We started our tutoring with Keeyan this week and it is such a great opportunity to serve! Our first round was a little bit rough, just because he is a nine year old boy, but round two was great. He took a shine to us and was more excited to read to us and do his homework. It has also presented a great opportunity to meet with Nahal afterwards and be able to read the Book of Mormon with her. We found out as we read that the reason that she has not read is because she just doesn't understand the language. She said she has read most of the Book of Mormon in Farsi, but the translation is not complete and so it makes comprehension difficult. There are only translations of the most important chapters, not even a continuation of really a full story. It was great to be able to read with her and allow her to ask questions about the things that she does not understand and about vocabulary. As she had questions, she would write the meaning of the different words in Farsi in the margins. She asked us if it was a sin to write in the scriptures (it is in the Islamic faith) and was glad that we said, "no." :) We explained that it was okay to write in the scriptures to help her remember things that were important to her and make the word of God more personal. The Spirit taught me that as we talked with her. I love when that happens.
We were also able to stop in with Lavina on Thursday of this week. She had confirmed to us previously that she would be at our ward's Halloween Party, but didn't show up so we decided to stop by. It turns out that she had been passing kidney stones and her baby was not feeling well. So we offered help if she needed any and shared a quick message with her. Last night, we were able to attend a dinner party that Lavina had invited to. She calls it "Thanksgiving with Friends," and had about 25 friends show up that lived in the greater Seattle area. It was incredibly intimidating because her friends are all the best at what they do and very intelligent and very educated. There was everyone from top Boeing engineers, to wealth and inheritance advisers, to artists, to top-of-the-line chefs. We had several really great contacts during the even though. We were privileged answer a lot of questions and share why the Gospel is important. It was also the first party that I have attended where alcohol was being served. Who knew that being on a mission would put me in such interesting positions??
This week we had our exchanges with the Spanish Sisters in our Zone(s). And I got to go to the Spanish area for the day! I was so proud of and grateful for Sister Wahlstrom braving the way for us on our exchange. I have forgotten nearly all the Spanish I learned in high school and she has only been out for two transfers. But we were successful and the Hermanas have a new investigator! I know that the Lord blesses us when we put our best foot forward even when it is really hard.
This week in my studies I got a little bit further into Helaman, and I really enjoy it. I had my testimony reaffirmed as I studied that God is not a God of second chances, but third and fourth and a million chances. I don't know why, but Helaman chapter 9 is one of my favorite stories in the Book of Mormon and always has been. This is the story of when Nephi prophesies that the chief judge has been murdered by his brother (sometimes I wonder if the wicked or deceived people in the Book of Mormon ever feel foolish that their stories are recorded for all the world to read) and the people find that it is true. The part of the story that I never really picked up before is that there were five men that ran to see if the things that Nephi has said were true. As they ran to the judgment seat, they talked amongst themselves and determined that if the thing that Nephi had prophesied were correct that they would believe all the other things that he had testified to them of. And when they found the chief judge dead, they believed and fell to the earth. They were later falsely cast into prison, (and this may or may not be a correct interpretation of what the verse is actually trying to say), but when I read it, I felt that they had the opportunity to bear testimony there to the other individuals that were in the prison. These individuals were likely guilty of true crimes, but God allowed them the chance to hear the testimony of those five and be converted while they paid for their trespasses. Helaman 9:39 says: "And there were some of the Nephites who believed on the words of Nephi; and there were some also, who believed because of the testimony of the five, for they had been converted while they were in prison." God will give us every chance that we do and do not deserve to receive the Gospel. And I am so thankful for that.
And of course, I have to share about Halloween. We decided to dress up as the Elders in our ward for our ward's Halloween Party. We borrowed some ties from them and one of their name tags (We wore the Elders' tags on our shirts and our own name tags on our sweaters. Overkill?). Elder Schiess has this hilarious whale tie that he got at Goodwill and I was secretly excited when he brought it for us to wear, haha. But, we were a huge hit! We won the "Most Spiritual" Costume award and one of the ward members told us that it was the best missionary costume that he had ever seen. We (the four missionaries) were also volunteered to judge the chili cook-off. We have been warned for weeks not to eat anything that a Brother Davis in our ward made because he always makes it SUPER hot. And yes, he put ghost peppers in it (they are supposed to be the hottest peppers in the world). And we all tried it just to say we did. I thought my lips were going to fall off. But, it makes for a great story :)
Thanks again for everything and love you lots!
Sister Turley
Pictures--#1. Harbour Pointe Missionaries Halloween
#2. Yo y Hermana Wahlstrom
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