AHHHHHHH WARREN IS SO PRECIOUS OH MY GOODNESS. LOOK AT THAT BUTTON NOSE!!! Ah. I just got chills looking at the sweet photos of him. Gah. I just love him so much and can't wait to meet him when he is running around. :) CONGRATS TO MERE AND GARY!!! LOVE Y'ALL SO MUCH!!!!!!! AWWWWWWW.
Well, this week had a lot of ups and downs, but really, I just don't even remember the bad stuff because there is just WAY TOO MUCH GOOD to share!!!!!
I had a really neat experience that I will never forget. On Tuesday night, the Huntsville elders randomly called us and mentioned how they found out I knew ASL and that they needed my help to teach a deaf investigator that they have. They wanted me to meet this investigator the VERY next day. I was freaking out and prayed for a really long time; asking Heavenly Father to help me remember what Sign Language I had learned in high school. I was so nervous to teach him and really turned to the Lord for help. So, Wednesday rolls around and we are at the door of the deaf man's home. He opens the door and I just immediately started to sign!!! It felt so natural and I KNOW that it was only through the spirit that I was able to communicate with him. I told him that we were Sister missionaries and that we wanted to share a message with him about Jesus Christ. I told him our names and he told us that his name was Donald. He told me that we needed to come back later because his girlfriend was a Jehovah Witness and didn't want us to come inside. I asked him if we could go downstairs and teach him in the lounge and he just kept saying to come back later. We left him with an ASL restoration movie to watch and he said he would. IT WAS JUST THE COOLEST EXPERIENCE. I'm so grateful for the chance that I had to use ASL and really put my knowledge to the test. SO GRAND.
We had 3 INVESTIGATORS AT SCRIPTURE STUDY THIS WEEK!!! Mally, John, and Nick!!!! It was the greatest thing ever and we were all just smiling from ear to ear.
We met with Randall, an investigator that we met through contacting who was friends with Lisa. We took a member over there with us to help teach and we just decided to invite him to be baptized because we really had nothing to lose. We just wanted to see if Randall was serious or not about us coming over. We kept getting the impression that he is just lonely and enjoys our visits. We taught him the whole 2nd lesson which is on the Plan of Salvation. He made fun of the whole lesson and the spirit just wasn't there. We asked him if he read the Book of Mormon and he replied, "Honestly. I won't ever read it so you can just take it back." It was dead silent in the room for a good 30 seconds. Thoughts in my mind kept coming. I just kept thinking, "Does he realize what he is missing out on? He doesn't even see what's right in front of him!!!!" Wanna know the best/most awkward part of us getting up and leaving? He asked if he could have a hug and we declined (obviously). Needless to say, I have learned how the spirit can only be there when an investigator is honestly interested and wants to learn more.
OH MY. GUESS WHAT. Sister Effinger (the one who has been less active for over 20 years) CAME TO CHURCH YESTERDAY AND BROUGHT JAYLEE AND HER OTHER DAUGHTER MAGGIE!!!!!!! They stayed the whole three hours and they all enjoyed themselves so much! Sister Effinger participated in Relief Society and ah, it was just the best feeling in the world to see her come back into the fold. I really do feel like my purpose here in Madison has been for this sweet family. Sister Effinger texted us last night and said, "Thank you sisters so much for coming over to my house last week. My daughters adore you both and they have never shown interest in my church until y'all showed up at my house." MIRACLE. Jaylee (15) and Maggie (13) haven't been baptized, but we are going to be patient on when a right time is for us to teach them because their dad (who is divorced from Sister E) is super anti about basically religion. So for now, we are just going to love them unconditionally :)
We taught Thor AND his wife Mary yesterday!!! This was our first time teaching Mary which was exciting. I think she softened up to us because we brought them over a dinner after she had her son, Pheonix. Food really does soften people up. hahaha We gave them both the first lesson and the spirit was super strong in the room. Mary said that she was willing to read the Book of Mormon and told us that she would read the Introduction and write down any questions that she had for the next time we come over. They are such amazing parents and are totally married which is so rare!!! Even in Alabama!!! Ah, Sister Sheffer and I just have a vision of them getting sealed in the temple one day with their sweet little boy Pheonix!!!!
We had a leadership meeting and we watched a broadcast from Tennessee and Elder Perry spoke! That man is HILARIOUS and so adorable. Ah, I just love him. He talked about this gospel and the need to share it. He talked about the age change and how that announcement is just as important as the restoration of the gospel!!! CRAZY. It's so neat to be a part of this work!!!!!! I challenge y'all to really help the missionaries in your ward. We really can't do this work alone. Success truly comes from the ward helping out. Elder Perry also told us to go out and count how many "no's" we can get when talking to people and just wait for that one "yes" that will make all the difference!!! The next day, Sister Sheffer and I decided to try it out and went tracting. We had gotten 8 "no's" and then, we found a "yes"!!!! A man named Marcus who just went through a tough divorce asked us to pray with him. We have an appointment with him tomorrow!!!!!! Missionary work is seriously so much fun!!!! People are just so great here.
It snowed here at the beginning of this week and oh my, people were freaking out. It was so funny. It didn't even stick!!!!!! I guess the schools were closed down in the mornings ha. .... Meanwhile, in Rexburg....
One thing that I have learned this week is to just put my trust in the Lord. Last Tuesday night, I was just being selfish and kept thinking how I feel like I haven't progressed at all. I just prayed and a confirmation came to me that I just needed to be patient and that God is working through me every day. Whether I realize it or not. I LOVE Doctrine and Covenants Section 58, verses 2-4!!!! READ IT. We cannot see all that God can see. We really just need to trust in Him and He will direct us to where we need to go and who we need to become. Glory ALWAYS comes after tribulation. God is so good! I tell myself that every day.
We had Zone training this past week and our zone leaders are just AMAZING people!!!! Elder Hunt prayed individually for each one of us and gave us a scripture that he thought would benefit each person. On the piece of paper he gave me,
2 Corinthians 4:17-18 was written next to my name. I had never even heard of that scripture until I read it that day. It was exactly what I needed to hear and I know that Elder Hunt was inspired to give me that specific scripture. Elder Hunt encouraged us to write any thoughts that came to our minds and I wrote a good 3 pages on it!!!! Heavenly Father is so mindful of each one of His children. He wants to be there for us. He wants us to communicate with Him.
I love y'all so much and hope this past week has been full of miracles!!!! Please, try to focus on the tender mercies of the Lord and I KNOW that if you will do this, you will be able to be happier and truly "inform your face". SEEK THE FACE OF THE LORD as it says in D&C 101:38. Do we have the image of God engraven upon our Countenances?
MYKY,
Sister Platt
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