Monday May 12, 2014

Monday May 12, 2014

Dear Family,

Thank you for the birthday wishes! I might not be able to answer everyone's right now, but I really am grateful for your love.

This past week has been such a blast! It's interesting; we've done so much finding (something that I used to dread) . . . and I've been happy!! There is something interesting about missionary work, and everything really meaningful in life. I often feel lazy and don't want to start whatever I’m supposed to be doing. But as soon as I do, everything rights itself and I feel fulfilled and happy. Running and contacting aren’t exactly the same thing, but just getting out the door and starting for either one is so hard. The feelings after a good run, or a good contact, are unbeatable and always worth the energy exerted! This we've had a lot of contacting time.  It's been fulfilling and fun. We've said more fervent prayers asking for help to find someone, and these prayers have made a huge difference. We've seen a lot of success knocking doors.  This is something I used to feel was kind of a waste of time. But that's a lie! Most of our contacting time is actually spent teaching. Teaching people on the streets!

We were biking down the street yesterday. A guy riding a scooter next to me asked, (while we were both riding) "Are you missionaries?"  "Yes!" I told him. "Oh," he said. Then I asked, “Do you want to talk with missionaries?"  "Keyi." (Sure), he told us.  We pulled over and talked to him for a bit. Turns out he has talked with the missionaries before, and was willing to set up an appointment with us again! Super cool.

One is a Tai girl who is in Taiwan for a couple months learning Chinese. I think the most incredible part of our lesson was teaching it all in English. It was so cool to say, in English, "When you know that the Book of Mormon is true, and that this is the true church, will you follow the example of Jesus Christ and be baptized by someone holding the Priesthood authority of God?"  And to hear, "I will."

Also this past week we were contacting up a street and skipped one house, because there were a bunch of men meeting inside, a few waiting outside, and it looked like they were busy and perhaps about to leave. As we kept contacting up the street we noticed them looking at us. After a lesson and more contacting up the street, they drove past us and stopped. It turns out that one of them was an investigator from THIRTY YEARS AGO!! HE was talking to US about Joseph Smith and The Plan of Salvation. He set up an appointment with us. We met with him a few days later, and he had his old Momenjing (the really old translation of the Book of Mormon), with all of the tracks that that missionary had given him. He was super interested, and even invited all of his friends to sit in on the lesson too! No effort is wasted. Some missionary forever ago prepared this man for this time now.

I love you!  

Sister Rachel Caroline Edwards