The Lord is blessing our investigators with answers to their prayers! I love weeks like this. We've extended commitments and our investigators have been so so so willing, even grateful for the challenge!
Susan Byrd is golden golden golden. She's the woman who we OYMed and I had originally thought she was Sister Short. They look identical by the way. It's so funny to see them both at church. They are long lost twins. Anyways, Susan is so excited for her baptism on the 18th. If I am transferred I will miss it by 3 days! But that's just the nature of the work I guess. Some sow and others reap, and I've been blessed to be able to be in an area so long to reap the fruits of my efforts this far!
We taught Susan the word of wisdom and she was like, "I drink two cups of coffee every morning. I never knew it was wrong." As we testified about Joseph Smith and knowing the revelation was from God and that our bodies are temples etc. she was like, "I think God's been trying to tell me that all along. My stomach burns a lot. I should've stopped drinking it long ago. Oh you girls are so sweet to help me know what is right." Then she started thanking us and saying, "Had I never met you, I would be continuing to drink tea and coffee. Thank you girls so much." She went on about her health and said, "I've had a lot of surgeries because of acid reflex." And lifted up her shirt! ha ha. She wasn't wearing a bra, like most New Yorkers. It was a little shocking, in the middle of the lesson. But we committed her to live the word of wisdom. She said, "I'll give you all of it right now" and walked into her kitchen and we walked out of her apartment with a big container of coffee. We took pictures too that I'll be sending home. She was hugging us and just so happy to follow the commandment, cool huh? She's just amazing. She wants to do anything to follow God more fully. She's a strong woman and a good example to me.
Another answer to prayer, which I'm sure you know about. The church is making headway into China. Aw, what a blessing and answer to our prayers. Amanda is just sooooooo happy about it. The senior couple here had heard all the stories of our struggles while teaching all these chinese investigators and the heartbreak it has been saying goodbye to them as they have gone back there, after just loving attending church. So Sister Wood printed off the article and gave it to us during Branch PEC, and mouthed, 'read it'. OH MY GOSH! I couldn't wait to get out of the meeting because I could hardly contain myself. I was smiling so much and got all teary eyed in the meeting. Then when I showed my companions afterwards, I was jumping up and down and crying and hugging them. We brought it to Amanda a few days later and she already knew. She actually approached us about it first and said, "Do you know the good knews?" We took a picture with her and the Deseret News article. I've been missing Xun and Lu Dai too, and they never had the opportunity to be baptized. I know there aren't missionaries there yet, but by small and simple things, great things are brought to pass right?! I still won't forget Xun taking pictures of the pictures on the walls in the church his last Sunday. And I've promised Amanda that the church will eventually be there for her family so many times. I knew deep down while teaching these chinese people that they are going to be the strong members there when they return. They'll be the missionaries to those they know until there is proselyting there. Amanda bore her testimony all about it on Sunday. The ward was so impressed with her, as we missionaries have always been. She said, "This is not a big door, but it will get bigger." ha ha.
Our little Brazilian family is on fire! Kennedy and Adalena, the husband and wife, came to church with their kids and their book of mormons in hand. Adalena even bore her testimony in relief society, telling about how she turned missionaries away as they would knock at her door in Brazil but that her husband talked to the sisters here in Ithaca and he made her have us over, ha ha... and that now she knows that this church is Christ's church. Then she said, I don't know very much and my language is poor and ended. ha ha. If the spirit is right the next time we meet with them, we are planning on inviting them to be baptized. I love families and couples! It's all about that. The family is so central. I can see them getting sealed together in Brazil. Kennedy tears up when we talk about families living together forever. He is going to be a strong priesthood holder.
I'm just so impressed with the courage of those we're working with. They will do anything to live what we invite them to do. It's been a testimony to me how the Lord is preparing people every day for us missionaries to stumble upon. There is a quote in PMG where President Hinckley testifies about praying for the Lord to speak through you, and coming to know in a very real sense that we are His servants, speaking on his behalf. At the end he says, "...As they do so by the Spirit their investigators will respond under the influence of the same spirit." It's so true! When the spirit is present and guiding our words, our investigators are willing to do ANYTHING. It's kind of scary how willing they are. It's amazing to witness it all though. These are testimony building experiences that I am sooooo grateful Heavenly Father is letting me be a part of. They are feeling the spirit and seeing the positive impact living the commandments brings.
Everyone in the ward and branch keeps asking me when transfers are, with this little look in their eye like "are you ready?" We get the transfer call this coming Saturday. I don't know if I can do it! I always anticipate leaving and it never happens so I've stopped anticipating it, and now it probably will happen. I'm so unprepared to leave these people I love! Ah, I can't even think about it.
Well, I love you so much! I will be emailing on Tuesday next week.
Love, Sister Zwick
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