Letter #18 01/05/15

THIS WEEK, though. I actually can't really remember what happened all that much at the beginning of this week, but let's just say that stinker Satan has been doing everything he can to make me crack right as it get's close to the end. These last few transfers have been pretty difficult and now that it's getting closer to the end, it's getting harder and harder to be patient and love like I should. SO, anyway, just having a harder time. But I've been learning a lot about bearing afflictions with patience and His promise to each and every one of us success if we do just that. Oh, and also, learning the true benefit of fasting because I fasted to be able to be patient, and WHOA. Yesterday was a million times easier. Prayer and fasting, ladies and gents. It's the way to go.

The neatest part of the week was, after zone meeting on Friday, I got to have Sister Jones, our newest Sister Training Leader, come to Burkeville for a 24 hour exchange with me! Sister Jones and I were meant to be pals, and we had a total blast. She is the equivalent of if Brooke Gledhill and Anna Davidson morphed into one person, so that's weird but they're really neat humans so you can imagine that we got along nicely. We got home to Crewe around like 4:00 ish and after getting everything settled, decided to head out. We had visited a few different people but nobody was home or what not (the usual), and we decided to visit a potential who lives next door to our investigator Donna. We parked down the street, prayed, and I started getting out of the car when there was suddenly this HUGE ruckus. A bunch of guys were yelling profanities at eachother, and I was like uh.. but kept on getting out of the car, and Sister Jones was like, "I do not feel good about this" and got back in the car, so I did too and I'm glad we did because right after we did it was like we were in a movie. Groups of guys start walking up from every direction, appearing out of nowhere, and it was terrifying. They were all shouting and one had a metal baseball bat and there was a huge brawl about to break out. WHAT. I had just been telling Sister J that, unlike her last super ghetto area, Crewe is relatively calm.. Apparently not! Wow. So we almost hit a guy fleeing the scene, and got further down the road where one of the mom's of some of the kids was yelling for them to come home. We talked to her for a minute, she said everything was fine, but then her teenage daughter came up and I guess the whole fight had started because some guys had been calling her really awful names. It was a tender mercy, because we got to testify to her of her worth, that it doesn't matter what those guys said because her Savior, Jesus Christ, loves her and that she is a daughter of God. I felt like I was at Oakcrest all over again, it was wonderful. 

After a couple more doors unanswered, and one successful less active visit, I remembered that I had been feeling prompted all week to knock some doors in this apartment complex. And what do you know, we were like right next door to the complex. So we drove over there, and in my prayer I prayed that we would be able to teach a lesson and find someone who is prepared. We knocked a few doors, they said we could come back, but nothing really happened. We walked over to another building where only one light was on, and knocked that door. She let us in immediately and then asked us what was wrong. We explained who we were, and that she didn't need to be afraid. She then proceeded to tell us that I have the face of a porcelain doll and that all the scary movies have creepy porcelain dolls in them, haha. What. So after I totally spooked her, we started talking to her and she was SO receptive and the spirit was so strong and she started crying as I testified about God's love for her and the atonement. I guess she has been going through a lot of hard times lately and it was the perfect time that we came. Sister Jones was even prompted to set her on date for baptism, and she accepted! So, let's talk about prepared. She's awesome. Her name's K and she's on date for the 31st of January. I was on TOP OF THE WORLD as we left her apartment. I have never felt more like a missionary. The happiness was unreal. 

And now I'm praying that we can keep the same spirit as we keep visiting her. Trust in the Lord is a difficult to keep in your heart consistently, but I know that He will help us. The children of Israel were scared to flee Israel, but Moses trusted in the Lord and they were delivered. He will help us! I know it. Grateful doesn't begin to describe it. I know that He's for real, I know that He wants to help, I know that through utilizing His atonement, we can have the courage and strength to get through ANYTHING. He is ever aware and I love it so much. 

Have a goood week, next week I will have news as to what in the world is happening to me! Yikes. But, really, not yikes because.. I have no fear- He's totally near!

Love y'all. <3

Hermana Yost

Odd's and End's:

+ Speaking of the Ghetto city of Crewe, last night we were talking to a guy about that experience and he said.. "Yeah, of course that happened over there.. All the gang members live down on Indian Oak Road.." We couldn't help but laugh. And try to hold back tears. Hahah #safeintheLord'sservice (Becca lives on Indian Oak Road!! haha)

+ So we've started this thing in the mission called "More Fit for the Kingdom", so that's hilarious. Had our first initial weigh in at Zone Meeting. I weight the same as I did at 16 on my license (which I just found for the first time since leaving on my mission this week), so all that says is that I am now completely void of any and all muscle. #lifeofamissionary