I GOT MY PACKAGE!!! WOO! I loved it. The food was very crumbly, but it still tastes good, so I'm happy! Thank you mama!! You're the worlds greatest. I'm glad I could be a part of the wedding, food-wise :)
Wow. What a week. Monday was Veterans Day so the library was closed so we couldn't email. And then Tuesday we had zone conf so we couldn't email. And here we are!
So Shelbs was supposed to get baptized this Saturday, but we can't fill the font because she was sick and couldn't come to church. AND we're not so sure she has completely stopped drinking coffee. HUGE bummer, but we will keep working with her.
Frances has rededicated her life to the Baptist church, but she still reads the Book of Mormon and believes it's true so that's real awesome. She's about to hit the hay. We love her, but she's not all there in the head. I wonder what her preacher thinks about the Book of Mormon. Hmmm.
Kathy has a lot of health problems and is very swayed by what Frances does. So we will see about her. It's really sad when you see people's potential, but they don't read and pray and find out for themselves so we have to drop them.
RAY! Is a new, and quite golden, investigator. He was a referral from a member (THE BEST!) and he has been looking into literally all the churches around these parts. Which is quite a heap of religions. He doesn't feel like he's found the one... because he hasn't... until now :) We taught him the restoration and he loved it. We committed him to baptism, but not a date. It went like this- "We're holding a baptismal service and we have been praying about a date for you. We know that you will be ready by November 30. Will you follow the example of Jesus Christ and be baptized on that date by someone holding the priesthood authority from God?" "You know, I really do have to say no. I really won't be in town that saturday." He is going to read and pray though. He will get baptized. He's so great.
Reece is still so stubborn. He is a great guy though!
Tabatha is so awesome! Her little girl is turning 8 today and we're going to talk to them about being baptized together on the same day! So great. They are such an amazing family. Mat is just putting doubts in Tabatha's mind! He's a very less active, but there's still something burning in there. I think he still has a testimony, it's just a little shaken.
Zach is another investigator that we are teaching. He is... an interesting child of God. What weird views he has. Apparently he is a classified sociopath? But! We're teaching him lesson 2 today! The Lord will soften his heart. He's eager to learn! So that's great.
A few less active families came to church this week!! WOO!
The Lord is truly hastening his work and we can see that here in the TNM (Tennessee Nashville Mission - a hip acronym for us missionaries here).
I've realized that a mission just turns you in to a nerd of sorts. It's great! I love it. The scriptures are my best friends and my knees are permanently callused.
Zone conference was like a personalized general conference. It. Was. Amazing. Elder Pino presided over the meeting, he's in the quorum of the 70. He is so cute. The spirit was so strong. He shook all of our hands at the beginning of the meeting (there were at least 120 missionaries there) and asked us where we were from and chatted a little bit. It was so cool. He is 100% called of God. He talked a lot about the building up of Zion and how each ward and each family in each ward should have a "vision" for missionary work. Like Elder Ballard said in GC (PS- Can you send me a copy of that Ensign? I would really love it!), "We are not asking everyone to do everything. We are simply asking all members to pray, knowing that if every member, young and old, will reach out to just “one” between now and Christmas, millions will feel the love of the Lord Jesus Christ. And what a wonderful gift to the Savior." Moroni 7:33, 37. Missionary work is never prideful (Alma 29:9) and never about the "numbers". Missionary work is bringing souls unto Christ and gathering Israel. We can all do that! Just by living up to your baptisimal covenants! That's all you have to do, and the Lord with accept and bless your efforts. I know I'm preaching to the choir, but I'm just real passionate about this work! MIRACLES ARE HAPPENING EVERYWHERE. ITS SO COOL.
Elder Pino also talked a lot about our call letter and how special this time is to be a full-time missionary. He then took a missionary up front and acted like he was the stake president and the missionary was returning home and then he took off his name tags. It was reaaaaaall sad. At this point I was in tears because I really don't want that day to come. So glad I have 16 more months of this pure joy! Missionary work is such a blessing. I am grateful for every single day on my mission. There is nothing more happy than this work! Being exactly obedient reaps so many blessings. We also received a new booklet called "Adjusting to Missionary Life" and it is super good. It covers pretty much all of the emotional, mental, physical and spiritual stresses of missionary work and how to overcome them with the Lord. Good stuff!
I love my Savior. I love each one of you and pray for you daily. I am so grateful for your letters and emails, and even just the knowledge of your support.
Love,
Sister Boren
PS- I'm getting reeeeaal fat. Help. My zone leader has gained like 60 lbs while being here and he always says, "there's just sooo much more of me" and now I feel that way. Except I haven't gained 60 lbs. Let's hope that never ever happens! Sorry. Tangent.
PSS- Dad I got your second letter ever! If you want mail to come faster this address is good to send to until like Dec 11. It's 1250 Verkler Dr Apt G. Clarksville, TN 37042. That goes for everyone else too!
Grandma shirts for life
Yay! Package finally came! (This was like an hour ago)
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