I don't know if I've told you guys about Marni but we clean her house twice a week. She shattered her foot at the end of the summer trying to stop her dog from attacking her neighbor. This weekend we went to help her decorate for Christmas and put up the tree. They had all the cute ornaments with the baby pictures and all of a sudden I realized that I wasn't going to be home for the holidays. I sometimes wish I could just quit my mission until the end of the year, fly home, and then come right back to Georgia ;)
So Kiaundra dropped us. She told us that she has a testimony of the Book of Mormon but she feels guilty going against her family. She got her answer that she needs to stop going to church and meeting with us for now. I didn't think I could be so heartbroken about an investigator. Sis George and I were super upset and on top of that, homesick, so we called Sister Watkins. Sister Watkins told us to say a grateful prayer and at the end, ask for direction on where to go with Michael and Britney. They have not been progressing at all and we were wondering whether or not to drop them. Last week Michael had told us he wasn't interested in changing religions and got a little offended because he thought we were trying to tell him that only Mormons are going to go to heaven. After a long prayer, a much needed companion sob, and some preparation for Michael and Britney, a great feeling of peace came over me, just like the one I get from going to the temple. Amazing what prayer and a little bit of gratitude can do for you :)
Our lesson with Michael and Britney went really well. We broke Michael down a little bit and he told us that he just really wants to find the truth. Sis George and I came to the conclusion that Michael is just another Sis Fullwood. He is going to take a long time to get to converted but once he is converted, he will stay converted. Ben and Casey are doing well. BEN FINALLY PRAYED IN FRONT OF US!! We got him to open up a little bit about his wife and we had a really nice conversation with him and Casey. We are going to try and recommit them to baptism this week for the first week in January. New year, new changes, hopefully they can see that once they are baptized, they will start to see enormous blessings come into their lives.
I definitely had a little bit of an attitude change this week. I've had some negative build up the last month and I've been praying and praying and praying for a way to help me get through the holidays. Well, Heavenly Father has a sense of humor because I got my answer very clearly, 4 times this week. I had a lesson on gratitude, a talk in sacrament meeting on gratitude, Sister Wolfert spoke to us about gratitude, and so did Sister Watkins. It may be the fact that Thanksgiving is this week, but I'm taking it as Heavenly Father wants me to me for grateful.
I am grateful to be here in Georgia. I've met the nicest people that I've ever met in the world here. I love tracting because I get to meet so many different people from around the world, I know that this is the most perfect place for me in the world. Heavenly Father knows me so well. I'm grateful for prayer and the ability to communicate with him. I'm grateful the daily inspiration I receive as a missionary for the people I'm teaching. I'm especially grateful for my mornings because I get to work out and just study whatever I want. It's my one on one time with Heavenly Father. I'm grateful for a place to live, a bed to sleep in, food to eat, clothes to wear. Even though they may not be as durable clothes as I need them to be ;) I'm grateful for my Savior and for the Atonement. I'm grateful for our bishop and stake president who work so much with the missionaries. I'm grateful for a loving ward that has a strong enthusiaum for missionary work and takes good care of Sister George and I. I'm grateful for a car. I'm grateful for President and Sister Wolfert. They are awesome and I am not looking forward to them leaving in June.
I'm especially grateful for my family. I'm grateful for parents who put up with me and never gave up on me. I'm grateful that I can say I have a worthy priesthood holder as a father. I'm grateful for a mother who has always been the perfect example to me of a strong women who takes good care of the people she cares about. I'm grateful that I was raised in a home that was centered around Christ. I'm grateful for Tanner and his willingness to serve a mission because he has been a huge example to me. I'm grateful for Ashtyn, Rylee and Ethan and the crazy fun loving kids that they are. I love my family to death! I wish more than anything that I could be home for the holidays but 31 more days till I can see yo lovely faces!!
