Monday, September 29, 2014

The Week of Happy!

August 4, 2014

This is a work that brings pure joy!

We got 3 new investigators this week! A Methodist who is truly trying to follow God's will, a 9 year old daughter of a less-active family (we're also working on getting the family to church), and then a former member who's in-laws are less-actives. LOTS of less-actives here. We could fill 3 church buildings with just less-actives. So Sister Stone and I have lots of work to do before she leaves this next transfer :)

Mom is getting baptized on Saturday!!!!!!!!!!!!! She passed her interview "with flying colors", went to the temple visitor's center Saturday, bore her testimony Sunday, and now the whole thing is planned and ready to go! She is so cute and excited. 

Dad is still keeping his distance, but listens in the background. Son is struggling with smoking and doing any reading at all so we've started going over every day just to read a chapter with him. Most people in this area really struggle with reading. Daughter says she's no longer interested at all...... She still loves church and Young Women's though..... And she still wants us to come over to see her.... And she's still doing lots of the good things we've asked her to do in the past. I think she just needs time. After all she is only 13 (and we ALL remember what I was like at 13) so we're just being patient and we know she'll figure it out.

We've been trying to meet with lots of less-actives and members who Bishop has asked us strengthen. That basically means we teach the lessons to people he feels could have their testimonies strengthened, which is someone new every week. Because we all need that :) We've been keeping busy and having fun. We decided that if we're laughing we won't have any opportunities to get frustrated with each other. Which is really important since I've been ridiculously tired from being sick so I'm a bum.

The new Elder is actually originally from Valley Center so it was kinda fun to talk about things we both know and love from home! Elder Kleiman is his name and going home in 5 weeks is his game! Elder Bingham gets to "kill him off" and hopefully not get too homesick doing it :)

Can I just say how much I miss holding and really playing with kids. It kills me. And that's all I'm gonna say about that.

The feelings we get at the temple are feelings we can with us all day everyday depending on our worthiness and desire to have them. So if you feel like those feelings aren't accessible to you unless you're in the temple take a look at your life and re-evaluate and change to have those feelings at all times. "Righteous people don't just stand in holy places, they bring holy places with them."

My heart is full and my body is tired! I think that means I'm being a pretty productive missionary!

-Sister Packard

Best:

1. Driving is the best. It's a new car. And it's just awesome.
2. The weather has been pretty cool this past week.
3. We're getting new pots and pans to cook with! (for explanation see worst #1)
4. We get to eat dinner with the Elders at the Bishop's house tonight!
5. No spiders in the house this whole week :)


Worst:

1. We realized that I haven't been adding pepper to our food. It's just pieces of the pots and pans disintegrating while food is cooking.
2. It's gonna be hot this next week.
3. We don't have time to go to zone pday :(
4. I'm still sick. It's something new this time. But still. When will it end?
5. WE DIDN'T TAKE ANY PICTURES THIS WEEK! I'm so sorry. I'll bless you all with images of my face next week I promise.

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