Sweet Home Alabama: Could this be the year that Jesus comes? Try Jesus!

The title of this email comes from one of the signs outside of the baptist church here. I love it. haha The south is the best place in the world.

I will start off with telling a joke... What is a missionary's favorite car? .... A CONVERTable!!!! bahahhahahahaha!! LOLOLOL

I am so happy. I just love this work so much!!! Things are going to be changing here in the mission and I'm excited to witness the joy that will come from everything!!!

We had training this past week down in Birmingham and a man (Brother Donaldson) from the Missionary Training department came down and talked a lot about why we don't see as many baptisms here in the South. He has given us A LOT of really good tips/insight. We have been implementing what he has taught us these past few days and I am shocked at how inspired his training is!!!!

Brother Donaldson spoke about how missionaries spend WAY TOO MUCH time teaching the restoration and not enough time with the most important part of the lesson which is prayer. He suggested that we use the pamphlet pictures to teach and that our lessons should be 7 MINUTES long and that the rest of your time there should be focused on getting the investigator to pray in front of you about the restoration. Sounds crazy, right? Well, IT WORKED.

On Saturday, we met with this super cute couple named Richard and Ariel. They are about the same age me and live together. We taught them the restoration in about 10 minutes. They were both really interested and were yearning for more by the end. We then asked each of them, "If God were in the room with us right now, what would you ask him?" Richard and Ariel paused for a moment and thought. Then, with a smile on his face, Richard replied saying, "I would want to know about the priesthood and if Joseph Smith received it from Peter, James, and John." Then Ariel replied saying, "I would want to know more about the Book of Mormon and if it's true." I then said, "Do you trust that God will answer your questions?" They both smiled and said yes! We then invited them to kneel down and pray with us. THEY BOTH AGREED TO SAY A PRAYER OUT LOUD. Usually, people feel uncomfortable praying with us, but both of them felt the spirit and knew that they needed to pray. Richard said the first prayer and this is basically what he said: "Dear Heavenly Father, we are grateful for these ladies who came to us this day. God, I just wanted to ask you about the priesthood and if Joseph smith got it from your disciples. I want to know if it's true. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen." As he was saying those words in his prayer, the spirit filled the room and my mind kept thinking, "yes. yes. yes. It is true." It not only helped Richard with building his testimony, but it helped mine. Then, before Ariel said her prayer, she looked at us and said, "sorry. My prayer won't be as good as his." Then she said the most beautiful/simple prayer that I have ever heard. It was as if Heavenly Father was standing right next to her and she was just talking to Him like a friend. She said, "Dear Heavenly Father. I love you. Please let me know if the Book of Mormon is True. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen." Peace and quiet was in the room for a good 20 seconds before anyone spoke. We then asked them how they felt and they both smiled and said that they felt so much peace. I am so grateful for the spirit and it's ability to comfort and testify of truth. It was simply an amazing experience! We left them hungering and thirsting for more!!! AND we left mormon.org on their computer so that they can look at that website for more information instead of a dumb anti one. YAY.

So as you can see, this new idea of teaching the lessons is going to work so much better!!!!! I'm so happy!! He promised us that our baptisms will DOUBLE in Alabama as long as we do this. I want to apply the scripture found in Alma 31:35. I want to see these people as God sees them and bring them back into the fold. Everyone is precious and has great worth. I wish I could see with God's eyes sometimes.

He also talked about referrals and getting them from members (which is really hard to do here). He told us that we needed to have a spiritual 10 minute lesson with members in their home and then ask them to write down as many names as they could on a piece of paper of those people that they wish would join the church. We then have them narrow down the names to those who they feel confident would be ready for the gospel. And then, ask them all to kneel down and ask Heavenly Father if the person they decided is ready. THEN, after the spirit is felt and after we get a confirmation about that certain person on their list, we ask them to COME with us RIGHT THEN AND THERE to that person's home because Heavenly Father just answered their prayers!!!! Pretty neat idea, huh? We tried this with a cute family of 9 people in our ward and opened up the spiritual lesson with a testimony meeting of Jesus Christ. The spirit was strong. We asked them to then write down as many names as they could and they all did!!! One of the teenage boys wrote down at least 40 names. #popularkidinschool We then had them read off the names and it was crazy because all of them mentioned the Johnsons who are their neighbors!!!!! We then had them kneel and pray about it and we all felt that Heavenly Father confirmed that they were the ones that were ready. Unfortunately, the Johnsons are out of town, BUT they said they would invite them over to dinner with us next week when they do get home!!! woot woot!!! miracles are happening!!!!!

I saw Sister Effinger (Madison 2nd ward) in the hallway yesterday at church!!! She told me about how her daughter, Maggie was reading the Book of Mormon, Heavenly Father loves each of His children and it's amazing to see how the BOM can protect and comfort everyone. I think the other Sister missionaries have begun to teach Maggie and Jaylee so that is super exciting!!!!

Wanna know a crazy story??? We were out tracting the other day. Our initial door approach (which works EVERY TIME) is to offer a prayer with the people who answer the door. After we say the prayer, we ask them if we can come back and teach them a message about Jesus Christ. Everyone usually says yes which is grand!!!! (We are currently teaching 25 people which is CRAZY) Anyway, we were at this apartment complex and knocked on this ladies door. She didn't answer so we decided to go upstairs. We went upstairs to the next door and the lady from downstairs finally answered the door and started SWEARING UP A STORM. We all looked at each other and said, "don't look up. Don't look up! please. Don't look up!!!!!" (The platform that we were standing on upstairs had holes in it so she could have easily seen us. She then started to scream and swear even louder about how she was going to beat up whoever was knocking on her door. These were her exact words (G rated version) "WHO BE KNOCKIN ON MA DOOR? YA BETTA RUN N' HIDE." AHHH IT WAS SO SCARY. She eventually closed her door and didn't see us. (tender mercy) We all just stayed upstairs for about 5 minutes without moving and then decided to sprint down the stairs and towards our bikes. Seriously, missionary work is NEVER dull.

We knocked on another lady's door who was super nice which made all the difference in the world. Her name is Shanika and she told us that she was praying to God for some answers and then we just showed up on her door!!! She was just about to leave for work, so we said a prayer with her and have a return appointment with her!! yayayya!!! Heavenly Father always gives us tender mercies and lets us know that He is nearby.

We were walking back to our bikes to head home for the night. I saw these two teenage kids walking in front of us. They both were blasting music and talking really loud. I said hi, but they didn't see me. I then decided to just run in front of them (yes. it was awkward) and then I said, "have y'all ever heard of the Book of Mormon?" They both laughed as they said no. (They thought I was really weird). We gave them both copies of the BOM and told them to read it!!! They both said they would and we ended up getting their numbers so hopefully we can contact them again soon!!!! There are so many times on my mission where I feel prompted to speak to someone and I just go for it. No matter how dumb I may look. I still have a lot to work on, but I know that my purpose is to share the gospel and talk to EVERYONE. I encourage y'all to strive to follow the promptings of the spirit more and realize that all good things/thoughts/impressions come from God!!!

Michelle wasn't able to meet with us this week because she has been busy with work and Dana hasn't been able to as well :( SUCH A BUMMER. We invited Narcissus to come to church and called her Sunday morning and she told us that she would come. She didn't show up :( I think that is the hardest part about missionary work. People just need to COME TO CHURCH!!!!! Does anyone have any suggestions of how to encourage people to come???? Michelle didn't come because she said she had too much homework. Lame. Lame. Lame. It's okay.. THEY WILL ALL JUST SHOW UP NEXT WEEK AND I WILL PROBABLY CRY WITH JOY.

I have started to read the Book of Mormon over again and this morning, I was reading in 2 Nephi chapter 4. I was thinking a lot about verse 16 and how I can easily apply to what Nephi was saying. My soul does delight in the things of the Lord. I continually try to ponder upon the miracles and tender mercies that I am seeing and hearing. What do y'all delight in?

President Hanks sent this in his email and I LOVE THIS. It can apply to y'all as well. He is a man of so much wisdom.

Do you want to be a great missionary or be just a returned missionary?
Do you want to be a champion for good or just a decent person?
Do you want to be a Disciple of Christ and Steadfast in your testimony, or just a believer?
How do you feel about education, career, fatherhood and motherhood, wife and husband?
Are you committed to integrity and honesty all the days of your life?
Have you decided to keep your mind and thoughts and actions clean before God?
Have you decided to become one of the STP (Same Ten People) in your ward, or just be a member?
Do you want your arrows to continue pointing outward all your life, or do you want to shrivel back into self-absorption and inward thinking?

I want to be the best missionary possible. I want to be a champion for the Lord and be STEADFAST in Christ. I am constantly trying to improve myself each day and I'm so happy that I still have a year left on my mission, because I have SO MUCH MORE TO learn!!! Ah. It can be overwhelming at times, but I wouldn't have it any other way. God is good!!! I love y'all so much! You is kind. You is smart. You is important.

I had 3 BBQ themed dinners this week. Summer is getting SO CLOSE. I'm so excited!!!!! People are so much happier when the sun is out here and they seem more receptive to wanting to learn more.

Mere and Annie-We sang "True to the Faith" this morning in comp study and I thought of y'all. "no" "yes!" I almost started to giggle.

I HAVE THE BEST FAMILY IN THE WORLD

MYKY,

Sister Platt :)