Well this has been a pretty eventful week! =)
As far as themes go, this week seems to be "Eat at the same buffet twice in a row week".... There's a place some members took us to called the USA Steak Buffet. It was great, and then the next day, our Dinner appt took us to the same place. Then, yesterday we went with a member to the Hyvee buffet. Now, guess where we are going tonight.... ;) I love themes.
Right now we're teaching the Bogers. They are a less active family. The mom, Anita, is native american, and struggles with balancing her culture with the church. She's amazing. We told her there's not really any reason for her to feel conflicted, she seems like she's not doing anything wrong. Her son, Ezra, is about to turn 9, and hasn't been baptized yet. We started teaching him yesterday to prepare him for baptism. He's a genius and he's so sweet and cute! He said the prayer yesterday, and he said to Heavenly Father, "I hope you're having a great time!"... I thought that was adorable. He also told us that God created everything we "need, want, and love!"... That included family-love, food-need, and toys-need/want. We watched the restoration DVD, and during the first vision he said "*GASP* Heavenly Father and Jesus!" We asked him how he felt afterwards and he said, "I felt like I was in Heaven. He said he would read his scriptures at bed time so he could have good dreams. He's just amazing!
Yesterday we taught Nychai, and (through translation) she said we were her daughters! I love her! I have a Sudanese mom! =) We were really excited on Sunday, because she had never been to church, even when she was learning before. She needed a ride and we think we just needed to call her and remind her in the morning, because she came walking in the door, so excited to be there! I have never been so excited to see an investigator at church! =) Sadly, she had no idea what was going on, but she felt peaceful, and she is excited to be baptized. She said if we asked her to be baptized tomorrow she would do it! unfortunately, she needs to move out of her boyfriend's house first. She's great!
So I love "coincidences".... at the beginning of the transfer, Sister Mortensen and I prayed about a few former investigators and felt strongly to go see Rebecca Aguilar. We went to her house, and she had moved, so we ended up giving the information of the people living there to the Spanish Elders. They ended up teaching them, so we thought maybe that was why we needed to go see her. Well, no. Brother Clark approached us last sunday to tell us that he saw a lady at the state fair and got her info, but couldn't remember her name. (not a whole lot to go off of huh?) So he took us to her house and we met her, and she said her name was Rebecca. She also said she had met with Elders years before that. I asked her for her last name and she said AGUILAR! Coincidence? I think not! Brother Clark never mentioned that he actually knew the lady before. I just thought that was neat.
Darlene is amazing! She is already being a missionary. She invited her friend Lia to take the lessons. So she is! She's super excited for her baptism and started giving up Tea before we even taught the W.O.W.
It's just been a lovely week. We're teaching like crazy and we have 5 sets right now (Darlene, Najwa, Nychai, Jany, Michelle)... It's great! I just love GI... I know I'm leaving next transfer. As Sister Brady used to say, "I just love this place too much for them to let me stay. once you fall in love with the people they kick you out!"... Sister Mortensen has to keep training Sister Ith until she goes to Taiwan, so I guess I'm probably leaving.... But we'll see. I know whatever happens is right. I will just end up missing everyone's baptisms! Transfers are next week.... which is crazy!
Well, I love you all! keep me posted! I love mail =)
Sister Bonelli
