The Work Continues 8/5/13

Wow, the Heap reunion sounds like it was SO much fun! And I am excited that we'll have one next year! Those were always so much fun and camping in the forest sounds like so much fun!  The only camping we do these days is in other sister's flats on their couches or floors. It doesn't have the same thrill, but it's all for a good cause (: 

And tell Aunt Susan it's ok that she locked herself out of the van. She's not the only one with car troubles. Last monday after emailing, we went to ASDA to shop and then to fill up the car with petrol. I was almost finished pumping the fuel when I looked up to notice that I had just filled our tank full of unleaded rather than deisel.  I wanted to cry I was so embarrassed. There was a huge line behind us and we got absolutely drenched by the rain while we had to explain to an employee what happened. We put the car in neutral and pushed it out of the way so that others could use the pump. Then the zone leaders came while we waited for a tow truck. I was so embarrassed and felt rather humiliated with everybody driving around us and moaning about our car being in an inconvient place, but then a miracle happened.  Lightning struck near by and all of the pumps stopped working! They had to close down because no one could fill up and we were left sitting in our car all by ourselves at the petrol station. We waited with the zone leaders for about 45 min. until a tow truck came and the ZL's took us home.  The car was taken and emptied and fixed and we got it back Tuesday afternoon.  Everything is ok now and I'm happy.  Now it's just a funny memory to laugh about. Ha! 

 Zone conference was really good. I was incredibly nervous to give my departing testimony so I found it difficult to focus, but I did learn a lot about how to do better finding. It was weird because it finally hit me just how little time is left and I totally cried though my whole testimony.  But it was amazing. I had no idea what I would say and I wanted to say something that would mean something to the other missionaries.  I said a prayer before I went up and I was given words to say.  That is one of the blessings of being a missionary is that so often I don't know what to say and the Lord fills my mouth. Even now I don't remember what was said, but I think it was good. It was sad to say goodbye to so many missionaries. Even though transfers are this week, I don't know if I'll see some of them again. 

 Then we crammed in our final two exchanges on Friday and Saturday and it was so good.  YuChen is set for the 18th and is still reading 10 pages a day. David is now set for the 25th and is progressing extremely well.  On Friday night he went and did some research on Joseph Smith on the internet and ended up watching loads of anti stuff on youtube. He called us the next day to tell us he was freaked out.  So we left our exchange with the other Nottingham team an hour early to come home and visit him.  We helped him to know that Brigham Young wasn't a part of the KKK and a load of other rubbish isn't true. We read Alma 7 with him and told him that real truth comes from God and doesn't freak us out.  He felt a lot better and came to church again yesterday.  There was another baptism after church yesterday and I think it was really good for David to see. Man, I am so excited for the month of August. I can't imagine any better way to end my mission than with 2 baptisms. I have never seen such miracles on my mission! It is amazing! 

 This coming week will also be crazy.  I still don't know what will happen with me or who my next companion will be.  Tonight is dodge night when we find out all of the dodge on where everyone is going. I can't even guess who I think will be sister trainer leaders because they are all so young that right now anyone could be it.  It's not just by seniority any more.  

Tomorrow Sis.Turnbow and I go in to the mission office for final interviews with President. I actually hope I can wait until Sept. for my departing interview. It would be too weird to be interviewed a whole month before I go.  But Sis.Vance is going to bring one of our previous investigators Pat to the church tomorrow so I can teach a lesson with them during the interviews.  Sis.Vance said that Pat really wants to see me before I go so she's going to come down. I'm SO excited!  Then we'll have a departing banquet at the Rasmussen's and a testimony meeting. It's all called trunky night for some reason and this will be my 2nd one because I went to Sis.Brook's back in January because she was the only sister going home. Sis.Laborero will be there tomorrow as well because she is actually leaving in 2 weeks time  because her brother is getting married. There are 13 missionaries leaving plus Sis.Laborero and I this transfer. So, Sis.Laborero and I will come back to Harborne and stay the night here until we get our new companions on Wednesday. Sis.Turnbow will stay at the mission home with the other missionaries and fly out at about 6 am on Wednesday. Oh I am totally going to cry!  I have many dear friends going home this time including Sis.Paice from the office and Elder Tapia and many of my district and zone leaders. 

I'm not sure if I'll be in a threesome or not because I leave so close to the end of the transfer. But who knows? I'll let you know next week what happens. So life is crazy and I don't know what to think. I feel  like I should be going because Sis.Turnbow is going, but I am so grateful I can stay for the baptisms and work my hardest. There are so many more adventures to be had and many more miracles to come. Being a missionary is so so wonderful. And I love it (: