You may have heard about the big storm in the Mid-West
on Sunday that caused a lot of damage and unfortunately ended up costing 8 people their lives. In Chicago
there was not a tornado, but a historic thunderstorm so bad it caused a 2 hour weather
delay in the Chicago Bear's NFL game. On the news from Chicago, a
couple of long time residents said that they have not seen it storm that
hard for 40 years. Allyse briefly mentions the storm below, and she
told us separately that other then the 10 seconds they got soaked running from their
car to the church, the storm didn't affect them at all.
Also attached you will see some photos, mostly of
various places in her apartment. We had sent her a bunch of General
Conference "memes" (General Conference quotes shown with other graphics
in a poster form) that she could hang up. She took
those photos to show us that she had hung those "memes" up and really
enjoys them. Thanks for your interest in Hermana Meanea!Sweet Family! It has been another week already. The days seem to go slow sometimes but looking back, it does go pretty fast! I'm sorry, my emails will probably start getting shorter and shorter because it is mostly the same, but amazing, stuff each week.
11/12/13 (Tuesday) - The rest of P-Day was good, but
very fast. We went shopping and I got some great boots for the winter.
We played Volleyball for the Zone Activity for a couple of hours and it
was a lot of fun to kind of relax and just enjoy playing together. We
then headed back home. While driving we got a call that the family that
was supposed to host the NDH (FHE) was canceling because they had some
family issues going on. We got really worried because we hopefully had a
family of investigators coming plus the Elder Zone Leader's had got
special permission from President to come because they had investigators
coming to this NDH there too. Luckily, we called another family and
they agreed to host it. We then found out our investigator family wasn't
going to be able to make it. We showed up to the NDH and the Elders did
too. A few minutes later they get a call from their investigators
saying that another investigator couple that was also supposed to be
coming had picked them up but then decided to go a service at their
Pentecostal church instead, and they took the Elder's other
investigators with them! So us four missionaries were alone with a
member family that had gone out of their way to host NDH on the spur of
the moment for us, awkward! The Elders left since their investigators
couldn't be there they couldn't either. We ended up reading from the El
Libro de Mormon and then we had Chicago Dogs, Mexican style, so it was
all OK. The family understood completely.
11/13/13 (Wednesday) - Today we had District Meeting
and learned about becoming one with Jesus Christ. Our District Leader
made us cookies so that was great! We visited with Hermana "M", a less
active, and got her really excited about Temples and going to do
Baptisms for the Dead.
11/14/13 (Thursday) - Today was weekly planning so that
is mostly what we do the entire day. We also got a call from the Sister
Training Leaders. We have exchanges today (Monday, 11/18) Starting at
5:15 and going until tomorrow at 5:15. I get to go be in "The Loop" with
Hermana Savage! I am excited and a little nervous but it will be great!
11/15/13 (Friday) - We had a great lunch today with a
Hermana from the ward. It was really good Pasole. I also found and gave
the Spiritual thought, Alma 33:23, to her, in Spanish, and also to a
recent convert we stopped by later. We were also able to have a Facebook
lesson with a recent convert/less-active member. He hasn't been to
Church since he was baptized in July but committed to come this week, so
we are hoping! Tracting is going really well. I am getting more and
more confident. We continue to blow away our District and Zone Leaders
with our PNI, Potential New Investigator, numbers.
11/16/13 (Saturday) - Today we had another miracle
lesson with our new investigator family. We took a couple from the ward
with us and it went so well. We taught the second part of the Plan of
Salvation. The member couple contributed and explained things so well
and the family was very accepting. At the end of the lesson we committed
the dad, mom, and oldest son to baptism on December 14. They all said
yes like it was common sense. They understood and desired it. It was an
incredible feeling. One of those times that I got a glimpse of our
Heavenly Father's love for His children and the happiness of this
Gospel. We also committed them to come to Church on Sunday. It is a
little miracle family. They listen and really try to understand.
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| Hermana Meanea gearing up for the Chicago winter with her new coat and boots |
All in all, it was another amazing week and a
missionary in Chicago! I am truly loving the people and the place.
Everyone is so nice and patient, especially with me and my Spanish. This
week is going to be pretty exciting. Our leaders get iPads today and we
should get ours on Thursday so I should have some pretty fun stuff to
write to you all next week! I am really starting to understand Spanish
better. I still don't speak a lot but it is coming along. We did a lot
of finding this week and that was great because it helps me to become
more confident in myself, the language, and the Message. Hermana Toney
pushes me to speak more and more which helps me a lot. This week we studied the lessons in Preach My
Gospel very well. I am becoming a lot more comfortable with the doctrine
and finding ways to teach simply with words I know so that I can
contribute to the lesson. My personal study is good. I am focusing a
lot on reading the Book of Mormon in Spanish. I am having such a desire
and hunger for the word and I know reading it in Spanish will help me so
much with the language.
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| Hermana Meanea's bedroom area with her new "Memes" |
Eternal Love,
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| Hermana Meanea's dresser with "Memes" |
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| Hermana Meanea's study area with "Memes" |
