Ozark

Hello Friends and Fam:

 

This week was pretty slow.  We didn't have a whole lot of appointments and didn't get very many lessons. Still a good week though!

 

We went with Sister Worley on Friday and Saturday and we delivered bread to less actives and some non members.  We deliver bread so we can get to know them and so we can also hopefully give them a good message that will bring the spirit back into their lives. 

 

I had a few cool experiences this week that i'll tell ya about!

 

1) So first. We taught the Shelton Family this week.  They are friends with the Martins, and their whole lives revolve around soccer. (Sound familiar) They are incredibly friendly and are interested to learn the gospel.  They are super busy though, so it is hard to catch them.  We retaught them the restoration and they committed to be baptised WHEN they knew it was true.  It was such a cool experience.  That is the first time i have ever been there for the first lesson and baptism committment.  The spirit was so strong during that lesson, and they ask a lot of great questions.  They are very receptive to the spirit and have such a great spirit about them.  After the lesson the father came up to me and said, "I am so glad that you decided to come on a mission."  It was very comforting to me to hear that if anything i touched ONE person. 

 

2) We met these amazing people named Ray and Vona. They live SO far away from us.  They are non members, but might as well be members.  They have a hard time seeing that their is only one church. But they have strong belief and faith.  They watch general conference and read the Book of Mormon.  When we got there the first question they asked is if we played the piano.  Sis Pereira said yes and played Nearer my God to Thee.  She finished and Ray said "play it again, and i am going to sing." It was so cool to see that this cute old man got up and sang that song with so much power and spirit.  He then told us that he yodeled. So he yodeled for us and also sang/yodeled a song he wrote about Jesus.  It was actually really cool.  He was so friendly and his wife Vona was such a sweetheart.

 

3) I got a blessing at church from the Bishop.  In it, he said something that President Thurgood said when i was set apart, my MTC teacher told me in a personal interview, and a line in my patriarchal blessing says word for word.  All 4 of those times it was said word for word.  That was such a testimony builder to me that Heavenly Father knows what i need and he is making it very clear to me my answer. I know that Heavenly Father knows me better than i know myself. I know he will help me with anything, and i KNOW he will answer prayers when asked in Faith.

 

4) We went to visit Brother Shanks and he has the cutest dog in the world. I was petting it the entire time we were there. It makes me miss my Tracker dog, but at least dogs exist here so i can at least pet them(: Also he gave us fudgesicles and they were so good. He was so sweet and was so nice to visit with. 

 

5) Multiple times this week after or during a lesson, someone would say, "You are a great missionary for only being out a week." Or something similiar.  It was so good to hear that multiple times this week because i have really been struggling that i am not a good teacher or i don't know what to say.  I learned that is doesn't matter though.  I am a translator for Heavenly Father. It doesn't matter what i say or how i say it. It is what the spirit says, and how i bring the spirit to their home.  It was comforting to know i was getting that success that i want in bringing the spirit.

 

6) I pants myself at a dinner appointment. ha!!!! It was hilarious. Me and Sis Pereira were laughing so hard!!!! But hey, typical Kena right?? Just cause i am a missionary now, doesn't mean i don't have my clutziness! I just laughed it off and it was good! Great memory!(:

 

I am loving my time here in Ozark!

Until Next week!

LOVE XOXO

Sister Ritter