I'm going to be honest when I say that this past Monday (April 28th) was one of the scariest days of my life. Ah, I can't say it enough that I KNOW HE LIVES.
A couple things that went through my mind this past Monday during the tornado:
-I am so grateful for this gospel
-I am so grateful for my family.
-Wow. Heavenly Father is amazing!
-Poor President Hanks. It's his birthday today.
48 missionaries were all in Tupelo, Mississippi this past Monday for a zone activity/interviews with President Hanks.
I was playing basketball (speed) with some of the elders and President came in and told us all to go to the chapel because we were under Tornado Watch (WHICH IS WORSE THAN A WARNING). We all gathered in the chapel as President Hanks offered a prayer as we all knelt down. The sky had turned green by that point and the lights in the chapel started to flicker on and off. We all started to sing hymns as President Hanks started to loosen his tie and take off his coat (He never does this). The lights then turned completely off and we were all just sitting in a pitch dark chapel singing hymns. I was shaking from fear of the unknown, BUT you know what was crazy? I never felt like we were in any harm. I KNOW that there were angels in that room protecting us that day. I KNOW IT. I could just feel them there. We waited for a good 4 hours before we were cleared to go home. President Hanks handled the situation really well and it is SUCH a blessing that he and Sister Hanks were there during that time! President Hanks jokingly told us that we should start singing the hymn "Master, The Tempest is Raging" hahahhaha love that man.
Wanna know another crazy thing about the whole situation???? President Hanks called us all the next morning and told us that Heavenly Father was definitely look out for us because the newspaper article he was reading said that the tornado started forming RIGHT ABOVE the church that we were in!!!!!! MIRACLES ARE REAL. Ah. I can't get over how AMAZING our LOVING Heavenly Father is. A lady that we had pancakes with the night before the tornado... She lives about a mile away from the church and her house was completely destroyed. It was so sad to see all of the destruction there, but it was also very humbling to see everyone work together and help people get their lives back in order.
We were able to help clean up the past three days which has been such a cool experience. We worked about 5-8 hours every day. We helped this one Baptist Preacher clean up his house from a tree falling on it. There were about 16 missionaries there helping. After we were done, the man said, "You know. There's a great service tomorrow at the First Baptist church that y'all are invited to." We all politely just said thanks!!! Then, one of the Elders said, "Can we invite you to check out our church's web---" The Preacher then interrupted him and bluntly said, "NO. I know all about y'alls church and want nothing to do with it." haha gotta love the south :)
We were able to help with about 8 different homes while I was there and I am SO GRATEFUL for the opportunity I had to help them out. I feel like my whole reason of getting called here was to help them all out. It was a beautiful thing to see the community and churches all come together and help one another out. Lots of churches were carrying trucks full of water and snacks around to each of us which was super nice! I am just obsessed with the South. I really love the people and culture and how they just easily show LOVE.
We weren't able to leave the house on tuesday because President told us all that we had to stay inside so this week was kinda a weird one.
My interview with President Hanks went really well!!! I think Sister Weekes is going to be leaving me this next transfer because he wants her to step it up and become a leader which will be PERFECT for her!!! He told me that I was the most courageous missionary he has ever seen. Not sure if that is true, but it was so nice to hear it from him. I am so amazed at the opportunity I have to have President and Sister Hanks as my Mission President and wife. It is so humbling. They really are the BEST.
Updates on investigators...
Colleen: Ugh. Colleen is so frustrating sometimes. I love her to death, but she NEEDS to just realize that she knows that this gospel is true!!! I feel like she keeps getting her answers, but is afraid to ACT. We met with her once this past week and had a really good spiritual talk with her. Sister Weekes and I were crying by the end of it because we both just realized HOW MUCH COLLEEN needs this gospel and how frustrating it was that she didn't understand that she needed it. We might just drop her this week and hopefully she will realize the emptiness that she feels and call us back!!!
Tom: Tom is AWESOME!!!! He has been reading the Book of Mormon and every time we come over, he tells us the summary of what he was reading. HE CAME TO CHURCH YESTERDAY. SO AWESOME. HE LOVED IT. Church was only an hour long because we were encouraged to all go to Tupelo after Sacrament meeting. Tom just was amazed that our congregation was willing to go out and help. He also said that he loved the fact that their was no gruesome pictures or crosses in our church and he thinks it's great that no one gets paid. He just kept saying, "Well yeah! In my bible it says that no one should get paid and your church just makes sense!" WELL YEAH. CAUSE IT'S THE TRUTH. He then said that he was definitely going to come back!!! WAHOO. And of course, the ward was super good at being supportive of him. I'M OBSESSED WITH RUSSELLVILLE. It's the best area ever. I'm so happy. Becky invited him to FHE tonight at her home and we are going to watch a movie!! I'm so excited :)))
Ken: ha oh ken. What to say. What to say... Ken didn't show up to church yesterday. I think he is terrified of being baptized for some reason and we have to dig deep to see what's wrong. It's hard to get a hold of him because he is always out walking and doesn't have a phone. MAH. He knows it's all true!!!!
Brother Steve: Oh my goodness. Brother Steve is simply AMAZING. HE CAME TO CHURCH AS WELL. He unfortunately had his neighbor basically threaten his life so he is on a bus right now to Chicago. :((( HE WILL GET BAPTIZED ONE DAY. He called and told us "thanks for enlightening me. I know God led me to you." It breaks my heart to know that he is gone, but I know that we were meant to meet him. He is such a great person and I really think that the Book of Mormon is going to continually change his life as he continues to read it!!!
Camisha: We haven't been able to find Camisha at ALL! I think she got kicked out of her house or something because she is never home anymore!!! I know we were meant to meet her as well and I think she needed us right before she went through this huge trial of losing her house. God works in mysterious ways. Hopefully we will run into her again soon!!!!
Anita: Anita called us the morning of our next appointment with us and dropped us by saying, "Hi! I just wanted y'all to know that my pastor wants me to join his bible study class and said to not meet with y'all anymore so y'all don't have to come today. thanks" NO. STOP IT. HATERS BACK OFF. (just kidding.)
Michelle: We met with Michelle again this past week and reviewed the restoration with her. She wanted to come to church, but her ride bailed the morning of church and couldn't find anyone to take her. UGH. Getting rides to church is probably the most frustrating thing for this area because everyone in the ward is scattered and the ward boundaries stretch a good 100 miles. SHE WILL COME NEXT WEEK.
Oh my goodness. I just have to tell y'all the most PRECIOUS experience I had this past week. So, we visited this lady named Sister Adams who can't come to church that often because of her knee. We were talking with her and asking her advice about Colleen and what we needed to teach her. (Sister Adams is a convert to the church). The next morning, Sister Adams called us and said, "SISTERS!!!! I HAVE BEEN READING IN MY BIBLE THIS MORNIN' AND FOUND SOME SCRIPTURES TO SHARE WITH COLLEEN. COME OVER TO MY HOUSE AND WE WILL GO SEE HER!!!!!!!" hahahah We then biked over to her house and Sister Adams was waiting for us outside. She looked ADORABLE. She was wearing red lipstick. Had her make up all done up. She was wearing a really nice skirt and shirt. AND she had a little makeshift badge on her shirt that had "Catherine Adams. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints" written on it. She is so adorable and was so excited to go out with us!!!!! She told us that she would love to take us out more, but she can't drive at night. Colleen was unfortunately not feeling well so we taught Michelle instead and visited with 2 less active members. IT WAS SO GREAT. I love her so so so so so much. Yesterday while we were in Tupelo, Sister Adams called us and asked us if we were in Sheffield. We sadly said no and asked her what she needed. She told us that her son was in town and she wanted us to meet him!!!! We got home around 8 pm from Tupelo and went over to her house and met with her son and grand daughter!!! IT WAS SO MUCH FUN. Sister Adams is the only member in her family so she wants us to meet with as many family members of hers as we can!!!!! We invited her son to church and hopefully he will come! It was a super enjoyable time. I love family time so much. Gah.
Oh. GUESS WHAT??? Totally met Sister Voyles (FROM THE SHOW "THE DISTRICT"') mom and dad and sister when I was in Tupelo!!!! So I'm basically REALLY FAMOUS. AGAIN. Sister Voyles' sister looks exactly like her so I was basically talking to sister voyles. I talked to her mom for a good 40 minutes during our lunch break. Very chatty. (Family. Don't worry if you don't understand what I'm saying. Just watch "The district" on Youtube or lds.org)
# of babies I saw drinking sweet tea in a bottle this past week: 2
# of times members have taken us out to McDonalds this past week: 3 (yup. Reminded me of European trips with dad)
# of times I've said "THEY NEED TO BE BAPTIZED" after meeting someone for the first time: a million.
# of times I've been to wal mart on my mission: 250 (That is probably not even an exaggeration)
"Here's some apple pie! Here! Do you want some cheese sticks? TAKE SOME BACON WITH YOU. Y'all don't need to starve!!!" --Quote from Sister White, Becky's mother as we were about to leave her home. She refused to let us not take it. #southernhospitality
Becky took us to wal mart last week to go grocery shopping. She bought herself a candy bar and as she was paying for it, Sister Weekes says, "Becky! I love that ring!!" Becky turns bright red as she looks at the ring on her finger and says, "SHOOT. I need to pay for this as well. Sorry. I'm not no criminal. I promise." Becky then pays for her $10 ring from walmart. #dailydoseofbecky
Well, I just want y'all to know that I know that Jesus is the Christ and that Heavenly Father lives and loves us so much!!! He wants to help us out and He is there for us no matter what. We are all made in HIS image and He wants to mold and perfect us. We have to go through the refiners fire and go through trials in order to be like Him. I just love the scripture Alma 36:3. SUCH A GOOD ONE. We are promised so many blessings from the Lord. He will NEVER break his promises. We just need to have an eternal perspective in life and realize what matters most. I know my perspective has definitely been changed this past week.
I love my Savior so much.
I am so happy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This work is amazing and the hardest thing I have ever done, but I wouldn't have it any other way. I love the life I'm living and I am so grateful for my family and friends that I have.
AHHHH CAN'T WAIT TO SEE Y'ALL THIS UPCOMING SUNDAY!!! I KEEP FORGETTING THAT IT'S ACTUALLY HAPPENING AND THEN I REMEMBER THAT I GET TO SKYPE Y'ALL AND THEN I FREAK OUT ALL OVER AGAIN. yayayyayayayyayayayyayyy
MYKY,
Sister Platt
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