Back Up Plans

Hello family!

 

How's life?

 

Things in Texas are great!

We had an interesting week. We were running low on miles by the end so we ended up walking everywhere. We found some old potential investigators addresses so we've been trying to visit them. We probably visited at least 35 houses each day and probably out of those 35 one of two would be home or answer so the days felt really slow. By the afternoon we'd have already gone through our plans and our backup plans and even our back up, back up plans! It seemed like no one was around to talk to.  We resorted to A LOT of tracting which can be frustrating because it's not the most effective especially in this area. We've been using our family history approach which has actually brought us a lot more success. People are much more willing to tolerate us when we're talking about family history work rather than religion. 

 

We got two new investigators this week which was huge! Both of which were former investigators. 

One is Mary and she is an older woman with a heart of gold. 

The other is Cynthia and she was excited for us to come back. Hopefully we'll see some good things happen with them. Our first real meeting with both of them will be this week.

We also got in contact with Shelly again this week (the one we tracted into a few weeks back). Our first lesson with her will be today so hopefully it will go well and she'll invite us to come back. 

 

Velma was in the hospital this week with some chest pains but she is doing much better now and we'll be able to meet with her this week. Our relief society president was to good to reach out to her and see how she was doing. We offered to have someone come give her a priesthood blessing but unfortunately she said "just pray for me"... Maybe next time though :)

 Rosa has finally gotten home from her training. We had a good chat with her on the phone there other day and she said it went well! We're planning on having our next lesson with her tonight!

Dorisette fell off the face of the earth last week but luckily we got a call from her the other day. She is doing well but she had gotten in a car accident and things were a bit hectic for a while which is why we hadn't heard from her. She really wants to meet with us again though. I'm really glad that she is alright. Velma too. I've come to love these women so much!

Kaylee is going to be out of town for two weeks to visit her grandma in El Salvador (I told her to keep and eye out for and Hermana Poulter) so we won't be able to see her for a while which is a bummer but we gave her some assignments while she'll be gone.

 

I'm not going to lie this week was a tough one mentally, physically, and spiritually. Because so many of our investigators were struggling with things or were out of town we didn't get to meet with them this week or last week. We didn't see as much success as we wanted to but we worked as hard as we could. Sometimes its difficult because as a missionary you feel like alma and you just want to tell EVERYBODY about the gospel but it has proven to be really hard to find people who are actually willing to listen. I feel like my desire to share the gospel and teach people is overflowing and I'm deperate to get it out and share it with someone who will listen I just want to find someone so badly whom I can share the gospel with. I guess I just gotta be patient and keep working as hard as I can. I know there are people in Tomball who are prepared. I know it. I just got to keep doing everything I can to find them.

We're still working on earning the trust of our ward. We don't get any referrals but I feel like our relationship with the ward has greatly improved. The desire to share is there we've just got to help them act on it. It's funny how similar to our investigators that is. They have the desire to know if what we're teaching them is true it the acting on it part that is difficult for them. Same with the members.

 

Missionary work is hard but it's so rewarding on so many levels. I have learned so much these past couple weeks. I am so grateful for the chance I have to be here and to do what I am doing.

 

I love you all so much! Thank you for your support and prayers!

 

The Kingdom of God or Nothing!

 

Love, Sister Gregson

A Little Bit 'O Texas

3/3/14

 

Family Dear,

 

How's it goin?

 

This past week has been kind of a crazy one!

As you know I was at battle with myself on what I should do for school and when I should finish my mission. I think I knew that the Lord wanted me to go ahead and come home and start school but I was being stubborn and not accepting that.

Well on Tuesday during Zone Conference I went up to President and asked him if I could talk to him and he was so kind. He pulled me aside, took me into a room, said a prayer, and asked me what we needed to talk about.

I told him about my inner conflict and he gave me much needed and wonderful advice. He said "If you were my daughter, which I feel like you are, I would encourage you to go home and start school" he told me he felt good about me going home in July and that by then I will have completed the mission that the Lord has asked me to fullfill. I felt the spirit confirm those words to me as he spoke. It makes me sad to think that my mission is coming to a close and that that decision makes it even closer but I know it's what the Lord would like for me to do. I felt so much love from President Pingree. I thought it was so amazing that he would take that time for me and take seriously something that might seem so small to others but was such a huge thing for me. He is the most Christ-like man I have ever had the priviledge of meeting and I know that his influence on me will carry with me throughout my life and into the eternities. I feel so blessed to be able to serve under his cousel and direction. I couldn't have asked for a better mission president.

 

So as you know we've been trying really hard to figure out how to work in this area. Our usual tracting approach has had no immediate success. Well I've been feeling recently that we should try a family history approach but I wasn't sure exactly how to do that. Well the Lord is so good! On Tuesday we had Zone Conference and it was all about using family history in our proselyting! President had even planned to do Zone conference on a different topic but last minute he felt strongly that he needed to focus on family history work. He may not have known why but I certainly did! He shared some really amazing things with that I wish I could share with all of you. He talked about the power of the spirit of Elijah. He told us that there are ancestors on the other side of the veil praying for their decendants and preparing their hearts for the gospel. We've been praying that we will be led to those people whose ancestors have accepted the gospel and and whose hearts have been prepared by those ancestors. It's amazing to think that there are so many spirits on the other side helping us with missionary work!

Well this week we put it to the test and had much more success. We had a few people invite us to come back and help them get started! There are still a lot of people who aren't interested but it's amazing how when we talk about family history rather than our church they keep the door open a little longer and don't immediately shut the door on us. I know now why I took that family history class and got so into family history before I came out! What I learned then has helped me so much now in my proselyting. I carry my pedigree chart around and am able to share it with others and it has made me so appreciative to my ancsetors and their incredible faith. I love being able to carry a peice of them with me whereever I go.

 

We weren't able to meet with many of our investigators this week but they are doing well.

Kaylee was able to come to church this week which was a great miracle!

 

This gospel is so wonderful! Being a missionary is amazing! I have been feeling so grateful lately that I had the great opportunity to grow up with a knowledge of this gospel. I can't imagine my life without it.

 

I love you all and I hope you have a great week!

 

The Kingdom of God or Nothing!

 

Love, Sister Gregson