I love you all so much!:)
On Monday, we had Sisters' P-day. We went to Government Island (my 3rd time) and just walked around. It wasn't as peaceful as the first two times because we were in a large group of people;) But Hermana Quinones and I want to go back one morning to go running.
On Tuesday we had Espanish Meeting in Richmond! Marco drove us, as always. He has a really quirky and funny personality. He told us all about the drama in the YSA Branch--about who's dating who and how some of the guys just can't get a date. It was pretty funny. Marco wears A LOT of cologne so sometimes after we shake hands, I smell like cologne, haha. Anyway, in the meeting, we talked a lot about finding and then preparing people to enter the temple. We really want to help Robert's grandma get to the temple now that she's not working on Sundays! We also talked about how to teach quality lessons. It's really easy, as a Spanish missionary, to get caught up in quantity because of how many people let us in. But we have to make sure that they are having life-changing, spiritual experiences every lesson!
President Wilson shared this quote by President Spencer W. Kimball: "The Lord places in our lives, in a very natural way, those who are prepared to receive the Gospel of Jesus Christ." Then President Wilson added on: "But he doesn't place a yellow sticker on their foreheads."
I know this to be so true! Hermana Quinones is pretty shy, and I'm very bold. I've been trying to help her talk to everyone, even when it seems a little awkward. Even when they're not Hispanic! Last week we street contacted a young looking guy, Hispanic, who was listening to headphones. He took them off and started chatting with us. His name is Miguel and he recently arrived from El Salvador. We invited him to come to church on Sunday, and he accepted! And he came!!! Number wise, it doesn't count for anything because he's not an investigator yet, but we got someone to church! And he had a great experience. If we had decided to not talk to him because he was wearing headphones, or because he seemed young (and probably uninterested), then we would have never seen this miracle. If we don't talk to someone, then we're judging them to be a "no." The answer is always no if you don't ask! Through this experience and many more, I've learned the importance of talking to everyone. When I focus on my purpose and why I'm here, it helps me have more confidence. I have the most important message in the world! Every non-member in Virginia is living a terrestrial or even telestial life. I'm here to invite them to live celestially:) not just here, but for the eternities. I really love talking to people now! (And yes, I do love tracting!)
We also saw another miracle with a woman named Rubi. We street contacted her, and while we were talking, a car pulled over and called out to us (American). He asked me for my name and number...I gave him a tarjeta and invited him to come to church. He said he'd come if I was there. It was pretty embarrassing but Hermana Quinones thought it was hilarious. Anyway, we turned back to the woman and kept talking with her. She thought it was funny and it helped her open up to us a bit. (No the guy didn't show up at church.) But we had a great lesson with Rubi the following day! We've been struggling to find new investigators so it was so nice to teach the first lesson again!:) She said that she's been looking for a church ever since she came to the states, 3 years ago. She and her husband are trying to find a church where they can attend together with their family. Sweet:)
And yet again, we had another miracle on Sunday! We only had one proselyting hour! We had studies in the morning, church, and then more studies after church. (We have more studies while Hermana Quinones is being trained.) Then we had dinner with a member at 4, and then we needed to leave for Tony's baptism in Fredericksburg by 6. So between 5 and 6, we had one hour. We set the goal of having a member present lesson and a new investigator. Dan, an RM, came with us to visit Belen. She wasn't home, but her daughter was! I pretty much invited us in...but we got in and taught a great lesson! Or, at least the SPIRIT taught a really great lesson. The girl invited herself to church! It was a huge miracle to get a quality member present lesson with a great new investigator!:)
And about that baptism...Tony was baptized on Sunday! It was a very sweet service and I had the opportunity to talk about baptism and share my testimony. I showed him the program from my baptism that Grandma Crandall sent me. I'm so grateful for all of the support from the branch so that he could be baptized!:)
On Saturday, we had a great Zone Conference with both the Fredericksburg Zone and the Woodbridge Zone and with Elder Anderson of the Seventy!
Elder Anderson talked about how knowing how to commune with Heaven is an important quality that he and other General Authorities look for when trying to determine who the Lord has called as a new Stake President. He also shared a really neat experience. When he was at the New Mission Presidents' Seminar in 2002 (he and his wife served in Guadalajara), President Packer came to the mic and said, "In the next five minutes, I'm going to share with you all that I've ever learned." Then he had someone come and sing hymn #114. Then President Packer came back to the mic and said, I'm going to have him sing it again, and I want you to listen. Then the man sang the song again. President Packer then closed with his testimony. How cool/powerful is that???:)
All in all it was a really great meeting and the Spirit was so strong!
I love you all so much and I hope you are super happy:)
Love, Hermanita Crandall
*PS- Sister Anderson had us play a scripture chase game. She started
reading out of a random spot in the Book of Mormon. We had to try and
find the verse, race to the front of the chapel, and continue reading
where she left off. Just want you all to know that I won the first
round;) She was reading in Words of Mormon. I really love the Book of
Mormon. I'm going to finish it twice this week. (I'm reading from two
different books right now.) That makes about 11 or 12 times. Thank you,
Mommy and Hapa, for teaching me to love this book! <3
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