Wild Horses

Greetings loved ones.

Holy cow, this week was jam packed it seemed so long, but also went by really fast. Mission time is just so weird. 

After having a rather stressful Monday after President called us and asked us if we wanted to move to Cari, it was a pretty good week. We decided to stay obviously.  He also had the Assistants call us and told us that we had to be at a meeting the very next day at transfers. That also caused some anxiety since we had no idea what it was about.  Turns out it was just a meeting for those who have come in contact with Anti-mormon people and such. He just read us a bunch of quotes and told us to run away from those situations.  After all that, I GOT TO SEE SISTER MICHAEL AGAIN!!  She's home now, that hooligan. It was so good to see her and a bunch of other missionaries like Sister West!  After that crazy day we had a great plan of salvation lesson with Alton at the Schnegelbergers again!  Yes you read that right.  Their name is literally Schnegelberger. haha. They are awesome! 

Wednesday we hadn't found anyone to go out with us so we had plans to have the sisters drop us at our apointment after Zone Training and then we were going to have to walk about 3 miles home. Not ideal. But the Lord is literally always blessing us and Sister McGannon texted us just before we had our appointment and asked us if we wanted to go get some ice cream after.  So not only did we get a ride, ice cream, but we also tracted her neighborhood and found a new investigator! Wooh.

Thursday we went to the Relief Society "Unbirthday" party. It was all Alice in Wonderland themed. You would have liked it mom!  A member also had brought her non-member friend so we were able to have a good contact with her. 

The highlight of the week was doing service at Karen's!  Karen is the recent convert, whose niece is getting ready to serve a mission. And her husband is not a member. They live out in he country of Franklinton and have a mini farm in their backyard with a whole bunch of chickens!  Reminded me of Grandpa Dearden and his chickens. We helped them rake up their backyard and then we burned them! Cause that is legal here apparently, enjoy the pictures We went out with Brittney afterwards and had a really good visit with a Less Active family we have been trying to get up with. The mother is actually from Layton and had the same qualms I have about "Utah Mormons".  Unfortunately, those experiences led her to inactivity.  We had a good connection though and I feel like I can help her if she will let us. None of their children are baptized either so there is some potential. 

Sunday we had an incredible sacrament meeting! Sister Schnegelberger gave a talk about depression and anxiety.  Not a topic often heard from the pulpit but it was awesome and definitely hit close to home. I told her that she was brave :) There was another awesome talk given about the Atonement and forgiveness. She said "in refusing to forgive another you are denying the blessings of the atonement to that person," and talked about how we need to think about the other side of the Atonement not just our own guilt or hurt, but the sin and the hurt of others. 

Anything to do with the Lord requires work!  He is not going to just let us sit idle and expect things to just happen for us. We've got to work at it cause that is the only way we are going to grow and learn what He intends for us.  No it is not easy. Letting go of our burdens. Forgiving others, are not easy things to do, but He knows that it will be worth it. 

Have a great week ya'll!  Hope to hear from ya'll on my BIRTHDAY next week. 227 Highgate Cir. Wake Forest 27857. Just in case. 

Love, Sister Dearden