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| Bikes for the week! |
This
week was AWESOME. :) Totally breathtaking. The leaves are changing colors and
it couldn't be more beautiful. Every single tree we look at is just stunning.
It's awesome. We biked about 60 miles this week and had a lot of fun adventures
there. And we had some powerful experiences. Over all it was just totally
breathtaking. :) Some fun quick things, we had a blood drive this week that
went really well, we helped out at a super cool recycling event with some other
sisters and met some awesome people, and we had a fun moment helping out at the
food pantry here is town. Cool things happen when we serve. :) It's the
best.
Ok.
We had the BIGGEST blessing in the whole entire world this week. Holy crap. :)
So Monday night we had a few minutes to fill before one of our appointments, so
we decided to try and find some former investigators that Sister Boyd and I had
tried to contact, but couldn't find. While we were there we met this guy named
T***** B*****. :) He is a 66 year old black man from Tennessee and couldn't be
more adorable. We had met him a few weeks earlier and had given him a large
print BOM he was pretty interested in what it was and asked us to tell us a
little bit more about it. :) We were talking to him outside on the porch
because there wasn't another female at home, so we weren't able to go inside.
While we were talking with him he was shivering and in his sassy way kept
complaining about how cold he was. Sister Golba-Ingles had pulled out her Book
of a mormon and read the last two paragraphs in the Introduction to the Book of
Mormon. Right after she was done reading it Brother B***** was absolutely
silent. He looked up at us and with the most tender, innocent, and genuine
voice he said "I'm not cold anymore, I feel very warm." THAT WAS A
TOTAL MIRACLE. The spirit filled that man's heart so much and touched him so
deeply that he wasn't cold. He had tears in his eyes and was very emotional
because of the experience he was having. We asked him if he knew that what we
were telling him was true. He said "yes". :) So we asked him if he
would want to be baptized. And he said YES. :) We were so excited. We have met
with him a few times this week and it has gone really really well.
We went over
on Saturday night to invite him to church and he told us that he was
really nervous about going to a different church, and then he promised us that
he would come next week. We were a little bit bummed and despite our valiant
efforts he told us he would not come this week. Well, Sunday morning rolled
around and we got a call from T***** saying "I have my clothes all laid
out, Im about to get dressed. I'm coming to church" AHHHH. :) the spirit
works miracles in him. Sister Golba-Ingles and I were so excited. :) He came to
church and loved it. He actually even bore his testimony about how welcomed he
felt at church and how grateful he was for everyone who was so kind to him. He
told about how he has been pretty closed off to God for a log time but because
of the things that he has felt when he has been taught he is willing and
wanting to create a relationship with God. It was the coolest. :) He is such a
special man. I am so grateful that Heavenly Father has led us to him. He is
very prepared and is so receptive to the spirit. He is planning on being
Baptized on November 8th. :)I feel so honored that God trusts us enough to be
the missionaries that get to teach him. :) We love him and are just so excited
for him.
We
had the coolest lesson with one of our members this week. :) We had dinner with
Sister Evans Thursday night, so during nightly planning on Wednesday we were
talking about what we should share with her and we put together a lesson plan
and then moved on. The next morning when we were solidifying our plans for the
day Sister Golba-Ingles and I just didn't feel the best about what we had
decided we were going to teach her, so we scrapped that lesson and went back to
the drawing board. We both felt like it would be fun to read with her the story
of Samuel the Lamanite. It was kind of random and we didn't understand why, but
we went forward anyway. :) After dinner Sister Evans opened up to us about how
hard her calling is. She was just called to teach the 12-18 year old Sunday
School class. The first lesson she taught she finished the lesson in tears
because the kids were so disrespectful. She was terrified to go and teach them
again. It was her turn to teach on Sunday and she told us that she was beyond
scared. We got out our Book of Mormons and read with her Helaman 13:2-4 about
how Samuel was rejected the first time we tried to teach the people, and as he
was leaving the city he heard the voice of the Lord telling him to GO BACK. I'm
sure he was nervous, scared, and unsure about what was going to happen but he
went back anyway. He got up in the wall and testified of truths from his heart.
And because he went back miracles happened and people were baptized. :) It was
SO powerful. Sister Evans was so touched by the spirit and as soon as we
started reading those scriptures a peace and a warmth filled that room and it
was incredible. It was the coolest. :) Just so amazing that Heavenly Father
KNOWS. he knows what we need, he knows how we are feeling, and he knows how to
help because he knows YOU. it was incredible, and just a very special moment to
be a part of. :)
After
we left Sister Evans house I had absolutely no idea how we were going to get to
our next appointment. It was easily an hour and a half bike ride away and it
was starting to get cold and dark and I had no idea how we were going to be
able to do it. But like we had just learned, God answers prayers. :) He sent
the Jensens to help us. The Jensens are a senior couple who are serving on
the Navy base that is in our Ward boundaries. They just happened to be in the
area, and happened to have a bike rack, and just happened to have a totally
free night. They were absolutely sent to help us. :) We loaded our bikes onto
the back of their car and were able to make it to our appointment on time. It
was a complete and total tender mercy and answer to prayer. Time and time again
we saw blessings like that happen with our bikes.
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| Blood Drive |
After the Blood drive we had
an appointment that we had to get to so we headed out on our bikes not totally
remembering the advice to not work out after donating blood. After our
appointment Sister Golba-Ingles was not feeling well and didn't think that she
could make it home on the bikes. We called our Ward mission leader and he was
in a perfect position to come and rescue us. It was amazing. And again by
Sunday the Elders had their car back and offered us their car. We said
absolutely not. :) Haha about an hour later the elders had left the keys to
their car on our front porch basically leaving us with no choice but to use
their car. It was very humbling to let them serve us in that way, but I was
very touched by their courageous and powerful examples. It was very kind of
them. We had so many tender mercies shown to us while we were on bikes his
week. :) Whether it was members who were willing to help, safety while we rode,
or Elders who sacrificed their car, we were so blessed.
This
week was absolutely incredible and proved over and over and over again that God
answers prayers. He does. I know it. :) Heavenly Father loves us so much and
cares so deeply about each and every one of us. It's incredible. I am so
grateful for the experiences we were able to have this week and he priceless
moments we were a part of. :)
I
love you guys. Thank you so much for loving me, supporting me, and praying for
me. I appreciate it so much. I LOVE YOU.
-Sister
Watts
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| Found my wallet |
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| Near Lake Michigan! |
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| Sister Golba-Ingles |
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