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| 2 Zone Meetings in a row! This was with Taidong Zone :) |
Well, basically this week went nothing like we thought it would. White washing an area is a lot more difficult than I thought. We started with nothing, then we worked SUPER hard all transfer to get more investigators and really started seeing some progress! Then this was the week where basically all of them have dumped us, or given up, heard some anti-Mormon literature, or something of the like. It was pretty tough and our area is really taking a beating for it. I usually do pretty well with rejection, because I really trust that God has a plan for these people. But there was a difference this week as we were stood up lesson after lesson, and had our investigators tell us they didn't want to meet with us anymore. My heart broke for them, because I've learned to really love them and desire their salvation.
I think especially of a lady we met two weeks ago from knocking on her door on the last 5 minutes of the night. She let us in and we taught her the Restoration. She had the cutest 5 year old son that just laughed the whole time and was jumping off the walls. She's a single mother, and the look on her face as we taught just warmed my heart. She wanted it. The spirit was so strong and she accepted a baptismal date for the end of the month. As we taught I literally looked at her dressed in white. I could see her being baptized, and I really felt God's love for her. A couple of days later, she called us saying she didn't want to meet with us because of some things she'd heard about the Book of Mormon. It really actually hurt. Because I KNOW what this could do for her and her son. Everything she shared with us that she felt she had been lacking in her life (family unity, raising a child, finding purpose in her everyday life, etc.), I knew the gospel could fix it.
But we don't come on our missions to force people to join our church and change their religions. Our purpose is to invite others to come unto Christ. I really love the people we meet. I can't explain it. I love them so much. And the miracles I've seen on my mission have testified to me that this gospel WILL change lives. It will just add to the truths they already know and give them the peace and joy we need in this life.
So, it was pretty hard going back to square one after all the hard work we've done. But I don't believe that it's all for nothing. I've grown a lot, and I have seen God's hand in so many people's lives. If anything, it's really strengthened my faith. And it will continue to because these are the times that we have to keep going and keep being positive! And because of the attitude and faith we have had, God blessed us with literally the most tender mercy ever. We were teaching an investigator for a while that Sister Griffin had met on exchanges on my first week here in HuaLien. His name is Sun. He had a date for baptism, but then he just disappeared, it was so weird. Later, we found out he started meeting with the elders in the other HuaLien ward so it was really happy that he didn't actually disappear. But then yesterday at church, he had his baptismal interview and they found out he actually lives in our area so he'll be baptized into our ward! It is so cool because so many missionaries have had part in teaching him and helping him prepare to be baptized. Really it doesn't matter where he is baptized or who is baptizing him, but it is a blessing for our tiny ward that needs more church attendance. He'll be baptized on Saturday, which also happens to be my companion's very last chance of seeing a soul enter into the waters of baptism.
So, it always works out! I love God and I love that He is really watching over His children. I'm really excited to keep working hard to help this area grow. I'm just so blessed!!
Sister Hendricks
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| Best view of the temple |
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| MLC pics from last week :) |
Here's an mlc picture from last week!
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