The Week of Pirates

August 25, 2014

Life is great!

Scott has this crazy resolve to quit smoking and change his life completely. He knows we have something he wants and he will do what it takes to get it. 

We are now teaching Pirates. Tammy and Captain James! He's got the long hair and loves his pirate hats and rum! We have a hard time getting in the door but when we do it's great discussion and you can feel the spirit working. They're just busy a lot. 

We did a lot of service for members this week. Specifically painting a house for a newly wedded couple with the Elders. The fumes are a little much at times but it's nice to do something different. 

We finally were able to teach Michelle and Jo. They're in their 70's and we've been helping them build the brick wall in the back yard. We taught a simple lesson about the Book of Mormon and their curiosity is continuing to grow and lead into great discussions we can really build off of. We're seeing HUGE change in their attitudes and feelings towards us. He even called President Salisbury about us. We don't know what he said. But we're assuming it was good things.

We hit our Standard of Excellence this week! Sister Stone has never hit those numbers on her mission before so it was a big success for us. To hit it you have to have 2 people set on date to be baptized, 2 investigators at Sacrament, 3 lessons with active members present, 3 new investigators, and you have to hit your goal for people you invite to learn about the gospel. Doesn't seem like much? Come to Pulaski and say it to my face. It's HARD! But we knew we would get it together! We've only got 2 more weeks together before transfers so we're trying to make the most of it.

We set sweet 9 year old Juniper on date to be baptized! She is the cutest thing but so very shy. Her parents are less-active so we've been working on them all coming to church and making changes together!

We won't have a car this next week so we've been preparing mentally and emotionally for walking around downtown Pulaski all day for a week. It's gonna be rough but we're also really hoping members will step up and be active in the missionary work (and drive us everywhere) :) 

Change is happening here. Everyone keeps saying, "This area is going to boom soon and we need to be ready." It's been the main focus of ward councils and the Stake's main focus as well. Particularly Dublin and Pulaski. So Sister Stone and I are feeling the pressure but we're also excited to be a part of it. The last baptism in this ward was over a year and a half ago. Since I got here. Bobbie Sue's been baptized, the Elders have a man getting baptized Saturday, and Scott should be baptized 2 weeks following that. It's just the beginning! Less-actives have been flooding Sacrament meeting (12 people this week). That not might seem like a lot. But when the congregation only has 70ish people, it's a huge difference. 

Life is so wonderful people. The Lord loves you more than you could ever know! Thank you so much for all the love I get from you! I miss everyone but I'm so glad I'm here!

-Sister Packard

Best:

1. Being barefoot at any opportunity.

2. No marriage proposals this week for either of us.

3. The Morgans had "The Garden" and made us copies. We've been JAMMING OUT like crazy. Like Elder Kleiman would say, "LALALA Why are you standing there? LALALALA I feel nothing!"

4. Noelle and Rachel sent me a package full of LOVE!

Worst:

1. We took some awesome selfies with a tortoise that I won't have til Elder Kleiman goes home in 3 weeks.

2. No car for a week............