Faith like the Sons of Mosiah

Hello Family!!

It sounds like you all had a fun week!! This week for me was slow, well the work was slow, the time just flies by! We are back full time in Saint John. We had a few lessons with less actives and new converts but we still are not teaching anyone. This week we will spend most of our time finding a new investigator. We know there is a family prepared to hear the gospel, now we just need to keep that faith and find them! 
So I guess I need to write home more often about the things that I miss from home...I got a package from Jeff and Chelsy on Friday!!! Guess what was inside? They sent me warm socks, peanut butter, and Oreo's!!! Thank you so much!! So now if someone can figure out how to send me Cafe Rio that would be great!!! :D
I am trying to think of what else has happened this week. We got to teach Manfred for the last time. (he is in the Hampton area) It was a really good lesson. He was talking about how he can follow through on things and follow up with them. Like when he reads he has to read more to add to the knowledge that he already has. So we brought up baptism and told him that is how you follow up with what he has already learned..its the next step. He understands that baptism is important. so we extended the commitment. He said he would when he knew it was true. So I then followed up with a date to prepare by...he gave this really long answer. the short version is that we were being pushy. I tried to talk to him more about why we ask him to prepare for a certain date, but then the bishop steps in (he wanted to come to the lesson with us) and says its ok..take it one day at a time!! NO!! The only reason we ask him about a certain date is because we have prayed about it...we have felt prompted...and the the only way he will progress is if he is working toward something. You always hear about how members say the wrong thing in lessons...well now I understand more. So the other sisters will be teaching him now. I don't know how to explain it, but as we sat there in that lesson, after he said he would not be baptized  I felt that my work was done. There was nothing more that he could learn from me. It was now the responsibility of the other sisters to teach him everything that he needs to know. Its weird feeling to have that stewardship over someone gone in seconds. I know the sisters will be great for him and one day he will be baptized!!

So I was reading this week from Mosiah. At the end of the book the Sons of Mosiah ask their father if they can go and declare the gospel to the Lamanites. How much faith they must have had. This is something I have been thinking about a lot this week. They knew the truth about the gospel and could not bare having anyone not know the truth. Their father knew that if they left that there was a good chance that they would not come back. He was promised by the lord that they WOULD return home safe. I think about me in my life. How it was so easy..well a lot more easy for me. to go on a mission. There was no worry to me about weather or not I would return home safe. I was not going into someone's land that hated me and by taking one look at me might want to kill me. But I do try to compare my faith with their faith. How I can strengthen my faith. And how I can better understand my mission and what the Lord wants me to do. 
Before I left I promised myself..along with promising Amanda that I would not come home Awkward..You know like all of the missionaries that we have ever welcomed home..how they look like they don't know what to do with themselves? Well I have thought about it...If I don't want to be like that then I am not giving my whole self to the lord. I am not forgetting myself. Now my goal is to be the most awkward missionary when I get home! haha ;)

Happy Birthday Bobby!!!!! A card is in the mail!!!

Alex!!! You looked so cute in your dress...your hair is amazing!! I love the dress!! How was the dance? I hope you had a good time!!! Tell me everything! :D LOVE YOU!

Mickey! How is school? When is spring break? Maybe it will warm up for you to do something fun! I love you!! Miss you tons!!

Witzel's!! 9 weeks?!! Really? that is so crazy!!!!!!!! That went by so fast. Kaylee I am sorry to say that I have already fallen on the ice... I am trying to stay on my feet but my feet don’t like to stay on the ground! What are you naming your new sister? You can tell me!! I can keep a secret!!! LOVE YOU LOTS! 

Mom and Dad! How in the world do you have another daughter that is old enough to go on dates? and How do you have a son that will be 20 this week?! Did you know that Bobby and I have the same half way month? I just realized that! Crazy!!! I love you so much! Thank you for everything! 

I LOVE LOVE LOVE YOU ALL TONS!!!!!

Hope you have a great week!!!

Oh mom I almost forgot..is there anyway that you can order me a new set of glasses off of that website? mine are pretty much broken. I honestly think it is from the cold..either getting too cold too fast or the reverse. They have cracks on the side of the lens. Thank you.

Love,
Rachele