January 20, 2014
Hi everyone!
All is well! I don't have much time today, so this will be an all over
the place and fast update. I think I'll just tell random highlights from the
week.
-I went on exchanges to BEVERLY HILLZ. Nuts business. Those homes
were insane. We were talking to a less active and when we asked if there was
anyone who was having a hard time, she suggested we knock on her neighbor's
door. So we did (this one didn't have a gate like most). It is our tradition to
knock three separate times (one for me, one for my companion, and one for the
Lord), before we leave the doorstep. We knocked three times and were turning
around to leave when we heard someone come to the door. She asked who it was.
"Missionaries! We're sharing a message about feeling God's love." "Now is not a
good time." "Okay! have a good day!" We turned around and left..we were almost
to the end of the walk when she opened the door. We turned around to see this
beautiful, tall, blonde, total-model, Polish woman. She was crying. She
explained that she just found out that her dad was dying and she was booking a
flight to Poland. I know that she was crying out for help or pleading with God,
and then we knocked on her door.
-People always bash tracting (knocking door-to-door) because it's not the
most effective. But sometimes in some areas, it's what you do for a couple
hours. And I actually don't mind it at all. Anyways, we tracted for about an
hour and a half one day this week. The last door we knocked? Miracle man. His
name is Greg. He's awesome. 60s. Gym teacher. Grew up Baptist (50% of the people
we're teaching are black men :) ). Anyways, we came back the next day and taught
him the Restoration. After I shared the First Vision verbatim he said to me with
tears rolling down his face "I feel God's love when you look at me. You just
don't fake that kind of thing." It was incredible.
-We met with Guillame and someone who served in France, on her mission in
the YSA ward, joined us to translate some. He came to stake conference. He's
awesome!!
-We have probably more investigators than I've had in a long time!! I'm
praying that we meet with all of them once this week, set expectations, get a
game plan going, and miracles will just flow. This area has so much potential
right now. Thanks for all the prayers! We need as many as we can get!
-We had stake conference this weekend, which was awesome. I really think a
huge reason for the influx of missionaries right now is so when we go home we
will be 'boss member missionaries'. Sunday was broadcast from Salt Lake with
Pres. Eyring, Elder Andersen, Sister Burton, and Elder Arnold. I am so grateful
to have living prophets today!
-We have a secret leadership meeting this Friday with someone from the
mission department. A few missions around us have ipads, just so you know....
I'LL KEEP YOU POSTED.
-Less active woman with dementia in our ward told me I looked like a model
this week and then we went back and she said "nice to meet you". (I've seen her
like 5 times before) and she said quite the opposite of my looks, hahaha. Bless
her heart.
-Got this referral through the media system and we went to contact and
found that his address was a business. There was an apt complex with a
different address a little bit away, so we decided to contact it (it was an open
complex..) I asked the first guy who opened his door if he knew the person that
we tried to contact (assuming he didn't live there. I just used it as an
icebreaker). Turns out he actually did know him and he lived there. So we go
talk to the guy. Turns out? Sister Rackleff ran into him on the street months
ago. Missionaries in Northern California met him last week and then referred him
through the system. And his ex-girlfriend is a member. Dude. WHAT DO YOU THINK
GOD IS SAYING TO YOU. Listen. We referred him to the YSA missionaries, praying
he listens this time. Yeesh people. THERE AREN'T COINCIDENCES WHEN IT COMES TO
GOD, OKAY? OKAY.
-We got a really weird referral this week. This member subscribed her
friend to the Ensign (church magazine) in Russian (obvi..she's Russian). The
friend wasn't interested but the friend's mom read it all last year, every issue
from cover to cover. She wanted to renew her subscription, but the member didn't
give us her name.... and the mom doesn't speak any English....So we took our
member who served in Russia with us to go hunt down this unknown referral. She
lived in a locked apt complex, so we had to stealthily sneak in. Sister Rackleff
was worried our member might think we were nuts for basically breaking in the
building. Uhm no. Found out he literally like is Jason Bourne for the Bourne
Identity movies. He is an ex-spy who used to hunt down human traffickers,
narcotics dealers, and worked for some branch of the government I've never heard
of. WHAT. He talked about being in one of Saddam's palaces shooting people when
his wife called to tell him if they were having a boy or girl. WHAT. Also, turns
out when they lived in D.C. they were Britt and Tristan's neighbors!!!!!!!!!!!!
Apparently I've met them before! Such a small Mormon world. Also, DAN!! (my
brother in law) I GOT YOUR NOTE FROM THE VISITOR'S CENTER! THANK YOU! It is so
weird to have family in LA and not to see them. But it seriously made my day!!
You're the best!
-For the Saturday session of stake conference they asked the missionaries
to sing. We can't afford to take time away from our areas, so we just practiced
once right before the conference. -_-. Lets just say the bass section had never
looked a sheet of music before. It was hilarious. Our Relief Society president
came up to us afterwards and said "You know I'm glad they're doing missionary
work and not practicing singing." hahahaha
-I love this area! I love the ward! I love my companion!
-It feels like SUMMER right now. Nuts. I actually love biking, except two
weeks ago, president asked us all to stop wearing backpacks. Which is fine
except when we're biking it hurts a bit to wear my side purse all day with lots
in it. #jackedupback but I'm getting a basket for my bike today, so hallelujah.
-Taught a less active at this housing complex for the mentally disabled
homeless. I just love the experiences of being a missionary. Someone suggested
to me this week to minor in non-profit management and I really think I'm going
to look into it when I go home. :)
Okay, I think that's it for today. I love all of you! Thanks for
everything! Make it a great week!
Sister Atkinson
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