it's hot here. not to get graphic, but i think I have forgotten what it's like to not sweat all the time. it's great though, i love it because I've learned I can't live in this for the rest of my life ;)
so last week our ward mission leader thought up a genius idea and it all started last sunday. Our ward has begun a 40 day fast. For 40 days there is a member of our ward fasting for the work to be hastened here and for their own missionary opportunities. on day three of the fast, 5 baptismal dates were set in the ward between us and the other sisters. this ward is INCREDIBLE, they have amazing faith and I love working with them.
Jaylen was one of the dates that was set this last week. Jaylen is 18, just graduated high school and is good friends with a family in the ward. One Sunday, Jaylen just showed up with them. As we got talking to him, we found out they didn't invite him to come, rather he just straight up asked if he could come to church with them... of course they said, "YES!" We started teaching him that week.
We've had a hard time getting him to open up to us, but we've realized that the more time we just talk with him and get to know him, the more he's willing to share. We had a lesson with him this week and we asked more about his family, to which he said, "They pray and they all believe in Jesus, but I can't wait around for them for something to happen. I need to gain my faith back". He wants to learn as much as he can and recognizes that this is a lifelong commitment. We read 1 Nephi 16 with him that day, because that's where he was at, and talked all about how Nephi left his family to go find food after his bow broke. Nephi didn't complain when times got hard, he moved forward and went straight to God to find help, and that's JUST what Jaylen is doing.
As we have taught him more and more, I have these weird flashbacks to high school and when we had the missionary discussions in our home. Let me tell you, it's a whole new world sitting in the missionary position then the member position, but oh how grateful I am for that experience. Jaylen is truly teaching me how to seek God's will no matter what life throws at you.
Pray for him? and maybe Becca too? We're really excited about her.
Love ya lots
Sister Mal
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| matching last pday with my first child :) |
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| these bugs are sister olson's nightmare. she runs whenever we see one of these. |
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| the craziest chair we found on USF's campus this week. we went on an exchange with the YSA sisters... it was a blast and a half. |
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spent all of wednesday down at USF on an exchange with Sister Sutton :) i love her. also i am grateful that I don't serve in the YSA haha
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