July 25 " 2Gators At Church"

This week was such a good week; Sunday made it all worth it! When I first came out in the mission field I asked a lot of missionaries when they felt normal/ completely adjusted with mission life and they all said around 3-4 months. In two days, I will have hit my 3 month mark and  I can say, that is really starting to become true for me. Not that it isn't challenging sometimes and everything is perfect, but just that mission life is normal, the crazy parts and all. 

Lee Hannah, one of our 'gators, really caught on fire this week! We had a member present lesson at the John's and she really connected with the Joseph Smith story and said something really cool: "This past week I have been painting over 20 doors at the Methodist church (the church she has been going to) and I haven't been going for the last couple of months and so many people came in and out and saw me but not ONE stopped and asked me why I haven't been attending. But then these missionaries come by every week, faithfully, and I have not even attending their church once." That lesson was a turning point for us and she said walking out "you girls have given me a lot to think about..." The picture below is Lee and us after church. She finally came and the funny thing is missionaries have been working with here on and off for awhile, and she never ended up coming to church, but she finally came this week! Even though she was shaking as she walked in those doors, she really liked it and decided she wants to come back next week too! 

We had another great lesson with Earl, he is doing so well, and I know I say it every week but he is just so happy that he glows. He has been coming to church faithfully and was able to pass us the sacrament this week. It was such a neat feeling having someone you taught pass you the sacrament. I will never forget it!

We had two investigators total come to church (one 'gator was the Elders), which was amazing because out of the four women that came and stayed for Relief Society, two of them where our investigators. Both loved it and are planning on coming back next week. Sister Jensen and I were able to perform "He Hears Me", she sang and I played. It is one of the songs I know how to play on the piano out of three. People were so amazed that I cannot read music but could play so well, they really enjoyed it.They don't get to see things like that very often so it was nice to be able to provide that for them. 

Crazy moments of our week: getting locked out and having to run across town to have the Elder's get us back inside, going fishing and catching nothing, but I did get shocked by an electric fence so that was fun, and eating fried catfish (actually pretty good).

Love y'all so much!

July 17 'Nethermost Part Of The Vinyard'

This week was amazing! We were able to see so many people and it's wonderful to be God's instrument and see all the ways He is using us to help His children!

To start off, we saw Yvonne twice this week and on Wednesday we talked to her about how she needs to come to know for herself if what we are saying is true and about the sacrament since she has been raised to never partake of the sacrament. Then later in the week when we came back, we asked her if she has received an answer and she said she prayed about it, got an answer that it was all true, but then she doubted her answer because it was too easy and too quick! I was so amazed about that God blessed her so soon and that she felt so good about it. Even the next morning she said the feeling lingered and she didn't want to get upset or anything, it just felt peaceful! So she is planning on coming to church this next week and we are so excited for her. She keeps telling us that we don't need to ask her anymore about whether or not she wants to get baptized, she said she knows she needs to after she asks again to make sure! 

We also had exchanges this  past week and we were able to do so much! Sister Redfearn was awesome and I saw how much I have improved from last trade-offs. We had a crazy experience that day, typical Toxey. One of our investigators wasn't home so we decided to go to the trailer next door and when we knocked, a lady told us to come in. First impression: this lady has facial hair. As we continue to talk to her, she tells us her husband just died two days ago, not even phased it seems to us. And as we continue teaching the Plan of Salvation, she proceeds to tell us she has been incarcerated and went to prison for first degree murder, that it was self-defense and she just killed him before he killed her. I look at Sister Redfearn, wondering if it was time to run. We stay and finish the lesson and then say a prayer holding hands. As I was saying the prayer, I heard "Um-hum, praise the Lord, Thank you Jesus, thank you Jesus, Hallelujah" after everything I say. I don't know where the strength came from for me to finish that prayer. Awesome lesson. 

This week was finding week in our District so we tried really hard to pass out BOM's and pass along cards and go up and talk to people and I am really learning to enjoy myself. I saw this young boy walking down the road and felt like just walking up and talking to him as we were getting in the car and I did and we ended up giving him a BOM and I came away from it thinking that we really don't always see or know where those kinds of things end up, if we are just throwing seeds all over one of them is bound to land on fertile soil. 

Love y'all! Thanks so much for all that you have done for me and all that you continue to do now!

Sister Baker

Picture Explanations:

This is what the windows look like every morning, all fogged up because of the humidity. 

Clever church sign

July 11 "Where Have The Nuns Been Lately"

Where to begin... well because Butler is such a small town, not much went on for the 4th of July. Mostly people just stayed home and grilled with their families. All the missionaries were able to proselyte in the morning and then take the rest of the day as their P-Day so that was awesome! Sister Jensen and I spent time with the John's and roasted marshmallows in 90 degree temperature and humidity, and this was in the evening time. Worth it!

This week, we really tried to meet with our investigators but every day something came up so we were not able to meet with them. We did get to see Lee Hannah and it was such a good lesson! We started to do a BOM read with her and then like 13 verses in, she started rattling off all these questions she had. We spent a long while answering all her questions and explaining church doctrine to her. It was so awesome to see how accepting and believing she was telling us that everything we said made sense and that we are the first ones that have been able to answer all her questions. I love this Gospel! We are really excited for the upcoming discussions with her.

Sunday was amazing because we were able to see the tangible fruits of our labor. The Elders gave us a less active lady awhile back that they had kinda given up on, named Paula Downey. She told them that she wasn't going to church and they shouldn't come over anymore so they sent us over. We went and she welcomed us in and she really opened up to us and is the sweetest lady ever! She lived in Utah and there joined the church with her kids. She hasn't been going to church because all her kids that are active live far away and her less active son goes to a different church now and her husband is not a member so she didn't want to go to church alone because her family couldn't go with her. We met with her a couple times and told her about the blessings of coming to church and living the Gospel, and it was so cool to hear her strong testimony about the church. She ended up coming to church this week and sat next to us and leaned over to me and said, "It's nice not having to sit alone." Sometimes all it takes is a friend. 

We also met with two other less actives who are basically investigators because they stopped going to church when they were young. I loved hearing them say that although they haven't lived their lives the way they should have, they remember how they felt when they did go to church, even though it was so long ago and they were really young. They remember how it felt to be there and to be baptized and to feel clean and that is what is making them want to start going again and meeting with the missionaries. They both know it is true. 

The Branch is growing. An area seventy is coming soon and we are anxious to find out why he is coming to Toxey! 

Love all y'all!

Sister Baker

Picture Explanations:

At our District Meeting with our leftover 4th of July cupcakes that are little mini hotdogs from Piggly Wiggly (or what the locals call The Pig)

Me being a horse whisperer 

practicing in the Plantation on an out of tune piano

July 4 "Y'all look good today"-guy in parking lot

Hello Family!!

So this week, Sister Jensen and I got permission to drive down to sit in on Taqanya's Patriarchal Blessing. She wanted us to come down with her because she feels closer with missionaries. It was so cool to sit there and hear the Patriarch pronounce all these wonderful blessings on her, things that I know I and Sister Jensen have been praying to happen for her in her future. I love that girl very much and I know the Lord has great things planned for her. 

We also had zone conference in Mobile Saturday to meet the New Mission President, President and Sister Smith! They are so awesome and will be such a great help to the mission! (Sorry I'm lame and didn't get any pictures with them) They are both converts to the church at age 17.

We had an amazing experience this week. The new relief society president, Sister Mcleod, sent us the address of a man named John Jackson and Breasia Petteway who lived at the same address and were apparently members that just moved in. So we went over there and knocked on the door and here is what happened:

Door opens, a black girl answers 

Us- "Hi, does John Jackson live here?"

Her- "No, uh, he's actually in prison."

Us- "Oh, are you Breasia?"

Her- "No she moved"

Oh great, the guy is in jail and the other girl doesn't even live here so we started talking with this girl and she is AMAZING! Her name is Kadaisha, she is super sweet and she has been looking for more truth because she doesn't understand how everyone believes different things, and she believes there are prophets, and that our family members that passed on are still there for us, etc. Sister Jensen and I were so pumped because she seems so ready for the Gospel and willing to find out if it's true! We gave her a Book of Mormon and told her a little about Joseph Smith and Latter-day prophets and she is pretty accepting of it all. I am excited to meet with her again!

Also thank Sister Eliason and those girls for sending me an awesome package! I loved it!

Love y'all!

Sister Baker