In case you didn't catch the hint by the subject line, we may or may not have experienced a teensy bit of inclement weather here this week. ... so... that was a good experience. Especially the day that we couldn't drive our car, so we walked.. that's the best option. So, we had intended to go visit some people, you know, like missionaries do, but then, literally every single street corner that we walked past, there was a car like super stuck - in a driveway, on the road, - always in the most inconvenient spot, and we wouldn't be very good people if we decided we were just going to walk on past like we didn't have a care in the world, so we got to help 4 people get unstuck... it also took us 7 hours to accomplish our original plan because we stopped so many times, but hey, that's what Heavenly Father needed us to do, and it's the dream of a missionary to be able to just serve. :)
Right when we thought we were good and heading home to change socks and warm up a little bit during our companion study, we got a phone call from a little old lady saying that the Elders said if she ever needed help to call them again... so, we got to go shovel her 2' of snow off of her very large driveway. Looking back, it was so cold, my feet were soaking, and we didn't talk to very many people about the Gospel, but I was so happy and we were able to help so many. What a metaphor for life. Sometimes our circumstances are less than ideal. Sometimes we have soaking feet, and a sore back, and its all we can do to put one foot in front of another, but as we focus on the Savior and His light, we are warmed through and through, and given increased capacity to overcome those blizzard moments in our lives.
...also... we definitely got the idea to walk around with our shovels on our backs that day so we would be well equipped to help people, and mine may or may not have broken in half... apparently I'm stronger than I thought I was... okay, it was already broken when we got to Ponderosa, but now it's completely split in half, so... nailed it.
ANYWAY, on the more spiritual side of things this week, one night we were wondering who Heavenly Father needed us to go see because all of our plans fell through. We had in mind someone who we had met earlier in the week when we were tracting - also in the snow (we walked a lot this week.. it was good for the soul) - who had expressed interest in having us come share a message about Christ with her, but as we prayed, I wanted it to be her, but a different, distinct name came instead. Sister Spackman had gotten the same impression.. but it was 7 o'clock at night, and the person who referred us there said that she's only home in the morning, so... this sure didn't make any sense... but we went forward anyway. We got there, knocked twice - no answer. Hearing someone behind the door, we knocked again, and a different person than the one we were supposed to find behind the door answered, saying that the person we had been told lived there didn't exist. ... but.. we had been led there for a reason. We started talking to Alyssa, and she said that she doesn't really have a religion, but she likes to learn many truths and she takes "whatever is right for her soul" and that's what she accepts. She said she loves religious text. We testified to her of The Book of Mormon, and that she can know this is Christ's Gospel, the "only true and living Church upon the face of the whole earth" and she was super excited to learn more (Doctrine and Covenants 1:30). We shared with her in 2 Nephi where the Lord talks about speaking more than one word and she was so touched when we left her with a copy to read (2 Nephi 29:9). I know that Heavenly Father loves us. He is aware of our needs, and He will answer our prayers as we push aside our desires and try to focus on His will.
Well, that's about all I have for now. MLC (Mission Leadership Council) and Zone Training was this week.. it was so amazing to be able to see so many of the missionaries that I came out, and to be able to teach the other missionaries about Teaching Repentance and Baptizing Converts. What a blessing of a life this is. <3 Sure love you all! This Gospel is so good! We are indeed so fortunate. Sorry for the super long email - it was super fun to write though. Have the best week and enjoy these pictures! :)
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