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Family! :) :) September
29, 2014
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Another great week here in Olympia!
Monday: We had a lesson with Michele. Sister Swasey came with
us and it was such a powerful lesson! Sister Swasey totally brought the spirit
into the room as she bore a simple testimony that she knew that Michele was a
daughter of God and that He had a plan for her. Michele cried a little as she
said it. It touched all of us so much. The spirit was strong while we were
there... but then sadly, her husband walked in and we met him for the first
time as we were wrapping up the lesson. He was pretty rude to us and Michele
was so embarrassed. We taught Michele again on Tuesday and she was just
horrified by the way her husband treated us. We told her that it comes with
being a missionary and that he is just concerned for her. We have been worried
about all of that but Michele is such a strong women. She keeps telling us
that she knows that we are of God and that Christ comes first in her life...
even over her family… and that she is willing to do whatever it takes. She is
strong willed and very faithful. She is just so excited and determined to do
what is right and come to Christ. We love her!! She will be getting baptized
on November 2nd because of work situations but she is just so excited for
what's ahead.
Tuesday: We had a lesson with Cheyenne and her mom along with
Sister Hopfer, the Young Women's President. Cheyenne's mom had some normal
concerns about just making sure that Cheyenne understood the commitment of
things. It helped sooo much to have Sister Hopfer there so that Cheyenne’s
mother could see that there are adults that will be taking care of and looking
over her daughter. We were nervous with how the lesson was going to go but it
went super well! Cheyenne came to church on Sunday and loves Young Women's :)
She is planning on getting baptized the weekend of October 18th. The Young
Women have all been sooo awesome at helping her. They pick her up for church
and Young Women’s and help her feel so loved. They are also so great in
lessons. It's so neat to see the young women get so excited about missionary
work :)
Wednesday: We had several lessons with investigators. We taught
Marvin and he told us that he knows that the Book of Mormon is the word of God
and that Joseph Smith is a prophet! He just soaks up everything that is said
and is so smart! He just understands everything so well. He looooved church.
He appreciated so much that there was not ONCE any "fire and
brimstone" talk...but rather uplifting talks about repentance, hope,
change and obedience. We are talking about baptism with him as well. I think
he is a little nervous about the commitment and change that comes from baptism
but we are working on it. :) He knows it's all true so it's just a matter of
time.
We also went out to dinner with Anne and her great grandson,
Allen. I love them so much. Anne is a recent convert that was baptized right
as I got here to Olympia. She is the cutest southern gal EVER. Allen, is
HILARIOUS. Every time we have dinner with them and Allen is with us.... I
seriously split my sides with laughter. They are so great!
Thursday: We actually were able to TEACH Randall!!!! He is such
a talker... but what a great guy :) haha! It was truly a miracle.... He has frequently
told us about his older brother who is a pastor but we had never met him.
Well, we pulled up Thursday to see a nice white, Mercedes in the driveway we
hadn't seen before and I just knew that it was his brother. I was slightly
nervous to see how the brother was going to take us... Family, I have never,
ever seen anything like this in my life... We walked in and Randall's brother
was sitting on the couch. We met him and invited him to join us for the lesson
and we all said the opening prayer.... I kid you not, the moment we started
saying the opening prayer, his brother was asleep... and he was out cold for
the entire lesson.... literally up until the closing prayer. It was like
something that you would find in the scriptures!!! As funny as it sounds, the
thought kept going through my head that God had literally put him in a food
stupor so that he wouldn't get in the way of our meeting with Randall....
hahahaha it's funny... but I truly do feel like that's what happened. We had
the most spiritual lesson with Randall as we taught him the Plan of Salvation.
He loved it and was so in awe with the thought of Pre-earth life. You could
just tell that he was feeling the spirit so strongly… he just had a huge smile
on his face. As we were getting ready to say the closing prayer, Randall's
brother woke up so he joined us in prayer. After the prayer, I asked if there
was anything that we could do for him and he asked me if I would say another
prayer on his behalf because he was having a hard time deciding if he should
stay in his ministry or leave it because of the politics involved. I said the
prayer and he was very touched by it and said that he knew that God had sent
him from his home (which was in Deland on the east coast) to his brother’s
home that morning because he was suppose to meet us! It was so neat! We set up
a return appointment with him for the next morning at his brother’s home but
he didn't show..... but! I truly do feel that it was all so inspired and that
God's hand was very much involved. It was so neat!
Saturday: The General Women's Broadcast was so awesome! I am
super excited for General Conference this upcoming week. There are many things
that I got from the Women's Broadcast, but the two things that I really loved
were 1) we need to be as the 10 virgins and be prepared for not only the
Savior's second coming... but the covenants that we make in the temple. As we
live the covenants that we have made, we will have power in our homes and I
will come to know of my REAL self. I also LOVED President Uctdorf's talk. It
was so inspiring! I am so grateful for the knowledge that I will ALWAYS be a
daughter of God... and even if there are times that I may forget that
divinity... I will ALWAYS have heavenly parents that are watching over me and
love me. I know that as we learn more of our origin and who God is... as well
as the more we keep the commandments and the covenants that we have made...
the more we will learn more about ourselves... who we are. :)
Sunday: it was a magical day!!! We had 4 investigators at
church! Cheyenne, Frank, Dave and Randall.... and next week we should have
Marvin and Omiz as well!!! I can't say it enough... but blessings are
literally POURING out on us. It is amazing. We have had 4 investigators at
church for at least a whole month. To think that just a little over a transfer
ago I didn't have any investigators and no one coming to church. It was so
cool :)
I know that as we just follow the spirit, keep the covenants
that we have made with God and trust in Him that all things will be for our
good :)
I love you all so much and am so grateful for your example,
love and support. You are always in my prayers.
Love,
Sister Kirkham
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