This week I was able to continue doing companionship studying with the sister missionaries. I have had some wonderful experiences as I do this. I now ask the night before what I should study during my personal study so I am up to speed when I get there and am spiritually prepared as well. It has been a blessing to have that focus in my studies. While reading the scriptures, my intent is to look for verses or passages that will bless the investigators. What I am finding incredible is that I am getting better at remembering where specific verses are that help not only the investigators but me as well as the missionaries. I guess you could say the scriptures are becoming even more applicable to daily life in way they never have. Tuesday I meet with a companionship before their district meeting and then stayed for it. I also jumped into another district meeting that was being held at the same building. It was a district of all elders. I was able to do some role playing about asking members for referrals by asking the member If they have people they would like to share the gospel with but fear or unsure how to share it with them. The role-play helped the missionaries think differently about how they can help members share the gospel so that they will have referrals when the missionaries ask. Wednesday, I had planned to go to a comp study but the sisters needed to give a ride to the sisters that are in an all biking area that were doing service that morning. So quick change of plans. I went to a middle school in Spring to observe three sets of our missionaries that provide the Daily Dose English classes to about 40 refugee students. It was so eye opening to see what the program has been able to do for these kids not only educationally but socially and emotionally too. The ESL teacher raved about the program but mostly about how wonderful our missionaries are. I then went to meet the sisters that I was supposed to do comp study to meet with potential investigators but ended up street contacting. These sisters are Hermanas so it was all in Spanish. Yeah Me! We made lots of contacts that day utilizing our missionary tools….Book of Mormon, pamphlets, pass along cards and the English classes we offer. I did attempt to testify in Spanish even though the lady we were OYMing knocked my Spanish just seconds before. I could understand that was she stated she was very Catholic and that she had lost a child years before and was still upset over the loss. I testified in Spanish to her that I had lost my mom but I have peace and comfort because I know I will see her again because of our Savior’s atonement. I did not impress her with my Spanish but the sisters said that I opened her heart. She became more receptive to hearing more about our Savior's gospel. This was not the first time they had spoken with her about the gospel. It was a bit scary at first but it became more natural as I just shared what I know. I sound like a new missionary. CRAZY!
We held our departing temple trip on Thursday. It was a great session and experience with our missionaries that are leaving. We had to do our pictures afterwards very speedily due to the rain that was ready to open up on us. We headed for our traditional Paul’s Pizza all you can eat lunch afterwards. The rain was manageable on our way back from the temple but boy did it dump when I went to pick up the kids. I could barely see through my windshield with the wipers on the hardest swooshing because it was coming down so hard. Poor Bode misunderstood me this morning when I told him not to ride his bike because it would be raining I would pick him up. When I went to get him he rode by me on his bike already completely drenched. I think he actually enjoyed it. He had a big grin on his face.
School is coming to a close for our Allie girl, very hard to believe. I am proud of her and can’t wait to see her graduate on Tuesday. Zac and I can hardly wait to sleep in from early morning seminary. He has had a great experience and has only missed for Jamaica. Pretty impressive for the kid that loves to sleep and can not wake up to alarm. (I guess I get some kudos for that as well. ;) Bode has had it rough in math lately but not all his fault though. He has had 5 different math teachers since getting back from Jamaica. I finally contacted the school about it because of the poor communication to us as parents and between the teachers as they have transition from one to the other in an email but no response so then I called. I still don’t think much will come of my contacting them which is frustrating. Bode received his yearbook this week which is different and apparently they don’t have a yearbook signing day. He was pretty happy about his presence in the yearbook. He's in it 11 times. One caption of Bode is of him on the football team. It states he gained 6 yards in that game. :) Zac will get his yearbook in mid-August, kids can come back and sign if they want. I think to myself, “what’s the point in August?, everyone will have already moved on." I don’t know…. I just live here in Sugar Land.
Friday I met with another trio of sisters to do companionship study specifically to help work through challenges with “eternagator” (eternal investigator). As I studied for our investigator I didn’t have any impressions on how to help him so I exercised but as I was getting ready for the day it came to me what he needed to hear. When I got to the comp study and we discussed his needs I felt my inspiration was not the direction they were preparing for so I was hesitant to share. Although when I did the sisters felt that my insight was an answer to their prayers in behalf of this investigator and felt they should follow my prompting. They text me to let me know that the lesson we had prepared for their “eternagator” went perfectly and the investigator has decided to be baptized in June. YEAH!! Today Jessie had field day, thus far one of her favorite days at Colony Meadows. :) It was a beautiful day especially for all the rain we got on Thursday. She loved getting a full bucket of water dumped on her head. There were bounce houses and lots of games. She was a happy girl!!
I enjoyed another nice ride in Sugar Land this morning. I need to ride more during the week. I just haven’t mad a solid plan to make it happen. It’s on my to-do list. ;) Aaron and the boys went to the Houston Temple to do baptisms today. They had a good experience. Thank you Jeanne for the family names, the Dominiczak family thanks you too. Jessie and I had some time together while the boys were away. Picked up some new nail polish to paint each others toes with. ;) Love spending some one on one time with her. We are speaking at the Houston South stake conference tonight. Elder Snow of the Seventy is our visiting authority for our stake. We are then going to a ward member’s house afterwards for desserts. Should be fun. ;) Make it a GREAT week!