Hola Hola! ¿Como estan todos?
Missionaries have a lot of goals. LOTS of goals. We have key indicator goals that are for the whole mission. We have zone goals, district goals, companionship goals, and personal goals. A goal for the whole mission is to have a baptism every quarter. Our zone goal was to just have someone on date in June, even if you already had one in the quarter.
Whoever got someone on date in June was going to get a steak. Elders here love steak for some reason, like someone is always cooking one on P day, it's kind of weird.
Obviously if you have stayed up to date with my emails you know that my companion and I are fresh out of non members and are only teaching inactives. And when I say fresh I really mean stale. We haven't had a non member amigo for a long time. Really long time... like really okay we get it. So we were kind of bummed that we weren't reaching those goals but knew we were doing our very best. In hindsight, I think I knew we were doing our best but my companion wasn't so sure.
We don't really care about the steak but it was going to feel bad sitting with everyone eating their steaks and us with our frozen alfredo Lean Cuisines. Those do slap though.
Anyway, we get a referral on Saturday of a guy named Daniel who had met the missionaries back in Michigan and he wasn't interested. But now he is and was going to probably come on Sunday (he did) This is a miracle and I don't think I fully realized it because I was a new missionary but people say they'll come to church all the time but they NEVER do so the fact that he said he would and actually did is awesome. Then we met with him again on Wednesday to get to know him and see where he's at spiritually. He didn't remember learning anything from the missionaries. He said he just remembers playing a lot of ping pong with them.... Elders am I right ;) fr.
We taught the "Resto" and focused on the priesthood and the Book of Mormon with him. When we got onto the BoM I randomly said, "Daniel let's open up to 3 Nephi 11:10-33" And those scriptures are when Jesus Christ comes to Earth and essentially says you have to be baptized by the proper priesthood authority to be saved (Not sure how that came to me. Before my mission I couldn't give a scripture reference to save my life). Unfortunately, I cannot give or remember references once again. My brain doesn't store them for some sad reason. Then I asked how he felt about that and he said "Sounds like baptism with the proper priesthood is a very important thing I need to do."
Then we asked him to be baptized July 17th and he said Yes!!
On June 30th we put someone on date. The last day of the month. Our last chance.
God works at the buzzer.
This is a very timely reminder for me.
Right when you're about to give up all hope He steps in and works miracles. Veeeery very timely.
We literally had no. one. Then he drops Daniel (a GOLDEN investigator.) into our laps at the last second.
It makes me laugh because past me (aka me 3 months ago/not a missionary) would be like haha okay cool! That's awesome. And then I'd move on, but missionary me is STOKED. It's an adrenaline rush to ask someone to be baptized and for them to ACCEPT?? Man. Spiritual High. Awww haha
Me and my companion got back in the church after we walked him out and we just freaked. Out. We are so happy for him.
God works at the buzzer.
Plus, now we get that steak that we're probably not going to eat because all the elders here are barbarians and eat it so rare there's a 50/50 chance the animal is still alive. The cow was still mooing.
Wednesday nights my companion and I do Bible/Book of Mormon study with the YSA. We bring a treat for them and read a good chapter from the BoM and it's usually pretty fun! But for some reason right before the study this week the YSA started fighting over text and ripping into each other about a MOVIE. They all started to genuinely tear each other apart over Cruella. (I was going to show you all the text thread but I think the spirit is telling me that that's not necessary HA) I'm a "show me the receipts" person so this does not surprise me that I wanted to show everyone haha.
Anyway, no one came to BoM Study.
I have a few thoughts about that. One, why is everyone acting like they're in middle school, they're all 20+ ... come on people.
And two, our investigator is in that group chat!!!! What's he gonna think about the brutalness and loco-ness these guys got going on over a MOVIE. It was not that serious but also at the same time...
Me and my comp thought it was really funny that no one showed up, but also are concerned about the future attendance at activities and church. Everyone thankfully got over it. But for the rest of the time I was in that YSA every once in a while they would start fighting over such silly things.
Floridians call Florida the lightning state. And I say Floridians because Ive never heard that title for Florida in my life but I guess it has more lightning strikes in a year than all the other states combined?
I'm pretty sure I just made that up, can someone look that up for me. Seems legit. I looked it up and I couldn't find exactly what I was looking for but I stand behind what I said.
Anyway, turns out the church owns a cow farm out here and I guess on average 3 cows are hit by lightning each year.
Do with that information what you want I just think it's crazy and unfortunate for the cows. Each year at least 3 of them are goners due to lightning. They're probably sponsoring our steak dinner tbh. Some good ol lightning steak. I was going to make that joke again before I finished reading lol. Thanks lightning cows!
My companion has been praying to experience a hurricane during her mission because she's insane and now Florida has a "hurricane Elsa" headed our way! Tomorrow actually ha ha
And what's even better is no one tells the missionaries what to do during a hurricane, we're just supposed to text our DL that we're okay every hour... any one else feeling not great about those procedures?
Anyway, pray that her prayers won't be heard Nothing even happened. The storm was not bad at all.
Sorry these get so lengthy, every week I'm like "oh I'll have less to say next week" but I never do... huh. Weird.
I'm a talker.
Love you all!! You're the best!!
- HermanaSœurSister Beck
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