Dear Fam and Friends,
This week was a little slower than we would have liked. We had two lessons with investigators and two with less actives. Thankfully both of our lessons with investigators were with members! I am still trying to develop the North Carolina Sister Turley's "Passion for Finding." Not quite there yet. We keep having to tell ourselves, "Just keep tracting, just keep tracting." It is getting a little more difficult to find people now that the Washington Winter is settling in. We had our first really rainy days this weekend. It poured and we were afraid that if we rode our bikes we would get blown over by the wind! We have been joking/not joking that nobody answers the door when it is dark and nobody answers the door when it rains. So pretty much all the time, haha. People actually told us "go home" like we were crazy people when we knocked on their doors. We are going to have to rely heavily on our members, especially as it gets darker earlier and earlier. They say it gets dark at 4 during the winter!
Our lesson with Carla and Joe this week was unique. They had invited a group of friends from the Edmonds Adventist Church to join the discussion. We were nervous going in because we didn't know what the format of the meeting was going to be and whether or not we were setting ourselves up to be attacked. We were pleasantly surprised. With the exception of one member of the group (who was a new-comer that they were trying to fellowship) they were all VERY open-minded. The general feeling in the group was that they belong to that church because it is what most closely resembles their personal beliefs, but they are willing to hear from others to see if there is something they are missing out on that they can find from other faiths :) We were able to share most of the Restoration and a brief overview of the Plan of Salvation while answering their questions. It was really fun! They asked great questions and most seemed to believe Joseph Smith's account of the First Vision. Following the discussion, we invited all to read the Book of Mormon and pray to know if it is true. They all accepted and thanked us over and over again for coming to their meeting and sharing what we know to be true. The Spirit was SO STRONG with all these searching hearts and open minds learning of Restored truths together. It was so amazing that they all played off of each other and helped one another understand the things they had been taught. At times, one would ask a question, and another would pipe up and explain what we had shared and it was truly a D&C 50:22 experience ("Wherefore, he that preacheth and he that receiveth, understand one another, and both are edified and rejoice together").
I have really enjoyed reading the New Testament the last few weeks, and I wish that we were able to have an hour to study the Book of Mormon, an hour to study the Bible and an hour to study the doctrines of the lessons. Maybe someday I will. I read in Matthew 10 and I had a realization in verse 30 that I really needed. It reads, "But the very hairs of your head are all numbered." It was amazing to me that God loves me that much to know how many hairs are on my head. It seems so petty and insignificant. Who really cares the number of hairs they have on their head? I don't care to count. But the Lord does. I am that important to God that He is willing to keep a running total. He probably also knows how many gray hairs this mission has given me, too. It's crazy. But it is true.
Love you all lots and thanks for the Birthday wishes!
Sister Turley
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