Last 12 weeks

This is technically week one of the next transfer, even though
transfers aren't until Thursday. So officially 12 weeks left. 12 is
such a small number. Where did July even go? Last I checked it was
March.

Don't know what's happening this transfer, but I'm fairly certain I'm
going. I've broken records here, haha. Though I've been certain I was
leaving for the last 4 or 5 transfers, so who knows. Logic means
nothing when it comes to predicting transfers.

I'm hoping I train a new missionary. I've wanted that since the start
of my mission.

It was such a good week!! We did so much good work!

One lesson we taught was a family whose mom was a fiery new convert
with a powerful testimony, but the son and daughter in law weren't
really interested. So we taught a little about the Restoration, and
they didn't have a problem with any of it. They believed what we
taught was possible, they had felt the Spirit when the mom had
testified to them before, but something was missing. We offered a
BoM,and they told us they had several copies but didn't have a reason
to read it.

So we asked, "Do you want to know if the Book of Mormon is true?"
Which is one of my favorite questions to ask. It's a soul searching
question, if they really want to know the truth for themselves. And
they get to determine their own level of commitment. And it was cool
to watch them think, and he told us, "I don't think I'm ready to find
out yet. If God told me it was true, I'd have to change my whole
lifestyle. Am I ready to quit [certain habits and activities]? Uproot
everything I do? No, I'm not ready for that, even if God told me it
was true. I don't really want to ask Him if it's true yet."

Man, I just love asking that question. We taught about faith and
trusting God and all the blessings God has to offer us. We had another
lesson with them, where we introduced the BoM in more depth—where it
comes from, what it's about, etc. we read the introduction with them,
and at one point, the husband stopped paying attention. He read the
intro himself, and then he got real curious and kept reading ahead,
got somewhere into 1Nephi....we just let him....XD when we left, he
said he would keep reading.

Speaking of faith and trusting in God, in another lesson we were
teaching a couple who is less active and is trying to get back into
living the Gospel, but are just struggling. They've admitted totally
that they know what they're supposed to be doing, but consciously
choose to not do it. At one point they ask, "What happens to us if we
know what's right and we still choose not to do it?"

I'm not a hellfire preacher, and neither is Sister Williams. We
showed them a video called "Your Potential and Privelege." (You can
look it up if you want, it's really good. I might put a link up on
this blog. We're allowed to have blogs as missionaries, and the
blogger app is good for download now, so I maybe updating this more
frequently....especially during the Alma countdown. I hope you all do
that with me! It starts in like a month :p) You don't need to be a
hellfire preacher, I think it's bad enough to know what you're missing
out on. It hit home pretty good.

Honestly, God doesn't really have to punish us. The laws he set
aren't arbitrary. They're there because He knows the natural
consequences. To put it proverbially, He tells us to it touch the
stove because it will hurt us, and if we do it anyway, there's no need
for punishment. It's just consequence. So when we don't keep His
commandments, the natural consequence is simply, we are not as happy
as we could be. We don't get His Spirit to guide and help us. We don't
get peace. Life is hard, not the Gospel. It will be hard, that's just
mortality. Might as well trust someone who knows the safest and
happiest way through and get His help.

We met with Michelle and got to teach her about faith and moving
forward with trust! We also sang "Come, Come, Ye Saints." She loves it
when we sing. Also, that suing is just so encouraging. It's gotten so
much deeper meaning for me on the mission. Done just right, it makes
me cry. So while you're on YouTube looking for President Uchtdorf
talking about "your potential, your Privelege," check out piano guys
playing come come Ye saints. I cry every time.
She's doing better. It's been incredible seeing her journey.

We haven't heard from Julio, and we're feeling a little worried. :(
if I'm transferred, I plan on keeping in touch via Facebook. He
deserves all the support and encouragement in the world.


And btw, it's still very very hot. But not hot enough to pop popcorn
or bake cookies anymore. :C I hope I didn't miss my window of
opportunity.

Thanks for all your love and support! You are the best! :D there is a
Savior who loves you, and the Gospel is true!

Love you all!

Sister Stratford