Helloooo everyone!!!!! Goodness, every week seriously flies by! It's just the craziest thing to see how fast time goes on a mission. At the end of every day, Sister Sheffer and I look at each other after we plan for the next day and say, "And just like that. ANOTHER day has already passed!!!" So nuts. Ah, you guys. I have a really funny/scary/sad story to tell y'all. I totally broke a "white handbook" missionary rule. Are you ready for the story?....
On Tuesday, Sister Sheffer and I were biking to our next appointment which was a Relief Society social at the church. We had invited some less actives and wanted to be there for it. Anyway, the church is 5 miles away and the only straight way to get there was on this super scary road called "slaughter". We decided we probably shouldn't go that way, so we ended up weaving through neighborhoods. I was following Sister Sheffer and stopped really fast to adjust my seat and make it higher. The next thing I know, Sister Sheffer is NO WHERE IN MY SIGHT. WE HAVE TO BE WITHIN SIGHT AND SOUND OF EACH OTHER. I just got on my bike and started peddling and peddling. I ended up going a completely different way from where she went and we were both away from each other for a good 20 minutes. This was the first time I was ever alone for my whole mission!!! I was panicking. Sister Sheffer had the phone and I didn't have anything. I stopped and just said a prayer and told Heavenly Father that I was frustrated and lost and didn't know where to go. Then, a thought came to me: "Just go straight to Mally's". Mally lived about half a mile away and I just started peddling to her home. I knocked on the door and the first thing that Mally says to me is: "What is wrong??? You look as white as a ghost!!!" I just started to talk really fast and asked her if I could borrow her phone. Luckily, I was able to meet back with Sister Sheffer and all was dandy and fine. It was the most awful feeling to be away from someone that long. Our reunion was as if we hadn't seen each other in years! haha. That experience started to make me think about how glorious it will be to see my Heavenly Father and dad again. It also made me think about how sometimes in life, we have to go through trials of feeling utterly alone in order to draw closer to our Heavenly Father and find different solutions to come back to Him. Wanna know something funny? The next day, during Zone Conference, we had training on always staying with your companion. Yup. Big slap in our face haha Heavenly Father definitely has a sense of humor. Oh well. Lesson learned.
Speaking of Zone Conference, IT WAS AWESOME!!! I love hearing from President and Sister Hanks. They are such amazing leaders and have taught me so much!!!! He talked a lot about teaching using Christ's words and works and how we won't ever be able to measure our influence for good. A quote by him that he said was, "If faith isn't in our hearts, then our power to endure will crumble." I LOVE THAT. It can apply to all aspects of life. We can either choose to have faith and trust in God OR we can choose to worry and be miserable. This gospel is not about proof, it's about having faith and feeling the spirit. We can't convince anyone what we believe by just teaching them the principles of the gospel. We have to teach it by the spirit and help them develop their faith. President Hanks also talked about eagerness. Are we truly eager to share the gospel? Do we ponder continually the things of the Lord? Do we show God the desire of our hearts by our words and actions? Sister Hanks talked about self esteem and how we should NEVER compare ourselves to anyone else, but our best self. Comparison is truly the thief of joy. It just doesn't make sense to compare someone else's really strong strengths to our weaknesses. She also said that our weaknesses show a lot more while we are on a mission because we are trying to represent the only perfect person who walked this earth, Jesus Christ. I feel like I have been comparing myself to a lot of missionaries which is totally wrong. Numbers aren't everything. I have really learned just how to love and help people. If I can truly just love people and be where the savior would be if he were here, then I will be able to say at the end of my mission that I was a successful missionary. God is good!!!!
Anyway, we have a new investigator named Marcus!!!! GUESS WHERE HE IS FROM???? CLANTON!!!! It is totally meant to be!!! No one in Madison even knows where Clanton is hahaha. He was surprised I actually served there. Marcus is going through a divorce and has an ADORABLE little girl named Hayley. We went over to his home with Sister Jones and introduced him to the Book of Mormon. His eyes lit up as we started to talk about it and about our church services. He told us about how he hasn't been to church in years and that he wants to learn more so that he can raise his kids in the best way possible. He got so excited when we told him about nursery for his daughter. Sister Jones invited him to help out with the scouts because he is good with his hands and they needed help building some type of simulator. Anyway, he told us that he was going to come to church (We didn't even have to ask him), but he sadly didn't make it yesterday because he was in Birmingham figuring out things with his divorce. He is so ready though!!! 4 days after meeting him, we biked past his house and saw his ex-wife whom we had never met. We were debating whether or not we should talk to her. We both felt impressed to just go for it. SHE ENDED UP BEING REALLY NICE. We talked to her for a good 30 minutes about the church and she told us that half of her friends growing up were Mormon. She isn't too interested, but she told us that we should "definitely come back to teach Marcus and get him baptized!" hahaha She was super cute and kept telling us to be careful on our bikes and not walk in strangers homes... As if we have a choice!!!! We are going to go back tonight (if there isn't an ice storm... People are freaking out because there is apparently supposed to be 3 inches of snow tonight ha) and see if he's home!! woot woot!!!!
We taught Thor and Mary yesterday!!!! As soon as we walked into their home, Mary offered us a glass of water and asked us how we were doing. This may not seem like a big deal to y'all who are reading this, but she showed absolutely no interest in befriending us and now she loves having us over!!! MIRACLE. #servicesoftensstoneysouls We talked to them about the Plan of Salvation and only got through half of the lesson because they had lots of questions which was awesome! The spirit was super strong and I know that they could feel it. In the last appointment with them, we invited them to read the introduction to the Book of Mormon and they did!!! Thor said: "I loved reading the third paragraph when it says that the Book of Mormon tells men what they must do to gain peace in this life and eternal salvation in the life to come. That's what I want and what I have been looking for." AH. We were able to testify to him that it is true and that it DOES bring so much peace and lets us know the steps we need to take to gain eternal salvation. The Book of Mormon+ the spirit really is such an amazing tool in conversion. Sometimes, I get so frustrated when people just won't read it. They just need to realize what is right in front of them!!! Gah. I'm grateful for Thor and Mary and their willingness to read it and ask questions. God is good and angels are preparing the hearts of men to receive this gospel!!! (Moroni 7:29)
Sister Effinger came to church AGAIN yesterday and participated in Relief Society and is totally going to the R.S. recipe exchange this Thursday!!! Ah, I love seeing people come back into the fold. Her daughters weren't able to make it because they were with their dad this past weekend, but they will come next time and we are meeting with them tomorrow night and will probably start teaching them!! woot woot!!!!! All I really want to do is bring others closer to the savior than they were before. The savior never moves out of place. We do.
Well, that's all I have to really report on this past week. It has been really cold and humidity is kinda the worst thing ever. haha. The cold just pierces through my bones. It's the strangest feeling. May we all strive to do something that stretches us every day. What are you going to do today that will bring you closer to Christ? If you were accused of being a disciple of Jesus Christ, what evidence would they find?
Love y'all so much!!!! God is good and I am a happy missionary. This is the best thing that has ever happened to me. It's the hardest thing that has ever happened to me as well, but it's cool to think that this is the closest I will ever be to walking side by side to how the Savior's life was. I love the fact that I am relying on the Lord EVERY DAY in all that I THINK, DO, and SAY. Have a great week!!!!
MYKY,
Sister Platt
P.S. THANK YOU SO MUCH TO MY SWEET MOTHER FOR THE FUN PACKAGE THAT MADE ME SMILE. It was perfect and exactly what I needed on the day that I received it!!!! I have the best family ever. It is a fact. I know it.
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