famille et les amis (thats French for family and friends...see i am still learning a new languages),
So on Tuesday we had Zone conference with Elder Martino, he is one of the seventies. It was amazing, he really motivated me to become a even better missionary and made me feel like I need to push myself even further. He talked a lot about how to better work with members and get referrals. He talked about asking people who their neighbors? Or after a spiritual message asking if they know anyone that has recently lost a love one or has recently giving bith to a new child. Then you ask the member if they will take you to introduce you to them. It is not all about us teaching members friends, but having them become more comfortable and acquainted. Also we had to prepare talks on diligence, but no one knew who was going to speak. Guess who got chosen, yep me. It was so nerve wrecking to have to talk in front of one of the seventies. But President Winder talked to me after and said how Elder Martino had leaned over and told President he wanted me to speak and he also said how Elder Martino told him he could tell that I was a special sister and that I had a unique spirit about me. That really did give me a lot of confidence and brighten up my day. There was also a new investigator fireside the next night and it was really good, my old investigator Joe was there. It was nice to see him and talk to him again. I am so excited for him to get baptized in less than a month. I also had one of our new investigators there. Her name is Alex, she is 14 years old and is a friend of one of the families in our ward. Last night there was some family conflict so we could not meet up with her, but we are hoping to meet up with her sometime this week and we are going to extend to her the baptismal invitation for Oct. 12th, as well as the spirit will direct. We also taught our other investigator Brent this week the plan of salvation and it went really well! He also came to church yesterday as well, I was so excited to see him. He is 22 and got introduced to the church by his sister and ward members reaching out to him. This one ward that I am in, the Summerset ward is amazing!!! I am sure I said this last week, but seriously I have never seen a ward so fired up with missionary work. Every Thursday we have split night and there are about 7 ward missionaries and before they come to split night they are assigned 2-3 family names and they call to set up appointments to go and visit with the families. When we show up the Ward Mission Leader usually gives some type of training, last week was about asking members and less actives having missionaries to come to their home, I will have to send you the paper dad of the notes, it was really good. It was through the split night last week that we found Brent. I see so much potential in these two wards I am with, I am trying so hard, but there it is a little difficult with my companion. I can tell that the members feel a little distrusting with her as well as uneasy, I am always trying to show them that I can handle it and I can keep her under control. These wards are amazing, the members see that she is difficult to deal with so they are always asking me how I am doing and what they can do to help. They are always giving me words of encouragement which really does help as well.
Well we only made some people feel uncomfortable a few times this week, okay maybe a few more, but only a couple stick out in my mind right now. So we visited this lady who son is not baptized, but her ex-husband won't allow it. So we are visiting with her to set up regular visits and she is telling us how she is home all the time because of disability and my companion straight up asks why she is on disability and what her disability is as well as trying to help diagnose her of what she might have. So uncomfortable. I talked to her afterwards about not asking personal questions. Well I thought that would work but then the next day we stopped by a members house. And first off when we get into the house my companion sees a new era and picks it up within the first 10 seconds we sit down and starts reading it. I am talking to the mother for a few minutes and my companion is still reading so I tell her that she shouldn't be reading that at the moment and she gets all upset making this big deal saying "ahhh man I really wanted to read" and then just tosses it back on the table and slumps back in the couch. The members is like uhhhh she can read if she wants and then I feel like I am the bad guy, but I just said how we are here to get to know her not to read. Anyway so this lady likes to talk and talks about how she has 8 kids, and how her last child died inside the womb at like 5 months and they had to take it out. And goes into detail about this traumatic story about it and we sit and listen and just move the conversation along. So like 10 mins later one of her piano students and dad shows up for his lesson so we end with a spiritual thought and it was my companions turn to give it. She decides to pick a scripture on how unborn babies go to the celestial kingdom and brings back up this traumatic story to these nonmembers whom I am sure she didn't want to know that. Anyways we said goodbye and she was so sweet, she has a son on a mission now and is always wanting to give things to missionaries, so she offered us 20 dollars each!!! I tried not to take it, I felt so bad but my companion up and grabs hers right away and I try to tell her how she doesn't have to do this and she basically put it into my hand to take it. That had really touched my heart. There are so many kind act that happen all the time. One more awkward encounter, we were eating with this family last night and their son had gone to the MTC last September but came back early and you could tell he was uncomfortable when it got brought up. My companion asks why he came back early and he said personal reasons, and then she asks like what? and I just had to turn to her and said we don't need to know and we shouldn't be asking it is personal. I feel so silly sometimes when I need to correct her in front of members like she is a little kid. She really doesn't understand social skills at all!! Whenever people get personal about things and say how they have family that have drug problems she just turns and looks at me with the gawking look and the people can see this and I just pretend I don't see her and just keep focusing on the person talking. I am really nervous because there is this lady who has been inactive for 30 years and has gotten into some anti-mormon stuff and is reaching out to us to help her with her faith. I don't think my companion can handle that situation. I don't know what I am going to do.
Well we went on exchanges this week which was a nice breathe of fresh air, I was with my old companion sister Thompson in my area and sister Dickey(our sister training leader now) was with my companion in her area. It was nice to not have to worry about what my companion was going to say or do. But it was also difficult when we switched back. Sister Dickey and I talked for a while about things and how to best deal with this situation. We are going to go on exchanges again this week so Sister Dickey can see how my companion teaches. They will be teaching Brent and as nervous as I am for that, I trust that Sister Dickey can handle it and I think it would be best for her to see how she teaches as well to better help explain things to President Winder. Sister Winder checks up on me twice a week to see how things are going as well as how I am going. Things are starting to wear on me and it has only been two weeks. I have been trying to give her instruction on things and she tries to work on them, but that usually lasts for a few days before her old habits come back into play.
Overall I am doing better, like I said I think I am just handle the situation a lot better, but my patience is being pushed to the limit. Well I will try and keep my thoughts organized next time. Looks like Megan's ADHD is rubbing off on me. I wish I could tell you so much more, but I don't have much time left. Love you all and hope that all is well!!!
Spiritual thought this week:
A quote from President Hinckley
"Believe in yourself. Believe in your capacity to do great things. No mountain is so high that you can not climb it. Believe that not storm is so great that you can not weather it...you are a child of God, of infinite capacity. Believe that you can do it- whatever it is you set your heart on. Opportunities will unfold and open before you."
Love you all!!
I am here till October 21st!!! Hope these next 4 weeks go by fast(just these next four weeks that is all I want ;)
Love
Sister Metcalf
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