Sister Huber and I are exhausted! It has been a fantastic week! Packed full of Goodness!
We were only in our area last week for about 3 days honestly. Not ideal, but necessary.
Friday we had interviews with President. He is so awesome!
Then right after that we went to the Haylesville's District Meeting (the other district in our zone) and met with the Sisters after, and then started an exchange with the Hamiltion Sisters. They were double transferred in, and are basically working from the ground up. It was definitely bellowing freezing and I did not have the clothes I should have with me, but I've never been so thankful for so many hills while we were biking! They kept me warm! We had a fun exchange with the Sisters, and hopefully helped them out to bit. They are wonderful Sisters!
Right after that we rushed as fast as TIWI (our little box in our car that yells at us when we speed) would let us to Decatur, AL. I haven't been there in a while! It was so weird to be back, but good!
A few months into my mission when Sister Leahman and I were in Decatur, we were trying to figure out more effective ways to find people to teach. There are a lot of members who are less active in the area, and they live a ways out, so we decided to spend a day visiting different members. We baked cookies, and were not having a ton of success, but when we stopped at Stephanie's door-a young single adult who usually went to a ward in Nashville-her Mom, Brenda answered.
Long story short, Brenda, in her cute pink pjs welcomed us in out of the hot and we had a little chat. As we got to know her, we asked her if she had ever wanted to learn about some of things her daughters believed. Her daughters had both joined when they were in high school, and Brenda supported them, but she had not been interested and was very active in her own church. She always supported her daughters, but it had been difficult for her to understand why she could not go to her daughter's weddings in the temple, and very hurtful. We invited her to read the Book of Mormon, and find out for herself, if what we believed was true.
As Brenda prayerfully studied, she gained a testimony for herself that this was where the Lord wanted her to be, and that the Book of Mormon was the Word of God. My last night there in Decatur, Sister Leahman and I invited her to be baptized. Her response at the time was that she wasn't ready yet, she wanted to keep learning. I knew she would in her own time :)
Mama Brenda and I have been writing letters back and forth since I left. A few weeks ago she invited me to speak at her baptism. I was so excited I screamed and started to cry! I love her so much, and I am so happy for her. I know the gospel has, and will continue to bless her life. She has been through some very hard things, and has found a lot of comfort in the church.
Look how cute she is:
After her baptism, Sister Huber and I drove back to Columbus MS.
Sunday, right after church Mama Donna was baptized also.
Last transfer, when Sister Black was here, I was training her on different door approaches. It was cold, and dark, and neither of us really wanted to be out. We knocked on one last door, and started walking back to the car, when a dog started barking at us. As we walked by the house, it kept barking, and I felt a tugging at my heart that we needed to stop. I told Sister Black we needed to turn around, and so we did.
Mama Donna welcomed us right in! We did her dishes and chatted. come to find out, her brother is a member. We helped her wrap her Christmas presents, and introduced the Book of Mormon. She read, prayed, and also gained a testimony for herself of its truth. I don't know that I have met anyone else more ready. When we taught her the Word of Wisdom she stuck out her lip and said "I'm going to miss my sweet tea, but okay!". That was that, no if whats or buts about it.
Her baptismal service was so wonderful. Cool story: she had asked Sister Huber and I to sing at the service, and told us to pick the song. Sister Huber and I, without saying anything to the other, both felt that we should sing "Come Thou Fount". As we sang, Donna started to tear up, and mouthed the words along with us. Come to find out, that was her favorite hymn. There are no coincidences in the Lord's work.
I am so blessed to be in this work. I have learned so much from the examples Mama Brenda and Mama Donna. I love them both so much. They will always be close to my heart.
Love all y'all! thanks for the prayers and support! sorry for the novel....but it was such an amazing week! I miss you and pray for you each every day.
expect miracles!
Hermana McClune
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