February 17, 2014
Hi friends!
You know how some days you just can't stop smiling? Yeah. This week has just been so happy. It might have something to do with the perfect weather we're having, but mostly God is just real and life is great. Random updates:
- Someone tried to tell me on the street that Christopher Columbus wrote the Bible. -_-
- Someone we had with us in church yesterday was falling in and out of sleep during Relief Society while the plan of salvation was being taught. She woke up during the part about resurrection and yelled "We're all gonna be zombies?" Yeah. I love my life too much sometimes.
- We had zone conference this week and we are focusing on becoming better helpers rather than just invite-rs. One thing that has helped us is to ask ourselves before the lesson "Why does this person need the gospel?" Not just in general, but what specifically in the gospel is this person craving? It has caused me to think about what specific aspects of the gospel have led me to gain a testimony of the gospel as a whole. (for some people its family or repentance or freedom or community or revelation, etc.) For me, it has been different things over the years, but I think it always comes back to a sense of identity for me. Just knowing who I am and what in the world I'm doing here has always kept me rooted to the gospel.
- Sometimes I think I've gotten really mature on my mission and then there are those moments when I realize I am still crazy Ali Atkinson. We've really been working on connecting with our investigators on a deeper level. We could tell one investigator had something in his past we didn't know about. We followed the spirit and he was able to open up about a past addiction. When he said it, the thought immediately came to my mind 'whoop there it is' in fat amy's voice. #notmybest at least I didn't say it out loud until after the lesson to my companion.....sorry mom, I'm working on it.
- Lost my daily planner (it had my favorite cover I've made so far...). minor panic attack? Yes.
- Burned an investigator's pornographic pictures that he took down from his walls and we replaced with Jesus. So that was a new experience.
- We had such a fun Valentine's Day! This sweet woman (who reminds me of the funny one from The Help) in our ward fed us a feast and invited her nonmember neighbor. Then when we were walking back to our car I slapped poor Sister Rackleff's arm because I looked over at this outdoor restaurant and saw a man on one knee and literally heard 'will you be my wife?' So that was fun. Our neighbor gave us two pink balloons which we were going to go give to a less active, but that didn't work out and we ran out of time. So on our way home at a red light, Sister Rackleff dared me to run up to the car in front of us and give it to the people. #icanneversaynotodareslikethat probably wasn't the best way to represent the Lord, but the woman's face when I knocked on her window was PRICELESS and they were a cute couple, so it was totally worth it.
- You get a lot more service opportunities in a family ward than in a singles ward, and it is so much fun. Seriously, service is so fun.
- I think my side bag has kind of damaged my back. I wake up in the middle of the night just to crack my back.
- I have felt the spirit a lot this week, but I had an overwhelming outpouring of the spirit when I opened my package from mom. She sent me a Book of Mormon that she found in my Grandma Gibson's nightstand from 1975 when Mom was meeting with missionaries. Once again that feeling of hope and love and truth washed over me.
Being a missionary right now is seriously so fun. Everything is just working out and we are working hard. I have a deep love for this work and these people!
Make it a great week!!
You know how some days you just can't stop smiling? Yeah. This week has just been so happy. It might have something to do with the perfect weather we're having, but mostly God is just real and life is great. Random updates:
- Someone tried to tell me on the street that Christopher Columbus wrote the Bible. -_-
- Someone we had with us in church yesterday was falling in and out of sleep during Relief Society while the plan of salvation was being taught. She woke up during the part about resurrection and yelled "We're all gonna be zombies?" Yeah. I love my life too much sometimes.
- We had zone conference this week and we are focusing on becoming better helpers rather than just invite-rs. One thing that has helped us is to ask ourselves before the lesson "Why does this person need the gospel?" Not just in general, but what specifically in the gospel is this person craving? It has caused me to think about what specific aspects of the gospel have led me to gain a testimony of the gospel as a whole. (for some people its family or repentance or freedom or community or revelation, etc.) For me, it has been different things over the years, but I think it always comes back to a sense of identity for me. Just knowing who I am and what in the world I'm doing here has always kept me rooted to the gospel.
- Sometimes I think I've gotten really mature on my mission and then there are those moments when I realize I am still crazy Ali Atkinson. We've really been working on connecting with our investigators on a deeper level. We could tell one investigator had something in his past we didn't know about. We followed the spirit and he was able to open up about a past addiction. When he said it, the thought immediately came to my mind 'whoop there it is' in fat amy's voice. #notmybest at least I didn't say it out loud until after the lesson to my companion.....sorry mom, I'm working on it.
- Lost my daily planner (it had my favorite cover I've made so far...). minor panic attack? Yes.
- Burned an investigator's pornographic pictures that he took down from his walls and we replaced with Jesus. So that was a new experience.
- We had such a fun Valentine's Day! This sweet woman (who reminds me of the funny one from The Help) in our ward fed us a feast and invited her nonmember neighbor. Then when we were walking back to our car I slapped poor Sister Rackleff's arm because I looked over at this outdoor restaurant and saw a man on one knee and literally heard 'will you be my wife?' So that was fun. Our neighbor gave us two pink balloons which we were going to go give to a less active, but that didn't work out and we ran out of time. So on our way home at a red light, Sister Rackleff dared me to run up to the car in front of us and give it to the people. #icanneversaynotodareslikethat probably wasn't the best way to represent the Lord, but the woman's face when I knocked on her window was PRICELESS and they were a cute couple, so it was totally worth it.
- You get a lot more service opportunities in a family ward than in a singles ward, and it is so much fun. Seriously, service is so fun.
- I think my side bag has kind of damaged my back. I wake up in the middle of the night just to crack my back.
- I have felt the spirit a lot this week, but I had an overwhelming outpouring of the spirit when I opened my package from mom. She sent me a Book of Mormon that she found in my Grandma Gibson's nightstand from 1975 when Mom was meeting with missionaries. Once again that feeling of hope and love and truth washed over me.
Being a missionary right now is seriously so fun. Everything is just working out and we are working hard. I have a deep love for this work and these people!
Make it a great week!!
Sister Atkinson
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