I am looking forward to meeting him this Wednesday when he visits our zone. It if sad to see President and Sister Wilson leave. I just really love and look up to them.
We had exchanges last Wednesday, which I was/am EXTREMELY grateful for this time around. I don't have any idea what I am doing! It was nice to be the "greenie" for the day. I got some great suggestions and advice from one of the Sister Training Leaders, Sister Shuler. We also decided that we many have to plan a road trip in the future because we had too much fun in the car to/from Arlington.
We had a lesson with a man named Bennett this week. We had met with him about three weeks previously, but had been "booked solid" (haha, S. Cromar) until this last Saturday. He asks the most excellent questions about life and why there is evil in the world and so on. He also shared with us some experiences that he has had through which I am convinced his ancestors on the other side are working very hard to prepare him. In particular, he shared that he had an experience where his brother appeared to him shortly after his death and kind of described learning in the spirit world to him. I hope that these experiences will help him to recognize the truth of the messages that we have and will share with him. He is hungry for the knowledge that we have to teach him and we pray that he will recognize that it is true.
Another lesson we had this week was with a man named Shannon. We shared mostly about the Savior and our Heavenly Father and after the lesson, he commented, "I feel happy. Not a hyper happy, but a calm happy. I feel very blessed that you came and visited me today." I loved that! Our Ward Mission Leader, Brother Bullock, was in attendance at that lesson with us and right away identified that as the Spirit for him. Unfortunately, he is heading to Brooklyn for two weeks, but he said that we could come again when he gets back. We hope that we can solidify the knowledge of feeling the Spirit and keep it coming so that he will realize that this is truth from God and it will bless his life immensely.
We have been trying to think of new ways to find people to teach in Oak Harbor, because the last three weeks have been primarily tracting for us. Thankfully, this week is the Fourth of July and there are a lot of community events that will be going on, so we hope that our street contacting will be more successful. Sister Slade and I have also been brainstorming about ways to get the ward involved in the finding and we would like to put on an activity with the ward and the other missionaries in our district. Maybe a lu'au a la The District 1 (missionary training videos)? And I would appreciate some Polynesian dancing right about now, since this was the time I was getting back from Hawaii last year and I missed the dancing in the BYU Lu'au last semester.
Training is going well and I am thankful for the time that the First Presidency has put away for us to do this training to become better missionaries. I especially am grateful that I will hopefully get to finish the 12-week program. I need all the help I can get! We are focusing this week on more ways to find.
This last week in my personal study, I read the Books (chapters, haha) of Jarom and Omni (Lari :)). I love in Jarom the testimony that is shared that you will succeed as you follow God and his commandments. The Nephites were prosperous as they followed the prophets and in turn, the Lord. I also love that Jarom also shared that they were not without trials regardless of their successes. They still had to face many wars and struggles with the Lamanites. I think that is one thing that is true about life. As we follow God, we will be blessed, but there will not be an absence of trials. Actually, that is a promise. However, our trials can be made easier and we will have a more positive outlook on life when we face them. This is evidenced as well in the Book or Jarom. The tone of the writing is relatively positive and optimistic despite the fact that the Nephites did face hardships. I also like the promise that is made in Omni 1:26. If we come unto Christ through fasting, prayer and enduring to the end, "as the Lord liveth ye will be saved."
I hope that you are doing well wherever you may be!
Love,
S. Turley
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