This week was a week of finding. We don't even need a full hand to count all of our investigators right now. We tracted and tracted and tracted some more. And we have found more potentials this week than we have had in the last two transfers that we have been here. We also have discussed that we have faith that if we go out and put forth our best efforts in finding, it will pan out even if it is not US who find the people. Our District Leader gave us a referral that turned into a new investigator on Saturday and also he found a section in their area book that actually belongs to us. And I have been amazed that we have been able to set up appointments with so many people. Most individuals have a hard time committing to a time or a specific day when we come back, but we have had more than one occasion where the person on the other side of the door has said, "Does this day work at this time?" Yes! It does! I think one of the main differences is that we have really been trying to show people the picture of the Savior on the front of the pamplets and sharing what "The Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ" means. That we have the same church organization and same teachings that Jesus established and taught. And people are interested in that!
Yesterday, Janet came to all three hours of church and she really loved it. She even bore her testimony in Sacrament meeting. It was so pure and powerful. She bore her testimony that she knows the Book of Mormon is true and that Joseph Smith is a prophet of God and did a lot for us to have the Gospel. Many people were touched by her simple, but convincing testimony. She has made so much progress. It is incredible.
Sister Cunningham and I have set some transfer goals and they can all basically be boiled down to one overall goal: Do our BEST! We are excited and determined to do so.
This week I have continued my studies in chapter three of Preach My Gospel, Lesson 1. I have been deeply impressed by truly how important the RESTORED Gospel and Priesthood really are. Without the Priesthood and revelation to know the Gospel of Jesus Christ, we would be just like any other church. I am grateful to know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is led by God. I am grateful that the authority to perform ordinances for salvation is real and we have access to it. I am grateful that God loves us enough to help us out and to help us know even when we are not always deserving of it. I know that God loves us because of this. Because He allows us to make covenants and work to return to His presence. I am grateful for that knowledge and that my testimony is continually strengthened as I study and put the principles into practice.
Miracle of all miracles: This will not start off sounding too great, but it will by the end. Last week, a woman that I taught in Oak Harbor and was recently baptized passed away. Sometimes I feel like death follows me around and it is getting kind of exhausting. However, this time, it was accompanied with the recognition of a miracle. The weekend before Sister Cromar got transferred, we were out tracting. Before we started knocking, we said a prayer and it was my turn. As I was praying I felt a really strong prompting to pray to find someone to teach on that street. We commenced our efforts and ended not finding really anyone who was interested. A few days later, Sister Slade and I continued our search. That day we found two potential investigators, and one was Tiffany. She was in her early twenties, had a husband and two little girls and was of the Wiccan belief system. We later began teaching her and she started attending church. She was baptized in May. As I was reflecting on my experiences with Tiffany, I remembered something that was very poignant to me. One of her biggest questions that caused her a lot of grief was "what happens when we die?" We talked about this part of the Plan of Salvation over and over again, until she got it an ultimately gained her own testimony that it was true. Little did we know (or she, probably) that she was starting the final year of her mortal life. I am so incredibly grateful that the Lord was able to use me in this way. That we were led by the Spirit to find her when the time was of the essence, and that we were able to share with her our Father's plan to ease her mind, so she had no fears at the time of her passing. It is truly a miracle. I think my Mom is probably teaching her the new members lessons. I had that thought the other day and prayed for it to happen. I am SO grateful to have been an instrument in God's hands to help Tiffany.
Thanks for all you do!
Love,
Sister Turley
Rucker's tomb, one of the biggest tombs in North America
The Old "Sistrict"--we had an ice cream party at the last district meeting of the transfer in our "igloo." The Stake Center has some movable partitions in the gym, so we put three of them together and had district meeting inside.
From left to right: BACK--Sis. Ah-Chong, Sis. Turley, Sis. Lavata't. Eld. Pymm, FRONT: Sis. Cunningham, Adams, Sinclair, E. Jasperson
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