September 5, 2011

Dear family,
What a week. First I'll start with the crazy stuff. Last week as we were doing our personal study we got a text message saying, "Sisters, thank you for everything you've done for me. About to kill myself. Sorry." AGUH!!! I kind of threw the phone over to Sister Withers told her to read it and leaned my face into my hands. Sister Withers right away called the lady that sent us that text. It was our recent convert lady that had just moved away. She really wasn't going to kill herself, but she did think about it. She was very stressed because her money balance was negative 200 something. Opps. She doesn't earn any money. She gets social security. She's old and has a walking problem... or something something. Yeah... and she apparently isn't that good with budgeting her money. We met with her after the text. We had the zone leaders that have worked with her meet us as well. And we were able to help her through. She felt very low that day. But we gave her encouragement and she left with a plan to budget her money better. That was crazy. Kind threw me off. But yeah, that happened.
More real exciting news. We picked up a new investigator! She is such a sweet girl! 19, her friends who are members got her interested through just their happy countenance. She said originally she was unsure about our religion, but then she decided to give it a try by reading The Book of Mormon. By the time she finished it she knew it was true. So (since her friend lives in a different stake/mission) she (the investigator) went on mormon.org and referred herself to be taught. So about a week before we met her we had gotten a text message about this referral. And she is golden. The only thing that is in way in a matter of speaking is that her family is against the church. Her brothers said they would disown her. Sad... We've had 2 lessons with her and on Sunday she went to church with us. She loved it. But since she singles ward age, she also tried out the singles ward, so she went to 4 hours of church. All 3 hours of the family ward and 1 of the singles ward, which is the ward she has decided to go to, which is fine with us. She will be better fellowshipped this way. But it was so cool! During the family ward fast and testimony meeting, she loved it. Afterwards she said that one day she wanted to be able to go up there and do it. During the singles ward fast and testimony meeting, Sister Withers jokingly encouraged her to go up there. And then as people were bearing their testimony she was getting all shaking as if she really wanted to go up there. Sister Withers encouraged her to do it. And she did! She went up there and beared her testimony like she was already a member! Except for the fact that right away she said, "I'm not a member." I think everyone was shocked! But very touched! She said that she knew The Book of Mormon was true. And she knew prayers could be answered. Earlier in the week we had told her to pray that her family's hearts would be softened. Her prayers are being heard. She didn't tell her parents until right before church that she was going. And their response was totally different than she excepted. They said, "Okay," with no fuss. She was surprised and realized that her prayers are being answered. She ended her testimony that she knew that the church is true. It was so powerful so sweet. Everyone came up to her afterwards and greeted her whole heartily and told her that they loved her testimony. I know that she will be well taken care of in the singles ward. Plus, many of the people there are converts themselves so they know what she is going through. Yep. That was cool.
Well, that was the most exciting thing that has happened. I love and miss all of you. A lot. I am learning lots here. Struggling to find out what I am to learn. Slowly but surely I am learning those things.
Love you!
Sister Kristi Walston