So if I said that this week was the longest and shortest of my life everyone would understand? Good, because I feel like I have been here as long as the Sisters who have been out 11 transfers. I think it's because I learn so much everyday that it feels that there is no way it was really just one day. But I seriously love it here. I get to talk to people all day and even if they are mean or rude I still love them and try to find someone new to show around (we do not give "tours" and we are not "tour guides" President Holmes said). We are pretty good though at teaching the gospel to people who don't want to hear anything about religion. For example, "This is the temple that took them 40 years to build. They put so much time and effort into it because they knew that it is because of temples that families can be together forever. I know that families can be together forever because..." you get the idea. So by the end, miracles happen and they want a Book of Mormon. But we only carry around our planners and a hardback BOM. I think it is to prevent Bible-bashing and plus the only thing we care about sharing is the Book of Mormon so we shoot to read a verse to everyone and get them to understand that they have to read it.
We have taught so many people around the world too! It's amazing though because I don't know these people and I don't know what they need to hear so whenever we show people around I always have a prayer in my heart to have the spirit tell me what to say. I could write a huge book about all of the times that the spirit has had me or my companion say something that the people needed to hear. One cool story is that we were teaching a Hindu Family (how on earth can we relate a gospel-centered-on-Jesus-Christ to them?) So we spent a lot of time on eternal families which we thought was going somewhere, only to realize they believed they already have an eternal family since they are reincarnated after every life. But my companion took the mom aside and told her about the Book of Mormon and left me to talk to the guys about doctrine. The lady ended up wanting a Book of Mormon and when we asked why she changed her mind she simple said, "I don't know. I just want it". It's not us; we just talk and hope the spirit is there so they will want to hear more. My companion is Filipino and she is always looking for Filipinos to teach. She said that her dream was to teach the rich people because they live in gated communities so missionaries can't ever talk to them. Well guess what kind of Filipinos we teach? The really, really wealthy ones and most times, from what I have seen, they want to meet with the missionaries. I hope the people who are interested end up joining the Church. I'll never know.
But other than that we also call people at the referral center. I haven't really gotten to talk to people much because they either hang up the phone or they don't answer, but the times when I do get to talk to people it really is amazing. I only have 10 minutes to have them feel the spirit and want to have the missionaries come visit them. It's hard but if you bear your testimony at every opportunity the spirit is there so if they say "no" that's their problem.
When we plan at night for the next day we plan for every half hour so it looks like this:
SVC-AH-TAB-Stats-CH (South Visitor Center - Assembly Hall - Tabernacle - Statues - Christus) temples - priesthood/authority - prophets - BOM (these are the topics we will talk about). An older couple, Catholic, they will need to know about the correct authority, Moroni 10:4&5.
And the amazing part is..... we actually find an older Catholic couple who needs to learn about authority. Sometimes I can even see the people who I need to find. One time while planning I envisioned a Hispanic kid we needed to talk to and guess what? We talked to a Hispanic kid. Nothing happened but I knew we would find him. ISN'T THAT SO COOL!!!???? I thought it was weird at first to plan for people but I know it works and because you planned on what they needed you are prepared. So planning usually lasts 30 minutes to an hour every night. It's intense but it's fun because my companion will be like, "Let's go to the Tabernacle" and I thought the same thing.
Ran into antis (anti-Mormons) a few times already or "baby" antis who are people who are in training. So they ask us a ton of questions to see how we respond so they can be ready the next time they talk to a Mormon. We usually just smile, give brief answers, and move on. Can't wait for conference time. Anyway gotta run but have a fabulous week!
Sister Nelson
Great job Karly! What fabulous experiences!
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