Family! September
8, 2014
Another great week here in Olympia :)
Monday: We had dinner with President and Sister Wood (He is in
the Mission Presidency). It was so fun! They are great. We had a wonderful time
talking about missionary work and talked about how they could focus their
personal missionary efforts. It was a very positive lesson.
Tuesday: I went on exchanges to the Windermere Ward with Sister
Pike! To be honest, I was a little nervous about the exchange at first... but
we had a blast together and worked really hard. We had a full day of service
starting with yard work on the temple grounds and then helping someone move out
of their apartment. I was TIRED! But we had an awesome day as we went out and
taught multiple lessons and talked to many people! One thing that has always
been great about being an STL is that you get to see so many different areas!
The fun thing about the Windermere ward is that it covers Disney World and
Universal Studios... I live so close to Universal that I've seen the Hogwarts
castle multiple times .... but this time I was able to see the dragon that is
part of the newly created Diagon Alley! Pretty neat ;) anyways... back to a
more spiritual note! If Sister Pike and I were to work together... we would be
unstoppable!! haha I'm not gonna lie, I thought she didn't like me... so I was
nervous to spend a day with her but by the end of the day we just loved each
other and have plans to play together in Provo when we get back ;) I really feel like the negative feelings that
she might have had towards the Missionary Leadership has died down a little as
I did my best to just show her that I was there to love her, that I was a
normal missionary like her that was there to learn from her just as much as she
was there to learn from me. It was overall just one of the best exchanges.
Wednesday: We taught Michelle. I LOVE MICHELLE. She has faith
that I have ever seen. She has such a strong desire to come closer to God. She
wants to get baptized so bad... we just have to work through her work not
letting her go to church on Sundays :( :( Please keep her in your prayers that
she will be able to find a new job or something will work out for her. She is
very, very shy with praying out loud ... the first time that we taught her she
tried to say the closing prayer and just freaked out in the middle of it
because it was the first time that she had ever let someone else hear her
prayers. It was so sweet. At the end of this lesson on Wednesday, we asked her
who she would like to say the closing prayer and she said that she wanted to
try saying the prayer again... it took some effort to start because she was so
nervous... but when she starting... wow. It really was the most powerful prayer
that I have ever heard in my life. It was directly from the heart. One of my
all time favorite things about the mission are moments like this.... hearing
someone exercise their faith and talk to their Father in Heaven. They are the
most beautiful prayers that I've ever heard... because they aren't rote... but
they really are talking to their Father as if He was face to face with them.
Even when they stutter or fumble over their words... it's so beautiful and the
spirit is always so strong. Michelle ended her prayer and she had grabbed a
hold of Sister Carr's (an awesome member) hand and was clinging onto it as she
was praying. She had tears streaming down her face as she ended.... ah!
family... I just wish moments like that could be recorded and I could play back
on them all the time.
On Wednesday we also taught Randall! Randall is so cool! He was
the potential that called and told that he was going to church and stayed all 3
hours. Well, we went by to teach him for the first time and he had read the
whole Gospel Principles Manual that he had gotten in the Gospel Principles
class on Sunday. He is a BIG talker... so we weren't able to teach him much...
but he is so open to learning. We went back over a few days later and taught
him PART of the restoration (he talks so much!! haha!) and he had read
Mormon... like the book of Mormon... within the Book of Mormon... if that makes
sense haha! And he had read about half of 1 Nephi! He is truly seeking. We
invited him to church again this Sunday and he said that he would go.... On
Sunday we decided that we should stop by his home before church to make sure
that he was coming. He came for his second time and he told us after that he
had been wondering if we were going to call and invite him to church again that
morning… and then after awhile he though that maybe we were going to drop by
and see if he was going to come... and he thought, "nah... they wouldn't
do that..." but right as he thought that, the doorbell rang and we were
there inviting him ;) hahaha he said," I knew that I had heavenly
messengers from God." :) So cute! He is a great guy.
We also went on a temple tour with Frank on Wednesday night. It
went well! He seemed to enjoy it and learned and understood more from going.
Keep him in your prayers that all the questions that he has will be answered
and he will gain a clear understanding and recognize the spirit that he is
feeling.
Because of times sake I need to rap things up a bit... but
Cheyenne came to church this Sunday for the first time and LOVED it!!! The
Young Women were so great at helping her and she felt so good being there. We
also had the most solid Fast and Testimony meeting that I have ever had on my
mission... there was no weird stories or anything! yay! hahaha She felt the
spirit very strong just within the first hour. She has been saying for awhile
now that she wanted to get more involved with the church but as she pulled me
aside on Sunday she said that she wanted to become a member :) yay!! We will
definitely need to make sure that she understands everything and the importance
of baptismal covenants but I'm very excited for her. She is such a sweet girl
and is so sensitive to the spirit.
Dave also stayed for the second hour of church for the 2nd
Sunday!!! He seems to be getting more comfortable with church and likes going
to the 2nd hour. He is just sooo awesome. Sister Helsel, Dave’s wife, told me
later that he talked to his parents and is getting a bunch of his genealogy
work put together. :) :) How cool is that?? I just love them and hope that I
can stay in contact with them after my mission.
One last thing... we had ZTM this week... and the Zone Leaders
gave us a specific topic to present for our training.... and then we got to
ZTM, we looked at the ZTM program... and the topic of our training was totally
different!!! AND the Zone Leaders were doing TWO separate trainings and group
discussions on the very topic that they had asked us to give!!!! ahh. hahahaha
Sister Gonzalez and I were not happy campers to say the least. haha! The cool
thing that I've noticed on the mission though is how much calmer I can be in
situations like that ;) hahaha the spirit was definitely keeping me calm. A
little flustered, yes. but calm. It was cool! Sister Gonzalez and I said a
prayer for help and wow!! Our training went super well!!!! It's amazing how God
helps us and lets the spirit lead and guide our words when we need them....
haha The Zone Leaders owe us BIG time for that one! Plus, President Berry sat
in on our ZTM. haha! It all worked out way better than I though it would. It
was a huge tender mercy of the Lord!
Well, I'm out of time.... but I'm just so grateful for this
gospel and the joy that it brings. I have learned so much and I know that I
will continue to as I let God mold and shape me into the daughter of God He
needs and wants me to be :) Just as Mom told me in an email this morning... I
cannot believe that I only have 99 days left on the mission. wow. That really
puts things into perspective and it's very bitter sweet... but I'm SO excited
for what these next 99 days bring :)
I LOVE YOU WITH ALL MY HEART! You are always in my prayers.
-Sister Kirkham
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