I know that my Reedemer lives!

April 17, 2017

This week FLEW! It was Easter Break for the second half of the week at MSU so we had to get a little creative in how we filled our time because 1) campus was dead and that's where we do our version of tracting and 2) all of our investigators went home for the break.
 

Tuesday- On Tuesday we did some service in the morning and then we had almost all of our appointments cancel on us, it was SO sad. We did a lot of tracking down less actives and talking on campus. In the evening we had one appointment who hadn't cancelled so we went to his lesson and the two members who came to that brought a parakeet with them! Apparently they bought it and then came to our lesson. I asked if I could hold it. I went to grab it and it was squacking so loud. I picked it up anyway and the little buggar bit me! HARD! It latched on to my finger and wouldn't let go! We were all freaking out and trying to get it off. Finally we did and my finger was bleeding! It was hilarious! Anyway, after that we left the parakeet in the box and had a really good lesson. It was with Samuel and he has a baptismal date for the 30th. He's so awesome! 

Wednesday- We really didn't do anything too exciting on Wednesday. We went on to campus and talked to a lot of people and I actually had a really cool experience. I went up and talked to one girl who was sitting and studying and I started talking to her about the church's Prince of Peace initaitive and she was interested in talking about Christ. We talked a lot and I ended up leaving her with a Book of Mormon, Plan of Salvation Pamphlet and the Easter Initiative pass along card! We actually set an appointment with her for a week from today! She seems a little hesitant because she is pretty religious BUT I have hope. ;)

Thursday- Thursday was the first day of Easter break so it was... slow. We went chalking at a park which was a lot of fun and we always have interesting conversations with people when we go chalking. I really enjoy it! Then we did some Less Active finding which is usually an adventure but we did find one who invited us in and we had a good chat with her. She was super nice! Anyway, Thursday was pretty slow as well. 

Friday- On Friday I went on an exchange! I can't remember if I've explained this before but an exchange is where you switch companions ( and sometimes areas) for a day! I ended up going to Grandby and being with Sister Snyder for a day. I LOVE Sister Snyder! She was so fun. We went and did service at a church/library/store. I honestly am not quite sure what it is but it was fun! Then we went to an old lady's house to do some more service! We walked in and I kid you not it was the dirtiest house I've ever seen. The floors were peeling up, there was a rotting pumpkin on the floor, bugs everywhere, there was a little bucket with rotten eggs cracked in it. I almost threw up. My only thought was "at least this isn't where our lunch appointment is." She put us to work sweeping and mopping and it took us a good while to get it as close to clean as we did. Then she calls us into the kitchen and, of course, she has two big slices of chocolate cake on plates for us. I immediately panicked. 1) Gluten 2) I just cleaned the kitchen and I don't wanna know what ended up in that cake 3) This sweet old lady wants me to eat this... but germs.  Anyway, she sat down with us and watched us eat it so I ate most of it because she kept asking us if it was good. I left her house and thought I was going to throw up. After that we went and helped some members plant their garden and that was a hoot! We were planting and it was good but then towards the end this little boy, Hyrum, comes out and in pure frustration goes "I NEED SOMEONE TO HELP ME WITH THE CHICKENS!" I laughed and volunteered. He needed to get them in the coop so he explained how to help and I tried, long story short we ended up letting out the rest of the chickens and having to run around and catch them by hand. It was so fun! Hyrum was very impressed with my chicken catching abilities. On our walk back from the coop he looked at me and asked "soooo when ya coming here to stay?" I told him to say lots of prayers that "Sister Lloyd will come to Grandby" and hopefully I would come to stay soon! I guess we will see if I get transferred to Grandby!  

Saturday-  Saturday was weekly planning so we spend a LOT of time in the apartment planning for all of our investigators and potential investigators. It's a long day. BUT we did make it out to another park to do some chalking and we also went to the mall and talked to a bunch of people. I love going out and talking to people. That evening we ended up going to see our investigator, Alec, at work. He works at a liquor store. I was really really nervous. Liquor stores are not the best place for missionaries to be. It ended up being a big store that had a liquor section in it which was WAY better. On our way in though we started talking to this guy who was sitting in the parking  lot, afterwards, another guy came up and offered us little tequila shots. We politely declined. Turns out he dated a Mormon before "she was a really nice girl, she didn't drink either." It was really good to sit and talk with Alec, he has been working really hard to do all the things we've asked him to do and to be diligent in his studies. He is so awesome. We ended up having to push his baptism one day so he will be getting baptized on the 23rd and we are so excited for him! He seems pretty confident and excited too! 

Sunday- Sunday was Easter. I loved being a missionary on Easter. It was so cool to be able to know that I was continuing the work that he started and that my sole purpose in being a missionary is to bring people closer to him. It was kind of like a realization that missionary work is kind of like celebrating Easter all the time. You are constantly testifying of Christ and trying to help people more fully exercise the Atonement in their lives. I loved it. It also happened to be my one month mark of being in the field! That was fun! We also met with Alec again, he had to meet early because his brother needed the car to go to the family Easter dinner that he was no longer invited to. It was really sad to hear him say that. He took it really well though! The rest of the night was trying to visit less active members. 

This week was so cool. I saw so many miracles, even if it was just somehow managing to fill extra time that we don't normally have or weren't planning on having. Something always works out. Sister Sanders and I have set a goal to try to memorize one scripture a week to help us either feel motivated or to be able to use it in a lesson and this week I picked one from Alma. It says "36. Now if this is boasting, even so will I boast; for this is my life and my light, my joy and my salvation and my redemption from everlasting wo. Yea, blessed is the name of my God who has been mindful of this people... 

37. Now my brethren, we see that God is mindful of every people whatsoever land they may be in; yea he numbereth this people, and his bowels of mercy are over all the earth. Now this is my joy and my great thanksgiving; yea and I will give thanks unto my God forever. Amen."

This scripture has been super awesome for me to memorize this week because I have talked to so many people who have said they are turned off by the idea of missionaries going door to door or "pushing" their religion on people. Honestly, I've always been a little turned off by that too. However, as I've thought about this scripture I have realized I am not going door to door talking about me. I'm not talking about how I can help them or what I know. I'm talking about God. I'm inviting people to come to Christ, to know him better, to love him more fully. I'm trying to help them have Him in their lives more fully, experience the joy and peace that come with relying on Christ. If that is "boasting" or "pushing", even so will I "boast" and "push". This has been the hardest thing I've ever loved to do. I love you all so much. Thank you for your support, love and prayers. Have a great week! 

 ~Sister Madisen Lloyd