Mission Call

Mission Call

Tuesday, September 6, 2016

Another Solid Week in the Celestial Peake!‏

By the time Tuesday comes, I can't even remember what I did the week before. It's a good thing I write in my journal, but it's still a challenge. Oh, and in case you didn't realize, yesterday was a holiday, so the libraries weren't open. So that's why I'm emailing today! Hope you had a good holiday! 
This week started out pretty slow, but it's picking up! We found four new investigators this week! On Tuesday, the Hubeners, a cute old couple in the ward, fed us a true Eastern style breakfast including the crab cakes. Yup. And Sister Hokafonu sat in the infamous "Chair" that only the missionaries who are getting married within the year sit in ha-ha. I'm glad I didn't sit in that chair. Sister Hokafonu started "My Plan" this week, which is a program put on by the church to prepare missionaries to go home in the last 6 weeks of their mission. Ha-ha, she cried. It's okay, I cried while watching the 12 Steps to Recovery videos, so we're even. It's funny because right now I get to see her reaction to all of this, as well as remember Sister Bindrup's reactions, and prepare myself for next transfer. 
We tried by one of our investigators later that day and she didn't answer, but this 27 year old guy (her neighbor) stopped us and said, "You can come in for lunch. Stay a while." And both Sister Hokafonu and I didn't register that he was hitting on us for a good minute, so we just stood there confused. Ha-ha, it was hilarious. We said no thanks and gave him a Mormon.org card instead. Ha-ha, that's going to be my getaway answer when guys ask me out one day, "I can't, but have a picture of Jesus." Lol. My life. 
We did get to try by a referral from the Elders from a while back named Crystal! She was home and so was her roommate Rachel, as well as Rachel's daughter Ziara! We started talking about the Bible and the Book of Mormon and had an amazing conversation about the stories in there! All three of them said they were interested in us coming back and in coming to church! So, we picked up all three of them as new investigators and plan to meet with them later this week :) 
Sandra, our Recent Convert, is currently reading in Helaman already! (She was just in 2 Nephi 3 weeks ago...)! She's working on her family history and as soon as the temple reopens in October, we'll be going with her to do some BAPTISMS! Sooo great :) I've never had the opportunity to go and do baptisms with my investigators because I always get transferred out right before their baptism, so this will be so amazing! Same with Teresa! I can't wait! 
I got to pet lots of kitties on Wednesday, so it was a great day. Yes, I have pictures. We got to meet with Marilyn, one of our investigators, and learned she had a stroke not too long ago, and has lost some family members, so we were able to teach her parts of the Plan of Salvation, along with the Restoration, and she really opened up to us! She even accepted a soft baptismal invite! 
After that lesson we met a lady named Chauna, who was totally drinking while we were there, and she invited us right in, sat us down, and started reading Proverbs 1 with us ha-ha. She was trying to be a missionary to us, but she was not in the right state of mind. It was quite funny, though! 
On Thursday we welcomed in September! We visited with Nikita, a HQ referral who wanted a bible, and talked with her while she was doings her cousin's hair (I've seen so many weaves out here, I could probably do one myself...). She has a strong faith in Christ and as soon as we introduced her to the Book of Mormon she said she got chills and knew there had to be more records of Christ! She's been reading in Alma and LOVING it! So, she was our fourth new investigator this week. Such a sweet heart, too. She has 3 kids, and two of them are older than 8 and want to learn more, too!
Then we watched more weave being put in as we visited with the Jones family! They have been investigating the church on and off for almost a year now, and have never come to church. There's always some excuse. So, by the Spirit, we started teaching her on her level - Baltimore style. We basically told her (by the Spirit, I promise!) that we didn't believe she'd actually come to church because she always said she would and never did. We said, "You won't do it!" and she took it as a challenge ;)
So, come Sunday, we see Latear, the mom, walking in to church. She was in immense pain because of a wisdom tooth problem, but she came for the first time ever and she loved it. She said she's planning on coming every single week now. She'd been taught the doctrine and simply needed to take a step and God made that possible! MIRACLE!
Lily took us to eat again. She's the reason I have food in my belly ha-ha. We went to Red Robbin, they sang Happy Birthday to her, and yesterday she took us out to Coldstone again. She's my best friend. 
We got to visit a friend of ours, Linda, in the ICU twice this week. She's a recent convert's mother, and not a member, but a good friend of ours. She is turning 70 years old on the 27th. She was admitted into the ICU because she has COPD and caught a cold, which made it so she couldn't breathe. She's not doing so well, but she still has her stubborn and hilarious attitude, so we're hoping she can fight through this. 
We met with a super awesome Less-active this week who told me I'd have to do a back flip if he came to church on Sunday. He didn't, so my no-tumbling streak is still going on, but I'd totally do it if he came! 
So, a little spiritual note this week: I was studying in my Book of Mormon this week (have I told y'all that that's my favorite book ever?) and I'm trying to finish it again by the end of my mission, so I've been reading a LOT! This time I'm highlighting all things that testify in Christ because it is supposed to be "Another Testament of Christ", so I thought I'd prove that point. But that's all beside the point. In my studies I was reading in 2 Nephi where Nephi's quoting Isaiah, like, the entire time, all about the signs of the second coming and there was a short verse that talked about how the sun, moon, and stars would go dark. We would be in complete darkness. I don't know about you, but when I'm alone in a room and turn off the lights, I still run to the next room with light. Complete darkness would be terrifying. But that's what's going to happen. So my mind wandered on different ways we can be a light or have light with us, despite the lack of physical light. Obvious ways are by studying the scriptures, memorizing songs, and keeping that faith in Christ who is a light to all. Then I thought about an experience I had in Young Women's when I was 12 years old. We had a combined activity where we got to go to the Timpanogos cave in Utah. I remember walking all the way to the end of the cave with all the other youth and my leaders, then we were instructed to hold on to this "iron rod" (really just a railing) and put our other hand on the shoulder of the person in front of us. They then shut off all the lights. If you know anything about caves, you might know that a cave is the only place on Earth where there's complete darkness. I was standing in complete darkens. But I wasn't afraid. I remember feeling calm. Why? I contemplated that for a second and I thought about who I was with and what I was doing. I was surrounded by people who had faith in Christ. Good people who I knew I could trust. I was also holding on to a railing. I knew exactly where I was and I knew if I didn't let go, I would be alright. In preparation for the Second Coming of the Lord, we too will need to surround ourselves with those who are strong in the faith, not forgetting to lift those who aren't up, and hold on to the Iron Rod, or the Word of God. If we want to find peace in times of trial, those simple things are what we have to do. If we go into complete darkness without them, we will fear and we will be lost. And I am forever grateful for the blessings I have been given to know the Word of God and have those people I trust. My family. 
It's truly amazing how much one can get out of a single verse of scripture. Nothing magnificent, but I guess every verse of scripture is God's word. Every verse was written for a reason. 
I love the Book of Mormon. :)
That was my Solid week here in the Peake! Next week will be filled with even more revelation as we have the opportunity of having a multi-zone conference on Thursday with Elder Gay of the 70, and then Sis. Hokafonu and I will be able to go to Leadership on Friday with him there as well! Exciting things are happening!
I hope you all have an amazing week filled with miracles and even more revelation. I love you all! Enjoy! 
Quote of the Week: "Patience is not the ability to wait, but the ability to keep a good attitude while waiting." - Unknown
Scripture of the Week: Alma 29:10
Love, 
Sister Humphrey
I bet I'm the only Sister Missionary you know who takes more pictures with kitties than she does with people... just saying. #catladyforlife

(message from the mom: sorry about the upside down pictures at the end. I tried several different times and ways to make them right side up. Sorry!!)