The Week of Us Being So Confident We Were Staying Together We Totally Forgot It Was Transfer Week

January 14, 2015

And then we woke up this morning and there was snow on the ground! It's been cold this week.

So it's transfers. And Elder Stoddard is coming to Lynchburg! I love that kid. I love serving with my MTC Elders.

Life's a doozy. I can't take any medication for the upcoming surgery so it's been lots of fun this week, but next thing you know I'll be medicated a LOT! And it's going to be funny. The kids in the Ward were asking when Sister Maddox would bring me to their houses so they could laugh at me....they really do love me.

I found the best house in the world. It has a wrap-around porch, with a built-in gazebo........I almost peed my pants. It's amazing. And beautiful.

We sang in Sacrament meeting and I totally started crying and just stopped. And the pianist stopped and it was just quiet for a full 5 seconds before Sister Maddox realized I was crying and carried on. It was my solo part.....so embarrassing. But everyone said it was beautiful and the Spirit was strong, so that's good, cuz we were praying like crazy that it would be the case.

So pretty much everyone we're teaching is done meeting with us and we dropped pretty much everyone. So we've been praying to find people to teach who will make covenants. And the answer I kept getting was,

 "You won't."

 But I was confused and annoyed, because going tracting when you know nothing will come from it in the freezing cold is not very much fun. But we kept going thinking I was just crazy and miracles happen.

Then Sunday it all made sense. It has to come from the members here. With the wealth and the life-styles in this particular area everyone is comfortable and has no "reason" to change. It will only come as the members do their missionary work. 

As often as you pray for the missionaries to find someone to teach, do you ever pray that you will find someone for them to teach? Think about it. And then go change your prayers.

I firmly believe that the time is not too far distant when tracting will be banned from missionary efforts and we will rely almost solely on the efforts of members to have people to teach. It's a change they're working towards. 

So once we recognized what our focus should really be everything changed. We started praying for the members. And even in the past 2 days it's been a big change. 

They're coming to us with names of people they've never thought of before. 

They're taking us to visit their neighbors. 

We went to a 10-year-old's basketball game and met the team's parents while sitting with the family. And there was one lady who kept looking back at us just beaming. 

We're being a little more unconventional as we explore these new ways to put members in positions to answer questions. And it's fun. And it's already been working.

It took me forever but I feel like I finally figured out the "key" to this area!  WOOHOOOOOO! 

Especially since this is Sister Maddox's last transfer so I'll probably be here one more after this as well......that's a lot of Lynchburg......PRAY FOR ME :)

-Sister Packard

Best:

1. We did a role play with our District. And Elder Lopez and Elder Zazueta are just hilarious. They make great 5 year olds. And really could be brothers.

2. A 9 year old was playing with my earings and I told her they're my favorite because they sparkle and I LOVE sparkles. She looked at me intently for a few seconds and said, "Then you must love your eyes." DAW!

3. It snowed!

Worst:

1. Elder Lopez is leaving. I have to say goodbye again!

2. My throat will be like raw meat.....that was the visual I got. And for the first time I'm like nervous about the surgery. YIKES. There's a reason for everything.