Hey Mom and Dad!
It sounds like y'all are doing well! That is getting hot for up there! It's not been too bad down here (knock on wood) all the locals keep telling me it's not nearly as bad as usual, and it usually stays in the low 100s or 90s, so no complaining here! I think Texas loves me, and so isn't trying to burn me out, literally, haha.
I would really love to hear from Garrett. And has he got his papers in yet!? Or does he already have his call? Or what? I'm so curious! Also, no gnome yet... I'm dying over here! Haha
It would be nice to get a deer fence around the berries and a sprinkler system in. So much easier than the pellet gun and hose system, haha:) It'll be fun to have fresh honey again. Are you going to sell any this year? Also, how are the trees doing? You said the cherry was producing, right? ...
Not much of anything happened this week, just more of the same. We're still struggling to find interested and sincere investigators, but the people we are working with are super nice and awesome. We've been working on changing the culture of the ward to be more missionary minded. I think that it'll be a long process, but a good one. The WML is great, and already a huge help. And I've noticed more and more interest from the ward members in what we're doing. Which is the first step!
We did have a bit of a roller coaster this week. We met this amazing family on Friday evening, who seemed too good to be true. Knocked on their door, they let us in, gathered the whole family, had an almost hour discussion about the restoration and the plan of salvation. They were asking the right questions. They said the first vision was beautiful and powerful. They were excited about the commitment to read and pray about it. But then, Sunday morning, they texted us and said they weren't interested. L We dropped by that evening to give them a Portuguese Book of Mormon (they're from Brazil) and try to talk more. At least to get them to keep the return appointment they had set, but they just wouldn't let us. I don't know what happened. Maybe anti? But it's heartbreaking. There was so much hope, I really thought they were going to be interested. I had tried to put up walls around myself so that if they dropped us, it wouldn't hurt so bad, but I just couldn't. I love them so much after just the one visit. The way things were working out (like the way we got the Portuguese Book of Mormon was a mini miracle), I thought it was God's way of telling me not to be skeptical, but to have faith it would work out. So, I tore down those walls I'd tried to build. But then, it came shattering down. I've only had people drop me when I wasn't expecting it once or twice on my mission, and it's just so hard. I mean, the blessing this would be in their life, they're just shutting it out. Why? I love them so much. I just wish they would have listened at least once more. I know there's nothing you can do, but I can't help but wonder. The spirit was so strong the first time, I don't know how they would have not felt it. It's sad, but I do believe there must be SOMEBODY here to listen. SOMEBODY has to be seeking for the truth. Otherwise, we wouldn't be here, right? We just keep looking for that person. And until we find them, I'll just keep working like it's all up to me and praying like it's all up to the Lord. Something will give. It has to.
Guess that's it for me. I hope you have a great week! I love you so much! I'm doing great down here. Sis Gorley and I continue to rock it together, and I look forward to another marvelous week as the Lord's missionary!
All my love,
Sister Erika Marks ☀
It sounds like y'all are doing well! That is getting hot for up there! It's not been too bad down here (knock on wood) all the locals keep telling me it's not nearly as bad as usual, and it usually stays in the low 100s or 90s, so no complaining here! I think Texas loves me, and so isn't trying to burn me out, literally, haha.
I would really love to hear from Garrett. And has he got his papers in yet!? Or does he already have his call? Or what? I'm so curious! Also, no gnome yet... I'm dying over here! Haha
It would be nice to get a deer fence around the berries and a sprinkler system in. So much easier than the pellet gun and hose system, haha:) It'll be fun to have fresh honey again. Are you going to sell any this year? Also, how are the trees doing? You said the cherry was producing, right? ...
Not much of anything happened this week, just more of the same. We're still struggling to find interested and sincere investigators, but the people we are working with are super nice and awesome. We've been working on changing the culture of the ward to be more missionary minded. I think that it'll be a long process, but a good one. The WML is great, and already a huge help. And I've noticed more and more interest from the ward members in what we're doing. Which is the first step!
We did have a bit of a roller coaster this week. We met this amazing family on Friday evening, who seemed too good to be true. Knocked on their door, they let us in, gathered the whole family, had an almost hour discussion about the restoration and the plan of salvation. They were asking the right questions. They said the first vision was beautiful and powerful. They were excited about the commitment to read and pray about it. But then, Sunday morning, they texted us and said they weren't interested. L We dropped by that evening to give them a Portuguese Book of Mormon (they're from Brazil) and try to talk more. At least to get them to keep the return appointment they had set, but they just wouldn't let us. I don't know what happened. Maybe anti? But it's heartbreaking. There was so much hope, I really thought they were going to be interested. I had tried to put up walls around myself so that if they dropped us, it wouldn't hurt so bad, but I just couldn't. I love them so much after just the one visit. The way things were working out (like the way we got the Portuguese Book of Mormon was a mini miracle), I thought it was God's way of telling me not to be skeptical, but to have faith it would work out. So, I tore down those walls I'd tried to build. But then, it came shattering down. I've only had people drop me when I wasn't expecting it once or twice on my mission, and it's just so hard. I mean, the blessing this would be in their life, they're just shutting it out. Why? I love them so much. I just wish they would have listened at least once more. I know there's nothing you can do, but I can't help but wonder. The spirit was so strong the first time, I don't know how they would have not felt it. It's sad, but I do believe there must be SOMEBODY here to listen. SOMEBODY has to be seeking for the truth. Otherwise, we wouldn't be here, right? We just keep looking for that person. And until we find them, I'll just keep working like it's all up to me and praying like it's all up to the Lord. Something will give. It has to.
Guess that's it for me. I hope you have a great week! I love you so much! I'm doing great down here. Sis Gorley and I continue to rock it together, and I look forward to another marvelous week as the Lord's missionary!
All my love,
Sister Erika Marks ☀