Friday, January 13, 2017

13/26/16

How's it going! (I'm just choosing the incorrect punctuation here) 

We've been stopping by a lot of former investigators recently. It hasn't been that successful as far as increasing our key indicators. We had some scheduled appointments this week but they all fell through. Dang it guys! We rescheduled them though and we're hoping to teach our investigator, Kaveh, this week. Kaveh rescheduled his own appointment. What an amazing human being. I love when these things happen. 

We had exchanges this week. I went with Sister Johnson. It was really cool because she's struggling with a lot of the same things that I was struggling with in Mission Viejo. We were able to talk about our purpose and about what a successful missionary is. I love what Preach My Gospel says, "Your success as a missionary is measured primarily by your commitment to find, teach, baptize, and confirm people and to help them become faithful members of the Church who enjoy the presence of the Holy Ghost." I love that it says your commitment not your ability. I really love the old testament prophet Ezekiel. My favorite is Ezekiel chapter 3. In this chapter the Lord tells Ezekiel that he needs to go preach the gospel. He tells him that he didn't send him on an easy mission, he sent him to his own people whose hearts are hardened because of various things so they will not hear his words. However, the Lord promises Ezekiel that through his service his testimony will become strong "as an adamant harder than flint" I love that because the same thing is true if we work hard in this mission. Heavenly Father knows it's hard to preach to  people who have everything so he is going to strengthen our testimony so that we can teach with great power and authority if we let him. 

Christmas was so awesome. Sacrament meeting was super spiritual. I love the Sabbath day and I love when the Sabbath day falls on Christmas. It's like double the excuse to be super excited about our savior! I will be excited about the savior any excuse I get. I love the gospel so much. I finished the Book of Mormon!! I've been reading it for the past year super super slowly. When I finished I accepted Moroni's challenge to pray to know. It was so amazing as I was praying I felt so close with our Heavenly Father. I felt like he was showing me how much more I'm able to understand the scriptures than at the beginning of my mission. Heavenly Father has, through the power of the Holy Ghost, taught me so many things on my mission. I'm so amazed and humbled at the knowledge I've been able to gain. I know that, as much as we are open to receive it, Heavenly Father loves to teach us so many things and pour out knowledge upon us all the time.  Also I felt distinctly that Heavenly Father knows me by name and cares about my needs and my desires. I know the same is true for all of his children. I also know that Heavenly Father is happy when we choose to learn of him and his son, and when we choose to obey his commandments. He is truly a father and not mysterious absent father figure.

Anyway the mission is awesome!! I want to send some quotes, but I also want to go home and write letters........ 

"He trained like 8 people" -Elder Mann
"I've trained 4 people." -Elder Tree
"That's like 8 I guess." -me 

"What am I?" -Lucy (age 4) 
"a mermaid?" -me 
"No a mermaid QUEEN" -Lucy

"We've only cleaned the bathtub twice." -me 
"There is no WE!" -sister Call 

"One thing I can tell about you, Sister Atchley, is that you're out here for the right reason. I mean, you are really converted to Christ... I mean am I getting this right?" -President Clark

"oh! Shout wipes! How did you know I'm a HUGE MESS?" -Elder Mills

"Oh! Eraser ends, good for planning with Elder Nattress." -Elder Mills

"Like 20 Egg!" -Elder Xu

>smells tie
>holds tie against face
>listens to tie
>rubs tie on shoe
"It was Elder Xu!" -Elder Boggess 

"Are these your missionaries? They're HOT!" -Everyone ever 

"you don't want missionaries to come to you home and be like oh hey your ketchup has.... marijuana in it or whatever." -Sister Call about how awkward it is to explain that ICE drinks have tea in them 

"you can't just suddenly decide to blow up my peeps behind my back." -me 

The reading assignment is 

John Chapter 21. Now that Christmas is over and we're not being so easily prompted and reminded of our savior we have to choose to continue to focus on him. After Christ was resurrected hevisited his apostles who had forgotten to follow him. This is what he says.
My favorite part is this:
22 Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me.

Love Y'all!! 
Sister Atchley
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