First things first, I went on my first ever exchange on Tuesday! Meaning that our sweet sister training leader's came down and one stayed the night here while I drove back up to Cloverhill with the other one. It was really very exciting! It's up closer to Richmond, like suburb-y area and NIGHT AND DAY different than here in Crewe. We went tracting first and it absolutely blew my mind. As we knocked people did NOT want to speak to us. I couldn't even handle, because here in Crewe EVERYBODY is religious and it's in the country so at least everyone is courteous and whoa. I now know that even though Crewe was hard at first, The Lord DEFINTIELY knew what He was doing because the people here have the hearts of hispanic people and genuinely care about you. We got invited to our dear friend Donna's bible study the other night, and of course we attended. It was really interesting and cool to explain a little more about the B.O.M and answer their questions about our faith. I felt a lot like I was at one of those house party things the southern ladies have on The Help, and I dunno dreams do come true! ANYWAYS back to the exchange.. we got to go to dinner with one of the families in the ward, and the mom served a mission in Argentina.. so she was dying to have me pray in Spanish. That was really fun and then we taught a few different lessons. One was to an AWESOME old lady named Virginia. Her son just recently joined the church, and he is convinced that she will not change but the missionaries are visiting her. She's open to everything but just doesn't want to leave her church that she's been attending her entire life. As we talked to her about The Gospel of Jesus Christ, she started on this little rant about how when we repent, sometimes we have to give up stuff we really love, stuff that might even be good, to come closer to Christ. It was incredible to see the spirit working through her to help her answer her very own question. The last guy we taught was Robert from Honduras, and I got to use my Spanish AGAIN with him. It was super neat to see how the Lord helped me to be able to use some of my Spanish even on an all english exchange. I know that He knows and loves me!
One last thing, let's just all appreciate the fact that I got to go to TARGET. *Insert hallelujiah chorus here* I'd be lying if I said I wasn't in heaven. I had strictly TEN minutes in there and I just grabbed every cute warm clothing item I could find. It's been such a blessing to have a coat finally! Also I got eat at chili's so that was the best. #chipsandsalsa
The next day we had a zone workshop, which was pretty cool. President and Sister Wilson were there and we did this fun (not) thing where we did teaching role plays and they video-ed us. It was absolutely nightmarish to watch ourselves teach, haha. It wasn't that bad, but I was REALLY on edge that day. Just like super nervous for everything. President was videotaping us once and mentioned afterward something about that, I can't even remember what he said, but I quite literally just started crying and it was SO bad. It wasn't what he said at all, but He felt awful about it. It was very awkward, but I got everything under control and had like 40,000 prayers answered so that ruled. I learned SO much about how I need to learn to trust the spirit or I am never going to be the missionary that He wants me to be. For the last role play, we were to go in the hall, pray for the gift of discernment, and go back in and find the need of our investigators (who were another companionship of missionaries). We went in and it was SO cool. I could feel the words to speak on my tongue. I knew if I opened my mouth, I would know what to say. We asked many questions, felt that they had serious Book of Mormon doubts, and I felt like I needed to bear testimony of Joseph Smith. It was awesome, the spirit was STRONG. IT was just what I needed to feel okay after my near fatal breakdown. The life struggle of emotional Becs.
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| OK, TOO cool. Seriously considering post mission educational pursuits at VCU, just so I can stand by this wall in my free time. |
On Friday, we got to go to this meeting called 'Return and Report' with President for all of the trainees and their trainers. It was SUPER wonderful. We had lots of beautiful trainings and then for our role play for the last one, we got to go into the streets of beautiful downtown Richmond and contact people. IT WAS INCREDIBLE. But it also really showed me why I am where I am.. I couldn't handle, it was too wonderful and artsy and cool and the focus struggle was real. Haha, but it was awesome. I was paired with another trainee and it was really neat to both not know what we were doing. I met so many cool people and was basically in heaven. After it was done, we found out our ride was going to be 20 minutes late so Hma Clark and I decided to kneel in this little alley thing and say a specific prayer.. I prayed that we would find a lady that would be prepared and talk to us, and while we were praying I imagined that she would be getting out of a car when we found her. We walked all around forever and time was almost up, when we passed this lady in a car on the curb.. we walked past, but I knew I needed to go talk to her. We did and it was really cool, we gave her a card and invited her to church! She is muslim but she seemed super open and interested. Then, on the way back to the car we met another lady who looked super similar getting out of her car as well.. it was my first real experience with specific prayer, but it really strengthened my testimony. The Lord WILL answer in specific ways if we are willing to ask.
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| City girl at heart yo! :) |
One more cool experience with the spirit, we were driving home from our dinner appointment that very night and I prayed in my heart to know who we should visit tonight.. when I saw two people sitting in the laundromat that we were diving past. I felt VERY strongly like we should go visit them, but felt as though it would be too awkward.. so we went and tried to contact the people we had planned for the night, but nothing. I knew we needed to go back.. and it turns out it was a girl we had previously met that works in the laundromat named Justice and her boyfriend Zachary. They were SUPER open and we talked about the Book of Mormon and became great friends with them. I am super excited to teach them soon. The Lord makes a way for us when He asks us to do something, Nephi knew what he was talking about!
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| The one and only Princess Jenni! |
One of the happiest things ever, one of our cute investigators, Jenni, came to church yesterday! She's 8 and adorable and I just love her so much. After church we taught her and she just LOVED the sacrament. We were eating chips and drinking water and she's like, guys! This is like the sacrament! Haha, her mom is from Mexico and her dad is from Honduras and I am really hoping that her excitement will peek their interest. She told us that she felt, "happy and like a princess" at church.. the spirit RULES!
Missions are hard, but I learned SO much this week. He really will help us and guide us if we will trust him. Trials are HARD but everything is for our benefit. I'm so grateful to experience and really feel all of the ups and downs of being a full time representative of Christ.
Love you all SO MUCHO! Les quiero! <3
Hermana Yost
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