July 8, 2013 Interesting week

Hello all!  First of all, I just have to say happy 4th of july and also how crazy it is to think about that just exactly 1 year ago today, we were driving back to Grantsville with David's family... crazy.  It's been so fast!

So this week lots of interesting/awesome things happened!  First of all, I had gone through a few of our potentials lists just in the back of our area book and wrote down some addresses to go stop by that night and see if anyone was there.  So we went to the one dom (appartment building) and some guy rode up on his bike and went on the entrance we needed so we let him do his thing then went to put in the number of the appartment that we needed in the domaphone and this guy (with the bike) pokes his head out the door and was super angry at us and told us to leave.  I explained that we were just trying to visit an acquaintance (or soon to be hahah) and then he freaked out a little asking why we came here trying to take everyone from the pravoslavnyi church and so on.  We just tried talking to him and explained a little more about ourselves and what not and then it was miracle time.  I don't know when it happened, but I sure  know how.  The spirit totally took control of him and all of the sudden he was laughing and making jokes with us.  He even held the door open and was like "well do you want to come in or what?" so we went in and then he was like "have fun and do whatever you're gonna do, just don't ring appartment 41 cause I live in that one".  He went from being really angry and hostile with us to being totally cool and making jokes in like 3 minutes.  Totally would not have happened without the spirit there.

This week we also went over to a little island in our area - Kronstadt (which we later found out is not actually open for missionary work yet... oops haha) but it was beautiful!!  I loved it and the people were so nice.  We talked to some pretty cool people there, but the most exciting thing was what happened after we got off the bus back in Sistroretsk.  I see this kid just standing by the bus stop so I go up and start talking to him and all of the sudden I hear this yelling like right in my ear it scared me so bad I jumped.  I turn around and there is this crazy old lady litterally yelling at us.  Yelling something about the judgment day and needing to repent and whatnot.  I turn around and the kids friend had come over and he said bye and left so it was just Elder Wilkins and I listening to this crazy woman yell about God to us.  Then she quieted down a little and was like "now that's how you preach.. you have yell and scream and argue and fight" and I was like "uhhh no."  Then she kept going on about how she got kicked out of her church cause they thought she was crazy and she was sent to a psychojail for giving some woman a bible.  She pulled out this binder and was showing us all these old newspaper articles and stuff about her and then some letters and court documents that some guy wrote to get her out trying to prove that she wasn't insane (which she totally was).  Finally I think Elder Wilkins had had enough and was like "I'm sorry, but he have to go" and do you know what her response was?... "why are running of to the cemetary so fast, there's no need.  I am the resurrected Christ!"  I didn't even know what to say I was in such shock.  She is officially the craziest person I've ever met.  I met a false Christ this week.  Wow.

Then a few days later we were walking by this little area of benches and I suggested we go talk to this guy who was just sitting there and so we did and asked him how he was doing and he said awful.  I could barely hear him and it was hard to get him to say anything, but finally got out of him that his wife had just died 13 days ago.  I was immediately so grateful for the plan of salvation and my knowledge of it.  We sat down next to him and all I could think of to say was that I knew that he would see her again and that God knows him and his pains and how much he loves him and wants him to be happy.  Right as I was saying that I felt the spirit confirming to me what I was saying and I felt such an overwhelming love for this man and such a desperate desire to help him.  I almost started to cry with him actually.  That experience was definitely one of the times that I've felt the spirit the most strong in my life probably and one of the many times that I have felt since being here, the spirit 100% backing up my words.  Such a wonderful and very humbling experience.  We gave him our info, but he said his phone is broken and wouldn't give us his address, but he seemed really grateful.  We've been back to that area everyday to try and find him, but haven't yet.

Also had a super awesome experience with a member this week!  Don't have time to explain it, but it was awesome!

Friday we had a zone training all about family history!  One guy who works for the church came and gave a presentation on it and it was so awesome!  They really want us to emphasize family history work in finding.  It made me want to do family history work so bad!  I am so excited to do that when I am home again.   We also learned something interesting.  Family history is NOT a church program, but it IS a gospel principle.  Remember that.  Its not just something that the church promotes from people who have free time, but rather it is a principle of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Also I finally got to see the Work of Salvation broadcast and I loved it so much!!!  Oh it was so amazing!  If everyone could really understand and then act on that understanding (that's he key) how important members really are in every single aspect of missionary work, there would be no telling what miracles would happen.  I am telling you, as a missionary - members make or break it.  End of story.  So, my challenge to you all is to find the missionaries in your area and be their best friend!!  I remember the month before I went to byu-i and I went out with the university ward elders like every day.  I'm so grateful I did that now because 1) it helped me prepare 2) I got to hang out with the missionaries and 3) I got to be a part of the member missionary work.  I didn't realize it then, but now being in their position, I would go to great lengths to have a member come with us a quarter as often as I got to go with them.  So, go be a missionary!

I am so grateful for my knowledge of this gospel and the eternal joy and peace it can bring to ANYONE who is willing to make it a part of their lives!  I love you all!!

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