Week 50

July 21, 2009
Well it has been a very great week here in Fountain Valley. Thursday we had a district meeting about accountability to our president. We wrote our weekly letters to president which was perfect for me. I hadn't been able to get it done. As I was writing my mind was just spinning and I was feeling like I was not doing enough. I wasn't sure if it was the area or me or what but I just felt like I was failing. Anyway after that meeting I changed my attitude. I began praying harder than ever to be successful and to meet our goals. I was setting goals but I wasn't really doing all that I could to accomplish them. As I prayed that we would have member lessons and find news and find people to baptize things started to happen. Friday we were knocking and we were coming to the end and we still hadn't had any success. We had talked to several people, some nice and others not so nice. We went to a back house and I knocked and this lady answered. Initially she wasn't interested in what we had to say. We asked her if there was anyone she knew that we could talk to. She told us about her neighbor and then told us that she knew someone who had just been baptized. We asked her about it and then she asked us a question about what the difference was between all of the churches. We gave her a pamphlet and asked if we could come back the next day. She told us we could. So Saturday we went back and took a member with us. All night and all morning I was praying that Sister Kennedy could come with us. She is the member that popped into my head when we were planning. She answered and said she could come. I then prayed earnestly that Kristine would be home. And she was. We had a great lesson and she accepted the invitation to be baptized. We were hopeful that she would make it to church but she didn't. She wasn't at her appointment last night either. I felt a little uneasy about going over there without a member so I told Heavenly Father if it wasn't safe to make it fall through. It fell through. It was Monday night so we couldn't bring a member but I have faith that it will work out. Sunday was an amazing day though. Sister Haycock's jaw is still touching the floor after what happened. I am still in shock to tell you the truth. So we went to the first ward and looked for the people we were expecting. We had about 4 or 5 investigators and less active that we were looking for. None of them were there. However we were told by a member that a less active and his non member girlfriend had come. We went and introduced ourselves and they asked to speak to us after church. We talked to them, Natalie and Barry, after sacrament. We went into the overflow to visit for a few minutes. We asked what had brought them to church and then asked them about the service. Natalie loved it! She thought that it was so great that the youth gave talks and that the Bishop was so moved by the spirit. I pulled out the Book of Mormon in my bag( which I had almost taken out of my bag before church) and taught her about it. I read Moroni 10 and she was amazed. She took the book from me and started rereading and stopped listening to me. I have never seen anyone react to the Book of Mormon like that. She started to listen again and Sister Haycock taught about the Restoration. I invited her to a baptism and then she asked me how one became baptized. So I committed her earlier than I planned and she accepted before I even said the word baptism. It was insane! She is being baptized on the 1st. Barry had tears in his eyes and the spirit was amazing. Everyone got the chills. We talked and exchanged information. We took her to Relief Society and she just loved every minute of it. She has truly been prepared. She told us that she had prayed at the beginning of the summer to be led to the one true church. She has been attending different churches and it just never felt completely right. She told us that she felt like she had come home. We gave her a lot of stuff to read but she told us " I might over read if that's ok". Who does that? Someone who is ready and yearning to know the truth. The Bishop walked in when I was asking her to be baptized and he was shocked. He thought we would be exchanging information because we had just met. It was truly a remarkable experience. This is what it is all about! Finding someone who already knows in their heart where the truth is. After church we went to a baptism for the sisters in the Beach ward. I always love going back there. I miss it. It was good to see some old faces. There is a great spirit there. Andrew Wheeler asked me when I was coming back. I said when God needs me back here. We had a great lesson with Rodrigo. We asked him to keep the Sabbath day and he said that he would try. He gave the closing prayer and prayed that they could join one day eventually. I am amazed at the progress they are making. I didn't think we would get anywhere in the beginning but it's happening. Well I hope you all have a great week! I love you all and pray for your success. Bairs I hope all goes well this week as you prepare for this remarkable journey. You are in my prayers! Les quiero mucho! Love Hermana Mickelsen