Week 74

Happy Oaks day!!!! (Kentucky holiday in may for those of you not from Kentucky)!!!

... Just kidding though but Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the 12 Apostles came to our mission and spoke to us!!! I got to shake his hand and everything!! It was really amazing to be in the presence of an apostle. He has such a powerful testimony of the gospel and missionary work. Lots to say about it but not much time to write it. I had a lot of exchanges this week again. I feel like I rarely get to be in my area with this STL stuff. But the exchanges were great and I am so impressed with these new sisters who just came out this transfer that I've gotten to work with. In both full day exchanges I went on, we got to invite two people to be baptized that we weren't planning on doing before the lesson but then the spirit told us to, so we did and they said yes! Exchanges always bring miracles. While I was gone Sister Coakley found 3 new investigators!!! Whoot!!! she's doing so great, and we work super well together.

Funny story: We knocked this one house and when the little girl answered the door she yelled "THE MORMONS ARE HERE!!" I think the whole neighborhood heard. Well her parents (who aren't members) came to the door and we began to teach them. The parents weren't to interested but the 3 teenagers who haven't been baptized were interested in the lessons! Whoot!! We are excited to teach them.

To describe this week in one word it would be:

Rough.

We had a lot of lessons planned this week but Every. Single. One. Of. Them. Cancelled. It's like when we first meet these people they seem so interested and want us back and then we come back and they aren’t there:/ I call them flakey investigators. But as this has happened this week I reflected on how Heavenly Father feels when we let him down or turn away from him. And it is the worst feeling. I know I have been one of his flakey investigators before and now I know how he feels. But the thing is, he still loves us and is patient with us. And I am starting to feel that same Christ like love for these people even when they frustrate me or bring me heart ache. All of it is worth it because we are bringing souls unto him.

One of my favorite quotes from two conferences ago pretty much sums it up, it's by Elder Palmer, he says: "My dear brothers and sisters, now anytime you feel you are being asked to do something hard--think of the Lord beholding you, loving you, and inviting you to let it go and follow Him. And thank Him for loving you enough to invite you to do more."

I thank Heavenly Father everyday for loving me enough to invite me to do more.

Sister Lowe

1-2 exchanges with Sister Spotten

3 I GOT TO HOLD A CHICKEN
Marissa with baby chicks

4 raking leaves for service

5 Halloween parties

6 service in Huntsville when on exchanges with Sister Feeney

7 pretty sky:)

Week 73 - Corn Maze

First and foremost... HAPPY BAPTISM ANNIVERSARY TO DEVAN!!! She got baptized a whole year ago today:)) and she is the greatest! I'm so proud and happy for her!

I'm not gonna lie this week was a bit slow. All of investigators were either gone hunting, having surgery, or just wouldn't meet with us… yeah we spent most of our time tracting which is good but sometimes can be tiring.

So highlights of the week:

We met with Jospeh this week and we asked him to read and pray about the Book and he answered and said "what if I already feel it's true, do I still have to pray about it?" YEAH that was cool! He said he just feels the spirit as he reads it, so that's awesome. The only thing is that he has lots of problems with the word of wisdom. He chews tobacco, drinks alcohol, coffee, and tea... so he's a work in progress.

We had a mission conference on Friday and so I got to see all my friends in the mission! President Allred called up companionships to do 4-minute resto and of course he picked Sister Coakley and I. We did it in front of the whole mission... yeah it was nerve wrecking but I think it went over well.

I went on a bunch of exchanges this week... yay STL life! Exchanges are fun but I miss my area and comp but it's fun to be with other sisters, I always learn a lot.

This  week has been tiring for me. I just am so exhausted every night. 

We had stake conference this week and one of the talks talked about being tired. They talked about how Jesus was probably tired but he never stopped. He would go from fasting for 40 days, to teaching and preaching sermons, to being Beaton, scouraged, and stricken, to dying on the cross, to being resurrected, to preaching, teaching, and healing again.... He never stopped. He never was too tired to do anything. He pressed forward to do his fathers will. So I am going to press forward with a steadfastness in Christ and do my fathers will as will.

Love you all, have a great week!

Sister Lowe

1. Pday corn maze with my zone

2-3. Mission conference got to see Davis and Schultz

4. Fall - Halloween in UTAH

5-7 stake conference

Sister Coakley and Marissa

8-9. The valley

10. Baptism anniversary pic