Aliens?

Good news, I am not being transferred, and neither is Sister Heaps.  I am glad. I have had a different companion for the last three transfers when I can usually hold on to the same companion for that amount of time.  I never remember what we did during the week, so I am sure glad that I have my handy dandy planner to help me remember.  

On Monday we did the usual stuff and then we got an oil change for our car since the light kept flashing.  We had called the vehicle coordinator, and he said it was ok.  Later in the week he called us and said that we shouldn't have done that because it just got the oil changed, but he told us to, and he was confused, and we were confused, so we were all this big bunch of confused.  We felt pretty bad, but we don't usually stir up trouble, so hopefully he will get it all straightened out.  After the oil change we went to dinner at one of my favorite member's home. I can just feel the Spirit so strongly when I go there.  They are converts of about 4 years and they are amazing.  They have such a strong testimony of the gospel and how it has totally changed their lives.  His dream is to be a mission president in his native land of China.  If anyone could open up China for missionary work, it would be him!  

After dinner we picked up a girl preparing for a mission and went to an appointment only to find them not home.  We went tracting instead and met some interesting people including a man who believed aliens visited the ancient peoples of the earth and gave them technology.  Made me think of the last Indiana Jones movie.  We then went to say goodbye to a woman who got moved to the other ward.  She is a convert, hilarious, and sometimes struggles going to church.  We wanted to make sure everything was going to be ok and that she could still call us if she needed anything.  She was a little sad, but she responded with her usually fire and attitude, so I think she will be fine :)

We had forgotten to put this week on the dinner calendar, and with General and Stake Conference we didn't get an opportunity to fill it, so we were on our own for most of the week.  In the morning we did some follow ups and made other calls, had lunch, and then went to volunteer at the food bank since they needed some extra help.  Sister Heaps and I alternated filling bags with various food and making little toiletry bags.  I liked doing the latter because it smelled really good in that corner.  

We then went to an appointment with an investigator.  We are struggling with how to show her that the way to get closer to God is through going to church, praying regularly, and reading your scriptures, particularly the Book of Mormon.  She believes that she doesn't have to do all those things to have a good relationship with God, and as a result her relationship isn't progressing.  It is hard to help her see the correlation. I just have such a firm testimony that it matters!!!  Keeping the commandments brings you closer to God.  It is that simple.  You don't have to be perfect at it, you just have to try.  He expects us to have a desire to come closer to Him and then do what we can do get there.  When we fall short, sin, or simply make mistakes (which we all do), that is where Christ's Atonement kicks in to make up the difference.  So no matter how small our effort, the Lord will magnify it.  Elder Christoffersen said in this last Conference, "go to work so that there is something for God to help us with".  It is so true!!  He can't help someone who is not willing to act.  The rest of the day we tracted, stopped by potential investigators, and we were able to see a member.  We then went home so we could exchange in preparation for specialized training and interviews on Wednesday.

75 is brisk! Just kidding!

Sister Harrison was with me for the day since our companions were busy with the training all day.  It has been little chilly in the morning, getting to a brisk 75.  As a result all the Texans are breaking out the sweaters.  I wore one to interviews and Sister Heaps said, "I have never seen you wear that sweater before."  I simply replied, "I haven't had to wear a sweater before."  (Except to church, it is freezing in there).  We went to the first round of interviews, and I think it went much better than last time.  Only a few people came out solemn.  The training was good as well.  We talked about being bold and loving and I think it is really going to help us find the prepared and lead them through the gate towards eternal life. 

After the training we had some lunch, and then Sister Harrison and I went walking. We parked the car and decided to walk to all of our appointments that afternoon.  We were able to meet with this really great woman and she was very nice.  We invited her to read the Book of Mormon and she said she would have to pray about it.  I am confident that she will get the answer to read it.  It is God's book, why wouldn't he tell you to read it?  We then went to a park to figure out our plans since we had planned on them being finished by then and switching back.  They called us and said they were on their way, so we went back to the car and made some phone calls and tried to set up appointments while we awaited their return.  They came back, Sister Heaps and I had a quick dinner, and then we had a lesson with a recent convert and finally finished the Plan of Salvation, it was great.

Thursday was kind of crazy.  We got a call from the zone leaders in the morning saying that Regent Care needed volunteers to help the old people do their grocery shopping from 10-11:30.  I am not quite sure why the zone leaders asked us since they knew we had an appointment to have family history training at 11:15, they were going to be with us!  We went anyways though, knowing we were going to have to leave a little early.  The traffic was bad, so we were a little late, but we got there and didn't see anyone but the Legends sisters.  We waited as long as we could,but then we had to leave.  We then had family history training and learned cool new ways to look for people.  Also a neat service project.  For the website billiongraves, you download the app, go to a cemetary, take pictures of headstones, and then you transcribe the information.  If you are looking for a project for the young women, that might be fun.  It would probably be hard in the dark though.  So just some food for thought.  We then did our weekly planning at the church, eating dinner there.  We were then able to stop by and see a less active, part member family  along with another member.

Friday was crazy, we were booked all day long.  We had a wonderful district meeting on repentance, the kind that makes you want to repent.  Made it seem like a pleasurable experience.  It was great.   We then had a quick lunch, saw a few members and did a little tracting. Met a lady who totally tried to tear us down, tell us we were absolutely wrong and to go read the Bible again because we obviously weren't getting it.  I understand that not everybody wants to hear what we have to say, but you don't have to stomp on what we believe and tear it apart!  We are just trying to build people's faith in Jesus Christ, but we aren't going to help if you don't want it.  A simple "no" will suffice.  Afterwards I just felt sad.  We have this wonderful message to share with others and when they so vehemently shoot us down, it is a little sad. But then we think about how the Atonement covers that too, we move on and talk to nicer people.  

We went to see a lady whose husband is out of town a lot.  We were there for about two hours because she really opened up to us and you can't just leave at moments like that!  She needed us!  So we were a little late to our dinner appointment with an investigator, but they were ok.  They know we are usually very reliable and on time, so they were just worried about us. We had a great dinner and a lesson, they committed to go to church, and Dash actually remembers what we have taught him, all miracles.  We then saw a guy we have talked to previously who talks like a lawyer, but is actually very intersted in what we have to say. I love his family already and hope that as we continue to share our message with him, he will embrace it.

On Saturday we met the elders at the church to give a church tour to this guy we met at CVS when Sister Heaps was sick.  He lives in the elder's area, so we thought this would be a good way to hand him off.  It was a good tour and we taught the Restoration afterwards.  He is from Venezuela and though he understands English pretty well, he seemed to be struggling a little bit.  I have picked up quite a bit of Spanish on my mission and I was able to share a brief, simple testimony of the Book of Mormon in Spanish.  Hope it helped!  

Afterwards we had some lunch and then went to a few appointments.  The first one fell through, but the second was awesome.  We brought a member who bears powerful testimony of the Book of Mormon with us and she was able to help the investigator see why he needs to read it.  I want to be able to bear testimony like that!!  Going to work on that one.  Afterwards we had a little dinner, and then we did some tracting and found a new investigator.  Pretty good night!

Sunday we barely had time to think it seemed!  We had ward correlation and then ward council.  Our investigator came to sacrament meeting and that was awesome!!!  We even had an investigator who got moved to the other ward go.  It was a miracle. It was a missionary farewell for one of the girls that we take out with us all the time.  She is going to the Salt Lake City South mission and we are going to miss her!  After church we saw one of our investigators and tried to pin down a return appointment.  She is 14, and it is kind of hard.  We then had a family sign up for dinner on the spot which is a miracle since Sister Heaps is gluten intolerant and most families have some sort of gluten in dinner.  We then went with a recent convert and her husband to another mission president's fireside.  I didn't get the opportunity to audition because they had filled all the spots before I even got the opportunity.  It was a great fireside though!  I am so glad that they were able to come.  I feel like all of the testimonies were aimed directly at them.  It was wonderful.

Well I hope that y'all have a great week and that it cools down in Cali sometime!

Sister Hudgens

My District

Not a Fan of Grits and Shrimp but God Bless Those Peas!

We love The Woodlands!

I don't know what all we did this week, but it went by super fast!!!!!  The days just flew by.  Monday was super stormy.  The power went out at the library for just a few minutes and then it came back on.  Our dinner canceled because they had the stomach flu, so we just stayed home.  We left a little early to get our car vacuumed, and got totally lost, don't even know how that happened!  We then went to see potential investigators and made some appointments.

Tuesday was nice.  We tried by more former investigators and potentials and then had our little picnic lunch.  We had to make an emergency bathroom stop at a less active member's house and she let us in.  We talked with her for a little while and then left feeling relieved and happy to have met her.  We visited a few members and then had a delicious dinner with a member,  We then made a road trip to Montgomery to go on splits with those sisters.  I never knew where Montgomery was before.  I now know it is about 20 miles outside our area and that  going there and back killed our miles.  We will be walking a lot this week.  It was good though.  I went with Sister Diaz to see a recent convert and to teach her little sister.  We then went back to their apartment and we talked about the area and their companionship.  We then headed home, dreading the  rest of the week knowing how far we went.  Turned out not too bad, we just lost all of our wiggle room.

On Wednesday we taught seminary again, the seniors this time.  They were a little more asleep than the sophomores.  We took a little nap after and then we went to PCI.  We didn't have to dig any more holes!!  That was good.  We just moved around pallets and we got to ride in the bed of a truck.  That was fun.  We had a quick lunch and then went to an appointment with an investigator.  I think it went well, it is always hard to tell with her.  We got out late though and missed an appointment with someone else.  That was a little bit of a bummer, but it will turn out fine.   We tracted around for the rest of the afternoon, had a really really long conversation with a member on the phone, and got really wet running from the car to the front door of our dinner appointment.  We got to meet a really cool guy that was the neighbor of a member.  The member had referred them to us and it was really good, he was super nice.  We hope to get in and start teaching them soon.

We had a busy Thursday!!  We volunteered at the Interfaith food bank and that was nice.  We filled bags with various goods to give to seniors and made little toiletry bags.  Those smelled really good.  We then had a little lunch and Sister Heaps had a conference call with the other leaders. I managed to write 5 entries in my journal in that time.  I am a little behind since I've been in the Woodlands I was sick and just wanted to sleep.  I am getting caught up now though!  Only two weeks behind!  We then went to go see a recent convert who is having a bit of a hard time.  He is basically in a fight with his best friend, sad.  He is so strong in his faith though, it is awesome.  Afterwards we did our weekly planning and had some dinner.  We then went to see a member, but she wasn't home so we knocked on her neighbor's door and it was great.  We saw another member and then went home.

ME & Sis Tofa

On Friday we went on exchanges with the Legends sisters after district meeting.  Before we left the church I practiced a song with with one of the elders who agreed to play the piano with me.  We changed parts of it to meet our playing ability and it sounds pretty good!  Then Sister Tofa and I went off to Legends!  We had a good day.  We saw a few members and we had dinner with the same family that I had dinner with when I was on exchanges in Imperial Oaks (long story).  That was crazy.  We then went to the church and played volleyball as a finding activity.  It was lots of fun, I actually made a point or two and touched the ball on a number of occasions, and there were nonmembers there!  Lots of fun.  

Saturday morning we went to a baptism of someone that Sister Heaps had taught in Cypress, further killing our miles, but it was a good cause.  The baptism was great.  I felt the Spirit so strongly, and I didn't even know the person!  It was beautiful. We then stopped at a gas station and picked out the least disgusting food for lunch because we didn't have time to stop before our next appointment.  That appointment fell through, but we were able to do some good stuff before we went to an appointment with our investigator.  

It was really good. She has such an understanding of the Atonement already, and she uses it daily.  It is great!!  She loves all the members she knows and wants what she sees in them for her grandson.  She just needs to accept the fact that she is already basically member and just come to church already.  We saw a member and then parked our car and walked to our dinner appointment, knocking on doors along the way.  We knock on a door and a woman opens it.  We start saying who we are and then a man behind her says excitedly, "Is it the Mormons?"  We were kind of afraid.  He either wanted to Bible bash with us or he was super prepared were our only thoughts.  He told us that he had waited 15 years for missionaries to knock on his door because he was so fascinated by them.  He talked to us on the porch for a good 15 minutes telling us all the stuff he knows, how much he respects us, about him, and how he and his wife would love to take us to lunch sometime.  Not what we were expecting at all.  It was really cool.  

We then had to speed walk to our dinner appointment because we were already late.  For the first time on my mission I had something I didn't like. (It was grits and shrimp.  There was peas on the side and that is what saved me).   That's ok though, because that means I talked to them more instead of eating.  We then went tracting and visited a member.  She made brownies for us, so that made up for dinner.  We then went home and wrote out thank you notes for a bunch of people in the ward.

On Sunday we had stake conference.  It was a really big deal because they were splitting the stake.  The Spring stake split into the Spring and The Woodlands stakes.  They also realigned our ward boundaries which I was not happy about.  They only took a little part out, but it is the part with our #1 investigator.  I am really tired of people not giving me a heads up about changes in my area. I feel responsible for the people in my proselyting area and when they take people away from me I get very upset.  I was very distraught every time I thought about it. I had to go pray about it.  I felt an unmistakable feeling of peace, so while I don't like it, I am at peace about it.  

We then took with us a girl who is leaving for her mission in two weeks.  She drove us around to see investigators and potentials, and even went tracting with us.  We tracted into one of her co-workers so he listened to us.  That was awesome.  She then took us back to our car so we could go to dinner.  Ironically enough, her family had been invited to dinner as well, so that was fun.  We had a great dinner and then we went to Autumn Leaves to sing with the old people.  It was really good.  With General Conference last week we had forgotten to go, so it was nice to go this week.  It was a good week.  Crazy, but good.

Happy fall y'all!

Sister Hudgens

The leaves are actually changing colors

Memories of the San Diego Zoo

Gorilla statue reminded me of the San Diego Zoo

Sounds like a low key week.  Mine was kind of like that too.  Monday was very relaxed and we had dinner at the bishop's house.  We then went to a member's house to FHE with them and an investigator.  The investigator wasn't able to make it, so we had FHE with her.  It turned into a two hour appointment because she talked a lot.  All we did was asked her where she works and that turned into an hour and a half long story with no pauses to breathe.  So just remember everyone, missionaries are supposed to be in and out in an hour, don't keep them forever because we are too polite to interrupt!!

Sis Harrison & Me with the gorilla

On Tuesday Sister Heaps had to go to a leadership meeting, so the other sister training leader drove down, met at our apartment, we switched companions, and then they drove away to the meeting.  Sister Harrison became my companion for the day.  We did a lot of walking around.  We tried by potential investigators and less actives, but didn't really get in to see anyone.  

Our companions still weren't back, so we went to dinner at  a members house.  They saw Sister Harrison and just laughed and said, "You have got to be kidding me".  They had had a crazy night with nothing going right and they had been scrambling to find something fast and gluten free for Sister Heaps, and she wasn't even there.  We apologized and said that she was supposed to be there, but they just laughed it off which was good.  Half way through dinner our companions showed up because they needed to switch and get to an appointment, so they ended up feeding all four of us.  They are such good people!  We then met another member that we didn't know and went to the library to plan our seminary lesson for Thursday morning.

Wednesday we went to the horse ranch and we dug more of the hole.  They needed it deeper.  It was such an awkward angle and a small space, that only two could really work at it at one time.  Sister Heaps and I did the first shift while the others cleared some brush.  We then headed home to have lunch and study, and then we had an appointment with an investigator.  It went well, but we are always there too long!!!  We are really working hard to cut down the time we are at people's homes so they will be more willing to welcome us back again.  After our appointment we had dinner with a family and then went our to tract.  We saw a family and then went in to prepare our lesson for seminary tomorrow.

Taught seminary Thursday morning.  It starts at 5:50, that is so early.  I don't remember how I used to do it!  It went well though.  We taught from D&C Sections 14-16.  They are basically the Whitmer brothers mission calls, so that was cool.  We talked about some of our experiences, showed the mormon message "Same Jersey", and then committed them all to be missionaries.  It was really good.  Another seminary teacher heard about it and now we are teaching the same lesson on Wednesday to the seniors.  We then took a little nap before 8 o'clock studies and then commenced weekly planning.  For seven hours.  Seven.  It was so long.  We got a lot done, but it was so long.  We then had a lesson with a recent convert.  She is 17 and so cute.  I just love her.  She is great, but is so busy with sports she doesn't have time for church.  Her season ends at the end of the month, so we are hoping she will be able to come more often.

On Friday we had zone meeting and it was really good.  The number of ITLs we have to get has been lowered to 15 (much more achievable with all the appointments we have).  We can go to the temple once a transfer on a p-day now (changing your p-day to a different day of the week) as long as a member takes you.  So a couple of changes and some really good training on how to better work with members.  They emphasized how our purpose is to invite ALL people to build their faith in Jesus Christ, members, investigators, and everyone else we come in contact with.  Also how we need to embed ourselves in the ward council.  Missionaries really want to help the ward and can help in phases.  Remember, ask the missionaries, they can help!  

After zone meeting we did some family history training.  We are learning how to do it so we can help others.  I feel like I already know quite a bit, but I can always learn more!  We then dropped off a Korean Book of Mormon to one of our investigators and went tracting.  That was a street full of prepared people!!!!!!!!!!  Almost every door that opened, someone listened to what we had to say and even seemed interested.  We got a referral for the YSA elders, a new investigator who said "I don't know what prompted you to knock on my door, but I am glad you did", someone who said they would watch conference, and we talked about families to a young father for 10 minutes and directed him to where he could look at a "The Family: A Proclamation to the World"  It was awesome!  

We then had a good dinner and met a less active woman.  She was really nice, but clearly stated about 3 times that she was now Southern Baptist.  She said we could come back though, so who knows what will happen.  We also dropped by one of our investigators' and gave her a present.  She is moving into a new apartment since there was a little fire in her's.  We gave her a framed picture of Christ and a copy of "The Living Christ", the testimony of the 12 Apostles.  She wasn't there, but her daughter was and it was good to talk with her and get to know her.  We have a lot in common.

Saturday was the beginning of General Conference.  I have never loved conference more than I have on my mission.  It was amazing!  We watched the first session at the stake center and the second session with a less active family.  I thought it was really neat that some of the speakers gave their talks in their native language.  I loved watching Elder Holland speak. Go back and watch it.  He put so much emotion into his voice and was almost crying in some places.  It is worth it to go watch his talk.  I also really like Elder Christoffersen and Elder Jorg K(I can't spell his last name).  We had a good dinner with a family and then went off to contact some more people.

The Sunday sessions were also really good.  We watched the first session with a family who joined the church in China two years ago and then we had lunch with them.  They are super nice and sent us home with lots of snacks and gluten free brownies (which are better than regular brownies).  We then went tracting before the second session which we watched with another member.  They have a tradition where they try to finish a puzzle before conference is over.  Though of you mom!!  I know how much you like puzzles.  We then had dinner at a park before going out to tract.  We stopped by and visited a member family.  They are super musical so I was able to borrow some music.  We then stopped by another member before returning home.  

I just love General Conference!!!  I love that we have the opportunity to listen to a living prophet and apostles.  We have the same organization has Christ's church, and He truly leads us today as He led His church anciently.  I can't wait to get he Conference issue of the Ensign so I can go over the inspired messages that we received this weekend.

Street sign on way to Stake Center

Love your missionary who is beating the streets in The Woodlands!

Sister Hudgens

Wild Hogs and Dragon Boats

We decided on pasta salad for lunch this week!

So I most likely will be coming home on the 25th/26th of February because that is how the transfer cycle works out.  I asked someone in my ward to help me find music, so we will see how it will work.  

I love you mom and I think you are great :)  I feel like I have appreciated you and all the things you have done more and more on my mission.  So thank you for everything! 

This was a really crazy week and we had so many appointments, it was great!  Monday wasn't super exciting, but it was nice.  On Monday night we went on exchanges, so I went to Imperial Oaks with Sister Murphy.

Sis Murphy amd me!

Tuesday was one of my favorite exchanges so far.  We had a lot of fun together!!  Sister Murphy was trained in Katy 4th and opened it up for sisters, so we already had that connection.  On Tuesday, Imperial Oaks and a few other companionships go to this nature preserve and do service.  We pulled grapevine weeds off of trees and it was funny to see the elders grab the thicker vines and act like they were swinging from tree to tree.  It was fun to be with different missionaries than usual and in the words of Sister Goodrich, "That district is full of a bunch of nerds".  This was illustrated as they walked into the woods singing the opening song from Beauty in the Beast and the elders all joined in at the different parts.  It was hilarious.  

After service we had some lunch and then went out.  These sisters are on bikes, but one bike is getting fixed so we walked instead.  We walked over the tracks into a trailer park to teach a lesson to their recent convert.  We met a very jumpy dog along the way.  It was a little dog and kept jumping up really high and evening spring boarding off our hips and doing flips.  It was pretty funny!  We then searched for a trailer and thought we located it.  We then checked the phone and realized we had missed some calls.  Our dinner appointment had canceled and someone else offered to take us out.  Funny thing was, she is not even in that ward, but she took us to dinner anyway.  After dinner we went to the trailer we thought a less active lived in, only to discover it was not.  But the guy that lives there had a Book of Mormon he was reading, so that was cool.  

We continued walking on our way and met one of their potential investigators and talked to him outside for a while.  We then walked to a member's house, one that was going to take us to exchange back.  Her name is Diana Hoelscher and she is a super awesome speaker on member missionary work. Look her up on YouTube or something.  She is great. We then switched back and it is always nice to be home.

Wednesday was fun.  We went to the horse ranch and after picking some paddocks we dug a hole.  We are digging partway under a bridge so they can get jacks under and do some stuff.  They other missionaries had done it last week, but it rained a lot and so we had to start back at square one.  At least the dirt was soft!  Then we had lunch, watched some videos for district meeting on Friday, and then tried to visit a less active.  They weren't available so we tracted and found a lady who wants someone from our church to talk to her cub scouts about family history.  That was neat.  

We then went to dinner with this couple that went really long.  As we were returning to their home, I mentioned a car that was parked really close to ours. He then mentioned that his neighbors were having bible study and we should go too.  So we went over.  They weren't doing the study that day, it was their social, so we talked with them for a little bit.  They were nice, but a little standoffish at us missionaries.  We are a scary bunch!  We then went tracting and returned home.

On Thursday we had a great opportunity to watch Meet the Mormons.  It was awesome!!!!!!  When it comes out wherever you are, go watch it.  Invite a friend to go with you, it was great.  The Church is really good at making movies now.  So....go see it!!!!!!  Then we did weekly planning and that took forever so we were rushing out the door to dinner.  We had dinner with a convert of about two years and her daughter.  Her husband wants to join the church too, but he is in China right now and they want him to get baptized here.  I really am not entirely sure what is going on there.  

We then went to go see a referral that Sister Heaps' mom had sent us.  I guess a friend of her's had moved here a few years ago, so she looked her up and sent us her address.  It was one street outside our area, but the mission president didn't hesitate in telling us to go.  That was a very interesting experience.  Really cool.  

At the dragon boat races in our yellow mission T-shirts!

Friday was a crazy day!!  The zone leaders had sent us a text the day before saying the district was going to do some service at a park the next day helping some old people play games.  Sounded like fun!  We get there and there and there are lots of EZ ups and a big sign that says "YMCA Dragonboat Team Challenge" and no old people.  We then promptly called the elders and asked what the heck was going on and what did they sign us up for.  They didn't have much details, one of the mission president's councilor's wives had told them about the service activity and signed us up.  We soon discover that we are not there to help run the games or anything, but to be part of the Regent Care Center "Wild Hogs" team.  

Sis Heaps & I at the Races!

We got signed up to play with them because they needed more people to be on their team.  We were already there and couldn't exactly tell them no, so we played games!  We did minute to win it, dodgeball, obstacle courses, sumo soccer, and human fuseball.  We had to break it to the team that we weren't allowed to do the dragonboat, but it looked like fun!  It was the craziest morning ever, but it was lots of fun and we got to interact with the community.  

Our team on the dragon boat

Afterwards we had district meeting in the lounge of our apartment office since we were closer than the church building.  We had a quick lunch and a quick change and then went to go see an investigator, but she wasn't there.  We saw a less active sister instead and it was a really great lesson.  We showed her the "Because of Him" video and talked about the Atonement and she cried.  She still has a testimony and still believes, but her husband isn't  a member so it is easier to just not go.  She is a great lady though and even though I hardly know her I love her so much!!   We ate our dinner of PB & J (the first time all week) for the third Friday in a row.  Don't know why, but apparently no one wants to feed us on Fridays.  We have a dinner appointment next Friday though, so yay!  

After our dinner tried by some potentials.  We parked our car and decided to walk.  As we are walking Sister Heaps asked if I had tracted the street.  I told her we only tracted one side, so she looks at the house we are walking by, sees a little boy in the window, and says "Let's knock on this one, might as well".  A man answers the door and we spend the next half hour talking to him about the Book of Mormon and our beliefs.  It was a miracle!!!  That was the only house we knocked on and we found a new investigator. I am so glad we were able to listen to the subtle promptings of the Spirit, even though we didn't recognize them as that in the beginning.  We then had a lesson with a recent convert and it was a great way to end the night.

Saturday was jam packed with appointments.  We tried less actives in the morning, tracted, had some lunch, and from then on we were bouncing from appointment to appointment.  We went to an apartment complex where we have 4 investigators.  We saw one outside and talked to her briefly.  She had an incident with fire and sprinklers in her apartment so she is moving everything out.  She just seemed so heavy, so I shared one of my favorite scriptures on hope, Ether 12:4.  We then left her with a prayer and she was crying.  Oh how I pray for her!  

We then tried by a few other people and were able to get in and see our investigator Bob.  It was little miracle because he said he was supposed to go out of town, but didn't.  We were able to answer a few of his questions and then invite him to a church tour.  We then saw a member and a then had an appointment with a family we are teaching.  It was great!! They have had some concerns about the 10 year old not being able to sit through church, but those where gone.  As we talked about the Holy Ghost, the boy kept saying, "I want the Holy Ghost"  We invited him to be baptized in December and he said yes!  It was amazing how the Spirit had softened their hearts!  We then rushed to another appointment with a member and then to dinner with a hilarious family and then it was off to the broadcast!  It was really amazing there and one of our investigators was able to come as well.  Made it doubly good!  When Sister Marriot spoke and her Southern accent came out, everyone in the room just gasped and there was a lot of chit chat for a while. 

Sunday was good, very calm which was nice.  We were able to go out and contact a few people before we went to the church to make a ton of copies.  The meetings were all good.  I don't think I have heard the same person teach in Relief Society since I got here.  They have all been great teachers though and I have really enjoyed hearing from them.  We were able to contact our 14 year old investigator finally and set up an appointment, then we went to the church to eat our dinner and then went to Autumn Leaves to sing with the old people.  We didn't go last week and so it was really nice to be there!  We then met with two member families and they are awesome.  We have been trying to met every member of  the ward and share brief powerful messages and it has been going really well.  I love being a missionary!!!!!!!!!!!

Sister Hudgens

Really creepy window we saw!