10 August 2009

I have great news! There is a former investigator in Windsor Locks that I have been
wanting to meet with ever since I got out here. We've been dropping by his house and
calling him and he hasn't ever gotten in touch with us. He's from Albania. Last week I called and left him a message and yesterday he called back and agreed to set up an
appointment. YAY!!!!!!!!!!! I can't tell you how excited I am! I just really want to
teach him because he's Albanian.

Sister Darrington and I made a goal to be more positive and expect miracles-- and things like that are happening. Lots of little miracles all over the place.

We picked up a new investigator this week--a really neat kid. He graduated high school a year early and doesn't know what to do with his life. Windsor Locks is kinda depressing that way--it's a working-class town and college isn't really part of the culture or the expectation of kids when they graduate.

Sister Darrington has pushed for ways to improve our relationship with the ward, and good things are happening. We're also trying to come up with new ideas for finding. Our latest thing is that we choose different themes for tracting/street contacting. We tried tracting with a family history theme, and with inviting people to church events, and offering service. Yes, may I be struck down for saying it but tracting gets monotonous, so you have to come up with ways to make it different so you don't dread it.

Transfers are coming up (yet again,this transfer flew by) in two weeks, and I'm kinda sorta hoping to get moved. (Yeah, after I've been saying all this time that I would be happy to spend my entire mission here.) I love this area so much and I will miss it, but four transfers is enough time to be in one area, I think. I need to leave my "birthplace" and get other learning experiences that I can't get here.

This week I had a couple of small miracles happen that helped me feel more strongly that I am where I need to be right now, in Connecticut. One of our recent converts called us up needing "faith CPR"he was having doubts about the Book of Mormon. We went over there and I shared some things that I have learned over the years that have helped me through times of doubt. Then he said, "I keep wondering if I joined this church just because I loved the people and they were so nice." I said, "I don't believe that. Tell Sister Darrington about the way you felt when the first sisters knocked on your door." Then I reminded him of other miraculous parts of his conversion and asked him to tell Sister Darrington about all of them. He later called to thank us and said the things we had shared really helped strengthen his faith.

Earlier this week he was having some reservations about accepting a calling in the
church. When I said the prayer to end our lesson I started spewing out something about how he would be blessed to magnify his calling and he would have many good memories of his service in the Young Men, that would be a blessing to him for many years. Something I wouldn't have said. I've heard stories of missionaries having the Holy Ghost speak through them and say things they didn't know to say. I think this was what happened to me. The point of these two stories is that I felt God was using me, and that I specifically had unique things to offer that were needed at that particular time. I haven't really experienced that before on my mission and it was a very satisfying feeling. Even if those two little things were the ONLY reason I was supposed to come out here at this time, I'd be satisfied with that—at least I feel like I have something to offer.

End of the novel. Lots of love,
Sister Monson
P.S. If ANY of my old friends/roommates are reading this, PLEASE PLEASE, I need Loraine's address! Gotta send her a very belated wedding card.