Hey family!
Thank you so much for your letters this week. I learn a lot from all of you too.
Not a whole lot has happened this week. Me and sister Peacock were talking this morning about what we were going to write home about and agreed that we weren't really sure because nothing really stands out.
Life is great here in Riverhead! We are working more and more with E. and preparing her for her baptism on the 6th now. There was a conflict on the 7th with the branch seminary kick off. We had a lesson with her at the church on Saturday to show her the font and a movie of someone being baptized so she would know what to expect. I guess when we taught her about immersion she was still spiritually asleep because she was not aware that is what we meant by baptism. But we talked about it and resolved her concerns and she is still ready to make this commitment.
The next day at church I learned just a little more about E. and how funny she is! Our whole meeting was in Spanish and I tried to get her headphones but she refused them. After the meeting when I talked to her about it she said, "We can learn to understand!" She then asked me how to say "Heavenly Father" and "In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen." in Spanish and declared "See! i can understand that!" She has a lot to teach each member of the branch. I think that kind of tolerance comes from living in a multi-language home. Her first language is Polish, her husbands is Pakistani, and yet they all speak broken English. But they make it work.
We also finally talked to her husband directly about her baptism and found that he is really a nice guy. We see him from time to time driving his taxi and we've taken to waving at him and always get a big smile and wave in return. I don't know if we just didn't really understand the home situation before or if its improved as the Gospel of Jesus Christ has been brought into that home. Either way its been awesome to see E. blossom.
Thank you so much for your letters this week. I learn a lot from all of you too.
Not a whole lot has happened this week. Me and sister Peacock were talking this morning about what we were going to write home about and agreed that we weren't really sure because nothing really stands out.
Life is great here in Riverhead! We are working more and more with E. and preparing her for her baptism on the 6th now. There was a conflict on the 7th with the branch seminary kick off. We had a lesson with her at the church on Saturday to show her the font and a movie of someone being baptized so she would know what to expect. I guess when we taught her about immersion she was still spiritually asleep because she was not aware that is what we meant by baptism. But we talked about it and resolved her concerns and she is still ready to make this commitment.
The next day at church I learned just a little more about E. and how funny she is! Our whole meeting was in Spanish and I tried to get her headphones but she refused them. After the meeting when I talked to her about it she said, "We can learn to understand!" She then asked me how to say "Heavenly Father" and "In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen." in Spanish and declared "See! i can understand that!" She has a lot to teach each member of the branch. I think that kind of tolerance comes from living in a multi-language home. Her first language is Polish, her husbands is Pakistani, and yet they all speak broken English. But they make it work.
We also finally talked to her husband directly about her baptism and found that he is really a nice guy. We see him from time to time driving his taxi and we've taken to waving at him and always get a big smile and wave in return. I don't know if we just didn't really understand the home situation before or if its improved as the Gospel of Jesus Christ has been brought into that home. Either way its been awesome to see E. blossom.
I am proud of all of you and
the work you are doing with family history. We have been serving at the
Senior center here in Riverhead and on friday
went to go help with an activity they had. While we were there we had 2
men ask us if we were the girls that do family history and expressed a
great desire to start gathering theirs. I hope we can help them! I have
found a great love for it. Its a great way to open things up and get the
spirit of Elijah working in peoples lives. Its actually the way that
the Stake President has asked us to help reactivate less-actives and
teach part-member families.
I
learned this week in my personal study that good studying always starts
with a question. Actually I learned that from the Everyday Missionary
book and decided to apply it. It is definitely a lot more work but its
worth it because I learn so much more. My problem is asking good
questions, I've never been one to question the gospel, I've always just
believed which I have been grateful for. But I learned two things this
week. We often talk about how God answers prayers but I realized that
most of us think about that in terms of when we ask for help. Which I
have powerful testimony of... when I need help I pray and help always
comes. God answers prayers. But there are other kinds of prayers just as
important. The kind that Joseph Smith asked when he prayed in the
grove. That wasn't really a question for help as much as it was a
request for greater knowledge. I have never really thought about praying
like that before. Praying to know more and understand the mysteries of
the kingdom. But that is the whole point! We are here to ask questions,
to learn as much as we can and God WANTS to tell us, we just have to ask
the questions first. I also studied a lot about the visions that many
of the book of mormon writers have and what preceded the Lord opening up
the windows of heaven to them. Always it comes from Study, Pondering,
and then diligent, persistent prayer. They wait for the answer. They
plead for the answers. Even when they aren't reading and praying they're
thinking about their questions. They really want to know. I learned
that visions are just as available to us, me and you, as they were to
Lehi, Nephi, and the Brother of Jacob. There is no favoritism of God,
there are just prerequisites that we have to complete before
we receive blessings like that... because otherwise we are showing God
that we really don't want to know. I haven't seen any visions or angels
yet... I still don't have that kind of faith... besides that the thought
of seeing the same things that Nephi and other prophets have kind of
scares me... not sure why. But I am starting to learn more and more that
the heavens are open to me, I just have to ask the right questions and
put in the work to find the answers.
Family! I love you all
so much! Sometimes it is really hard to see ourselves grow and I admit
that sometimes I wonder if I am getting it out here. I look at the
letters Steph and Jake write and I am like "WOW! they are such amazing
missionaries!" I pray daily that the Lord will help me see the growth in
my life. I have now been out almost 8 months... that is almost half my
time here. I admit that when I started I just wanted to be home. I knew
that this was where I was supposed to be so I would stay but I was so
excited for that day I walked off that plane... and there are parts of
me that still are... but I realize that I am so much more content just
being here. I look at everything I have learned through being a
missionary and i think about how close I was to never coming on a
mission, would I have ever learned what I have learned here? I don't
know how to answer that question. But I am glad I came and I am so
grateful for all of you and the sacrifices you make to allow me to be
here.
LOVE YOU!
-Sister Maren Hale
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