I got close to Someone Amazing! 3-10-14

Hello to all my family and friends!

GUESS WHO WE MET!  READ TO THE END AND FIND OUT.

So this week has been crazy! BUT GREAT!

Monday: We drove to Topeka for Zone Prep day!  Which I wasn't really in a social mood at ALL so I didn't really like it-especially when we played dodge ball.  Until someone nailed me in the ear super hard. (they hit me on accident) then I just sat on the stage. But Sister Payton did enjoy it. Then we drove back to Lawrence afterwards and taught at the University ward's FHE. It was funny because their activity was improve. comedy and I sort of did that in college. So it was funny to see them try to do it.

Tuesday:  So this week, as part of the 12 week training program was my first week I was in CHARGE. I did not like it. At all.  But we tried formers(former investigators)  in the university ward and that didn't really work out well. So then we went to a trailer park in second ward and walked all over it trying to find less actives and formers.  There was a nice old man in bathrobe who is less active and told us to come back the next day. Needless to say he did not answer the door the next day but we know he was home.  There was this funny old lady shoveling snow off her driveway and we talked to her. She is super funny and said we can come back!  So that was great.

Wednesday: We had interviews with president Bell.  According to  Sister Payton I had the shortest interview of all time.  But the night before she was like "don't say more than yes or no to if you are obedient and questions like that because that's all he is looking for. And then when he asks if you have anything to talk with him about remember he is a busy man so don't bother him with all your problems" So it came off like I should barely talk to him and not tell him anything unless it is dire! So when he asked me about stuff I told him I am not much of a sharer and I was fine.  So our interview was maybe two minutes. maybe.  It's funny because she was like "I didn't mean that! I talked to him about all sorts of things!" hahaha. oh well.  But, on Wednesday we went back to teach our super Christian university investigator and she was sleeping! (she works nights).  BUT, her room mate let us in and we taught her the restoration as well! She said she would like to learn more so we will teach her when we come back this week to teach her room mate.  We then went on team ups with this sweet old lady in our ward who was TERRIFIED to do missionary work with us. So we had all these appointments lined up so she would have a great experience and they ALL fell through.  Instead we ended up teaching a pagan the plan of salvation outside his house while he smoked.  The best part? Our sweet terrified sister LOVED IT.  So she wants to come on team ups with us again! The pagan was not interested.

 James, our recent baptism  is...gaaaaaaah! We passed him over to the elders and I thought they were trying to meet with them until I told them yesterday he is super important and they were like "why?   He is already baptized!" And i was just like "EXACTLY!!   TAKE CARE OF HIM!" Gah sometimes I have to remind myself they are only 18.  Hopefully they take better care of him because I know he knows this is true, but he doesn't understand its full importance. not yet. he needs them.

Thursday:  OH GOODNESS THAT WAS CRAZY.  We taught a less active who we work with on Thursdays every week and she made us lunch.  BUT, lunch wasn't ready by the time we had to leave to go serve the homeless!  So we just talked with her while she cooked and then had to go feed the homeless.  Then we had a team up with a less active and of course, no one was home.  So that was fun. We found out that a less active family moved so we taught the new resident there who is catholic.  THEN, we had a team up with Sister Richie.  We were going to go see the less active family we had been forewarned to NOT go see, but went anyways a week ago and set an appointment with her.  Right before we left for the appointment she texted us saying she didn't feel well and not to come.  But, we went anyways.  Her son answered the door and he said she wasn't feeling well, but he let us in. So, we taught him. And it was so great because Sister Richie was able to relate with him and talk with him.  Because she is a convert and joined when she was about his age. So she asked questions like if he believes in God, if it has been on his mind and so on. I can tell he really needed it and I hope we were able to light a fire in his heart. Towards the gospel.  The best part was his mom heard us and I guess was trying to get us to leave and progressively as we stayed there was quietly sobbing to all out WAILING, but we just kept teaching her son.  So hopefully, next time she won't duck out on us.  We then went to an appointment with an investigator with Sister Richie and they weren't there, but we taught her family who was there. New investigator!  And that night we were on a street and checked in on some potentials.  They let us in and we taught them, but there was a weird vibe we are not sure about.  Our best guess is that she said she was honorably discharged from the army so maybe PTSD? Because she just randomly laughed throughout the lesson and cried but she said it wasn't at us, and we could tell it wasn't. it was..I dunno. Something else.  So we were invited back but we are apprehensive to go back.

FRIDAY! GUESS WHO EVERYONE IN THE MISSION DROVE DOWN TO WICHITA TO HEAR FROM! (we weren't allowed to tell anyone but I have known for a month) GUESS! 

                                              On the bus to Wichita to see........

ELDER BEDNAR!

IT WAS SO GREAT! I didn't get to shake his hand, but he walked past my pew! So 6 feet away from him! I count it as meeting him. But we had to study three talks on faith he gave in the past before coming and then for THREE HOURS we had a Q and A with him about the talks and just anything.  I did not ask him any question, so I have not spoken with an apostle but he said some great stuff! He is so BLUNT but we needed it!  I just loved it.  I will give you all a challenge he gave us.  Whenever anyone asked about the atonement or faith this was his response : go get a cheap, brand new Book of Mormon. go through and read it and mark up any time the Lord gives someone strength. Or someone is compelled to ask the Lord for strength.  Learn from it. and see how it can apply to you.  When you finish, go get another book of Mormon and repeat. get a book case and throughout your life fill it with these Book of Mormons on how the Lord strengthens us.

SO DO IT!   DO IT!  He said we need to stop depending on ourselves and DEPEND ON HEAVEN! And a ton of other things. it was great. he was so honest and just...REAL. I loved it.  So that was Friday. down in Wichita.

                         Me and Sister Parry at the conference to see Elder Bednar!

Saturday.

We just had tons of meetings. and we went out with the RS president. but we had no success with her. she is awesome though.  And Mom I think you and her could be Besties!

Sunday: SEVEN HOURS OF CHURCH! We had to be there at 7 am for Ward Correlation on daylight savings.  I might have showered with my eyes closed. The elders may have been late because one of them feel asleep in the shower.

BUT we had the BEST LESSON EVER with Khammy. she is so great! we decided to stop handing her over to the first ward sisters and we are all just going to teach her. SO GREAT! can't even explain it. We could just see that she felt the Lord's love and she said over and over again she wants to get baptized because she wants a fresh start. she wants all the darkness inside of her gone.  So, we committed her to baptism, keeping the law of chastity and keeping the Word of Wisdom, which previously she said she doesn't think she could do. It's so great!

SO THAT'S MY WEEK!  8 member present lessons, 5 new investigators and ELDER BEDNAR! Miracles happen! PS: next week is transfers and from what was said in interviews there is a really good chance I am leaving Lawrence.  So a heads up if anyone was going to send something. maybe send it to the mission office first.

I LOVE YOU ALL!

Sister Robyn Cramer