Week 48 - Dobby and Baptizing Cats!

Hey, what's up family and friends! I have loved re-reading general conference talks. I'm catching so many things I missed before. It was amazing to hear Elder Cook bear humble and subtle witness that the Savior has personally ministered unto him. These men truly are special witnesses of Jesus Christ, who leads His church in person. 

MONDAY

We helped a member make flower crowns for her daughter's wedding, and she fed us yummy food afterwards. As we were about to leave the house, I spotted something out of the corner of my eye... the head of Dobby from Harry Potter! Of course we had to get pictures with it!

Me and Dobby... I tried copying his face... was I close? 

TUESDAY

Today I learned a great lesson on the importance of listening. I have a bad habit of jumping to conclusions, and the past week, I've been wrong time and time again. I need to learn how to listen differently and hear people out, so I made it a new goal. We had a great time at District Meeting, and on the way home, Sister Scott said that as we passed a particular apartment complex, she felt the prompting that there was someone there waiting for us to find them. That was so cool to hear, a referral straight from God! We had another lesson with Tuesday, and she sees so clearly how the Book of Mormon brings light and joy into her life everyday. I testify that the Book of Mormon is true and brings a light into your life when you ponder from its pages. We had dinner with a member. It is rare if we do not have a meal appointment. I braided a little girl's hair at dinner and now she thinks I'm the coolest ever! 

WEDNESDAY 

Brother Tom is progressing so well! We knocked on his door over a month and a half ago, and he has slowly but surely changed so much. He has much more light in his eyes and is happier! We had a lesson with him at our bishop's house, where we taught the gospel of Jesus Christ. We extended a baptismal invitation, which he was very accepting about. He brought up the concern about already having been baptized. Throughout the whole lesson, bishop's wife had been making analogies to a cake, and so I was able to make that analogy connect to baptism. I told him that other churches had bits of truth, or bits of cake, and it was good and delicious. But he only had half the cake. By being baptized with the priesthood authority, he would get the whole cake. He really liked that image. After the lesson, he said he felt positive, happy, and more committed. We went to another dinner appointment. Members love me! I received lots of yummy leftovers. At mutual that night, we were able to talk with a sister in the ward who was having a stressful day. I felt a prompting to tell her she looked beautiful, and it really touched her because she'd been struggling with her looks (apparently you shouldn't trust your husband to cut your hair...). We chatted and laughed with her for almost 20 minutes, and she really warmed up to us. We then made a new inside joke that she's going to put onto matching t-shirts for the 3 of us: "I just want to travel the world and baptize cats!" 

THURSDAY 

Service is the best! We pulled weeds for a member for a couple of hours, and then she took us out to lunch. She told us the craziest stories about her time in the Navy... like when she kidnapped a baby from a hospital! Granted, it was a fake baby and she was on assignment... She is hilarious and had us laughing so hard! She grabbed the baby doll from under the nose of a nurse, kicked the back door open, and sprinted down the stairs with a doctor chasing after her calling in a resigned voice, "Ma'am, I'm supposed to stop you!"

FRIDAY

Sister Scott was sick today, so we stayed inside. Coincidentally (I mean, by God's divine design), all our appointments, including dinner, cancelled on us. My tender mercy was a member stopping by with lunch for us unexpectedly. I just found things around the house to do to keep busy, including updating records for hours...

SATURDAY 

We had a stake bag ladies event this morning! I got to see Chloe from Jay Branch again! When she saw me, she exclaimed, "Cupcake!" and ran to give me a hug. The other missionaries in the district came, and I felt very accomplished for teaching one of the elders how to crochet!

SUNDAY

I had a prompting to bear my testimony in sacrament meeting about how much I loved and appreciated the ward, and home I was grateful for the special bonds I had made here. It was so good to see so many large smiles on their faces as I looked out at them. They are like my family. That evening we had a dinner appointment with a member family and their non-member relatives. We got to share part of the Restoration and set a return appointment!

MONDAY

One of the members in our family found black mold growing in their brand new house. It was making their kids sick, so they rented the closest B&B while their house gets fixed. The nearest one was on Pensacola Beach, about an hour away. Her husband asked if we could go visit his wife today because she'd been so stressed. While down there we decided to get some pictures around the beach!

This week I've been studying about personal revelation. Our prophet has warned us, "Our Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ, will perform some of His mightiest works between now and when He comes again. We will see miraculous indications that God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, preside over this Church in majesty and glory. But in coming days, it will not be possible to survive spiritually without the guiding, directing, comforting, and constant influence of the Holy Ghost."

What will you do to increase your spiritual capacity to receive revelation? I promise you that as you strive to follow the prophet's guidence, you will feel the palpable presence of the Holy Ghost bringing you the answers and comfort you seek.

Much love,

Sister Burnham

The paper I was asked to make to hang on the ward bulletin board :)