Sister Bailey Anne Harrison: How is it Monday already?

6/26/2017

Okay Fan Club, I really have no idea how we are already at another Pday for the record books, but you know they come and they go, so I am just going to live it up. Lets just start with the night that Sister Roach and I had last night. We probably got about an hour of sleep. Neither of us were feeling very good, I had a terrible migraine and was so nauseous that I couldn't stand up. But I had no idea that Sister Roach was also awake so I just laid there for hours until I could finally get up to take something and I realized that Sister Roach was awake. So then we were both suffering together. When we woke up after the hour of sleep that we received we decided that we weren't going to go on the hike that the zone had planned for the day. Well, the Zone Leaders called us and convinced us to go. So terrible. We were sick the whole 6 MILES! They just kept telling us that it was a nature walk. Um no. I learned a few things from this experience 1. Never trust Elders 2. If you are feeling sick, don't go on a hike 3. Drink lots of water 4. More deodorant is always the good decision 5. Klam Fam bonding time is fun. It was a terrible experience but you know, the view was so worth it. And we survived. So you know, it was great.

We had many miracles this week. One of them being that last night, we literally had 15 minutes until our correlation with the Zone Leaders. And we realized that we had only found 8 investigators that week and our goal was 10. We started complaining just a little bit saying you know what, we had so many lessons this week and we just didn't have time to go finding. But instead we went and tried, and I felt like we should go see this potential who we have tried contacting like a million times, basically since I have been here. WELL we went and she was home AND her mom. They both became new investigators and we were able to meet our goal. GOD IS SO GOOD!!

This week we had an awesome lesson with Vic, our investigator who is getting baptized on SATURDAY! And we were teaching about the commandments and we were talking about scripture study and he starts telling us about how he is addicted to reading the scriptures, best thing to be addicted to. He talked about how he is starting to teach his kids about the things that he is learning! Seriously he is getting so ready to be baptized and I am just getting more and more excited! Although, I was super disappointed when I came into sacrament meeting after ward council and I didn't see him. He texted us after church and apparently he sat down on the couch after his grave yard shift and fell asleep on accident. He felt so bad! But luckily, he has already been to church 3 times so the baptism is still on for Saturday! And he is going to be meeting with us 2 times this week!!! SO EXCITED! It is going to be such a good time. I can not wait to tell you all about it!

So we are teaching a man named Edward and he was a Mormon.org referral. (Side note, when I talk about Edward I picture him as Edward Cullen, so I have to call him Ed) He was the man that was kinda a basher but that he still wants to meet with us. Well this week we sat down with him and instead of him asking questions Sister Roach and I just started to teach the Restoration and really it went so great! But the problem is that he started talking about what happens if he doesn't find his answer. He said the first time that he started to read that he felt hopeful, but then suddenly he felt hopeless. He felt like the Book of Mormon was telling him that he had to be perfect. It was an interesting conversation. From his questions I am not really sure if he has the true intent. But he did say that if he finds the answer that he will be baptized. So we will see!

This week as a zone we had a goal to invite everyone to baptism. So as a zone we put 10 more investigators on date to be baptized. So as a total we have 28 people on date!!! This is double what all the rest of the zones in the mission have. We are trying not to be prideful. But we are excited. So many people are wanting to follow the example of Jesus Christ and I couldn't be more excited.

One of the people Sister Roach and I were able to put on date was Sharon. We went to her house and I felt really prompted that we needed to put her on date for September 9th. So we started talking about her and about her faith in Jesus Christ and all the things that brought her to that faith. I was able to state our purpose as missionaries and asked her if once she finds out this is true if she will be baptized. She said yes and I told her that she would be prepared by September 9th, and she doubted. After 6 times of me inviting her and asking her, I felt prompted to ask her about her family. She began to feel emotional and talked about how she lost her husband. We talked about eternal families and promised her that the first step to living with her family together will be being baptized. AND SHE ACCEPTED! It was amazing. The spirit was strong and I was so glad for the prompting to go and see Sharon.

So we hadn't heard from our investigator Valaurie for a couple of days and we were getting a little worried about her. So we finally got ahold of her and she told us to come over as soon as possible. We sat down and began to talk to her and decided to teach her about the Restoration, again. And this time she was able to soak it in so much better, she even took notes. She expressed that she truly wants to get baptized especially after being to the last 2 baptisms that she was able to see. But she already knew about the Word of Wisdom and knows that she has been in a rough life and she has to stop quite a few things. We asked her what we can do to help her, and she suggested us coming by every day! Wow. BRILLIANT! So now we are meeting everyday. We committed her to come to church and to read the introduction to the Book of Mormon. Suddenly I walk into sacrament meeting and she was THERE! It was awesome and she loved it. Then, after the meeting she sat down and she showed me her Book of Mormon and she had read all the way to 1 Nephi chapter 4!! And she is understanding it quite a bit! It was awesome. And she has become best friend with the member who has been bringing her to church, we didn't really even have a chance to talk to her because they were getting along so well. It was great. We even moved up her baptismal date!!! SO EXCITED!

I had the opportunity to speak at a baptism this week! Her name is Jessica Carlson and it was such a great service. She is in the YSA Branch and most people who go there are out of town because you know, it is summer time. So the Elders who taught her asked if Sister Roach and I could speak. I was able to talk about the Holy Ghost and it was such a fun experience. I think there was all of 14 people there. But it was great. The Holy Ghost is literally the greatest gift that you are ever going to receive on this earth, and I am so grateful for it! Jessica's parents didn't support her in getting baptized so she didn't tell anyone she was doing it. She waited until after the confirmation, she is a courageous soul, but she was old enough to make here own decisions.

Alright, so spiritual thought for the day, I have been sharing this a lot with members and investigators and I think it is something that we need to remember. This quote is from our Prophet Thomas S Monson, and it is from his last conference talk in April, and it says:

"We live in a time of great trouble and wickedness. What will protect us from the sin and evil so prevalent in the world today? I maintain that a strong testimony of our Savior, Jesus Christ, and of His gospel will help see us through to safety. If you are not reading the Book of Mormon each day, please do so. If you will read it prayerfully and with a sincere desire to know the truth, the Holy Ghost will manifest its truth to you....

My dear associates in the work of the Lord, I implore each of us to prayerfully study and ponder the Book of Mormon each day. As we do so, we will be in a position to hear the voice of the Spirit, to resist temptation, to overcome doubt and fear, and to receive heaven’s help in our lives."

President Monson promises us 5 things if we read the Book of Mormon daily

We will be in the position to hear the voice of the Spirit
Resist Temptation
Overcome doubt
Overcome fear
Receive heaven's help in our lives

I don't know about you but I think we can all use and need those blessings. I am so grateful for a living day prophet who can give us counsel and direction. I love this gospel and I love the things that we can learn from it!

Well Fan Club! Thanks for all the emails and all the love! I am so grateful for all of you and I love you! I hope you have a great week and that work hard and that you stay safe!!!!

---Remember who you are and who God EXPECTS you to become.---

Love, Your Favorite Sister Missionary,

Sister Harrison

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