Can you believe it...it's been 6 MONTHS. HALF A YEAR. This has been some of hardest yet most rewarding 6 months of my life. How grateful I am to be able to serve the Lord at this time in my life! What a great past three days! Sorta crazy that I'm already emailing again but I do have some experiences we had that I want to share with you all!
On Friday, we had a chapel tour planned with a less active. While we were weekly planning, she had canceled. Her visit teacher, the bishops wife Sister Stevenson, had planned to come with us. Though she canceled, we didn't want to cancel (sounds familiar?...aka my last email has a similar story)! So we decided to call J, who is a less active we have been sorta working with (He was the one that we didn't plan to see but he was home and while we were talking we invited him to church and he said he had thought about attending church...and then he came that Sunday!) a couple hours before it, he responded and said he could do it! Sister Stevenson said she would still come which ended up being a tender mercy because she knows J well and her son is going through a similar thing as J. We did a brief chapel tour and focused on the paintings of Christ. We went to the chapel and had them sit in front of the sacrament temple. We discussed the importance of the sacrament then Sister Alius sang "Abide With Me 'Tis Eventide" the spirit was so strong! J talked about how he remembers passing the sacrament and what a sacred opportunity that was for him. It was such a neat experience for him to remember that spiritual memory. Everyday he is making progressing and our hearts are filled to the max with the love that our Father in Heaven has for J. I know that our Father in Heaven is watching over J and is so proud of the changes he is making in his life.
About 7:15 pm on Friday, we were at knocking doors and looking for potentials. As we were walking, we saw a group of about 20 people doing a bonfire outside. Sister Alius jokingly said, "Should we sing for them?" I was like "Sure, you wanna!?" She then awkwardly laughed and was like, "ehh..you choose. Cause if I choose, I'll say no. So without responding, I walked straight towards the bonfire (hopefully, I didn't embarrass her too much lol). I asked the group the stupidest question..drumroll please..."Are you all from Ohio originally?"...stupid...stupid..stupid but they all simpler responded with a yes or no..one lady asked if we were. We said we were from Utah and explained who we were. We then sang Where Can I Turn For Peace for them. Instantly, the group was quit and you could feel the spirit. We then testified of our Savior and His divinity. No way, would I have ever done that at home but because of this little black name tag, I get to represent our Savior Jesus Christ and testify of Him.
Saturday, we worked at a food pantry in Delaware through Just Serve. One of the rules for us doing service through just serve is that we can do any proselyting of any kind, just simply serve. While about an hour into working, it became really slow so us and about 7 others were standing waiting for people to help. As we were there, people started to ask us simple questions then led into what we do as missionaries. It was such a cool opportunity to share what we do. One guy came up to us and said, "I really appreciate what you do. You not only talk the talk but you walk the talk. Thank you for your example." It was such a neat experience to have. I've truly come to know that it is worth to stand for what you believe In and to be a light to this world. I love the rhyme from President Thomas S. Monson talk Dare to Stand Alone:
Dare to be a Mormon;
Dare to stand alone.
Dare to have a purpose firm;
Dare to make it known.
Lastly, as a mission we have made to a goal and big push to get investigators to church this month. We did a big mission fast the beginning of the month and lots of praying. This area hasn't had an investigator to church in at least 6 weeks maybe more. So Sister Alius and I really want to exercise faith and help someone attend. Last Monday night we met M on her moms driveway as we were living a street. I started to introduce ourselves as she cut me off and explained that she knew who we were. We started to talk to her and found out she had attend church with the sister missionaries last summer but stopped going for some reason. She explained that she was going through a hard time and was out of a job. As we were, talking I kept having the impression to invite her to church and promise her that she would find a job if she attended church with us. After wrestling with the idea, I realized it was a spiritual promoting and I could not deny it. I invited her to church and promised her that blessing. She wanted the promise to be true. We asked if we could meet with her this week and she declined because she was busy. We then asked if we could get her number so we could find a good time when she was free. She once again during declined but said if she came to church, she would give it to us. We were on our way, during the entire week I thought nothing of it. By Saturday, we were running around inviting people to church and teaching them the importance of it. Everyone was like eh about the idea. Sunday came and we had invited many people with no success...but then 10 minutes before sacrament meeting started, M walks in! What a miracle. We had her sit by the Hendersons and they were so good to her. We had talked to her once the only week and never saw her again...but she came!! Again, my testimony was strengthened that "Miracles happen through the faith of mortals."
It's such an incredible and sacred opportunity to wear the Saviors name everyday over my heart. This work isn't easy, in fact it never was or will be. Jeffery R. Holland said, "this work isn't easy because salvation never was cheap. It was never easy for Him[Christ] so why do we expect it to be easy for us?" I know the church is true and that Christ is the head of it. I know God lives. Thank you for all the love and support. Until next Wednesday... (Transfers are next week).
With love
XOXO,
Sister Detamore
1. Just messing around cause...PDAY
2. #what?!
3. Love her ❤️
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