SISTER MELISSA RICHARDSON WEEKLY LETTER #49 -- JUNE 17, 2014

JUNE 17, 2014:  MELISSA'S WEEKLY LETTER

Monday: Today for Pday we had to take our car down to St. Augustine to
get a dent fixed from when someone ran into us a couple months ago.
It's gonna take 3 days to fix a tiny dent! So we get to fend for
ourselves without a car for a few days. Down in St. Augustine, a bunch
of missionaries were gathered to play sports and we all found out we
had to "migrate" our iPads...so basically uninstall everything then
reinstall everything to the new programs and apps the church has
written. So there were 20 elders getting confused and frustrated with
this process and all antsy wanting to play football. So us sisters
just took over and figured out how to do it and did all their iPads.
It was just easier that way :)
Tonight we had a great family home evening with the Luna family at the
home of another member. They all connected really well with each other
and we had a great "faith rocket" lesson. By the time we walked home,
we were drenched in humidity...pretty nasty.

Tuesday: Had our interviews with President and Sister Craig today.
They are always so refreshing and comforting and reassuring. President
had us share a current favorite Book of Mormon scripture with him. I
shared Alma 26:12.

We didn't have our car so we biked all around this afternoon and taught some lessons.

One of the best parts of the day was when one of the teenage daughters of the less active family we've been working with texted us and told us she's been praying and feeling peace when she does so! Hooray! We were so excited. 

The #discoverthebook facebook event started! It is getting pretty big, it's exciting! We have been trying to get more of our ward members to do it.  We are seeing lots of cool things happen as people on facebook ask to find out more about the book of Mormon and then we can teach them on there! It's especially important that the members post about the book of Mormon...because more than 3/4ths of my facebook friends are members. 

Wednesday: Today was exhausting.  We biked so much.  And even biked through a torrential downpour where we got completely soaked. But at least it made it not so hot.  And since my skirt was all soaked, I didn't have to worry about it blowing up in the breeze as I biked, which is constantly an issue.

We had a lesson with our progressing investigator...and if you've seen the district...it was exactly like that lesson they have with Jenkes where she is about to drop them and then they find out she hasn't been reading thee Book of Mormon.  Our investigator was doubting the book of Mormon, but hadn't yet put in the effort to read it, so that's what we asked her to do before she makes a final decision.  

Thursday: We had district meeting and then had two great less active lessons and then spent the evening talking to people in one of the subdivisions we cover. 

Friday: Had lunch at Tropical Smoothie café with one of our recent converts and taught her about missionary work.  She wants to go on a mission! We spent most of the day doing weekly planning and reorganizing some things.  We had some more great less active lessons tonight!  The facebook discoverthebook event continues to get bigger and bigger! Mormon.org and Deseret News wrote about it and invited everyone to join! Hooray! FJM changing the world :)

Saturday: We decided to go out into one of the boonie areas of our ward, in hopes to visit with some less actives and potential investigators, but none of them were home! It was sad.  We walked around the rest of the day talking to people and teaching lessons.  I'm definitely getting tan here!

Also, Sister Gillman almost stepped on this huge long snake...it was a gardner snake thank goodness, but it gave us both a heart attack. 

Sunday: One of the reasons I love going to church is because you go to a place where everyone believes the same as you do.  Sometimes being out and about talking to so many people, you forget there are people that actually agree with you! Sister Gillman and I taught Relief Society today and taught a lesson on Priesthood Keys.  I learned a lot from preparing for it! The priesthood and the Book of Mormon are the main things we talk about when we are talking to people, because it's what sets our church apart and what makes it Christ's true church.  My testimony of those two things have increased so much while I've been a missionary!

A less active here is a shark hunter! It's his favorite thing to do to go out off the coast and hunt shark! He was telling us about how he did it and then what he did with the sharks after he caught them.  He even showed us a shark mouth (the bones) that he is drying out...we could see all the rows of teeth...it was pretty cool. They also hunt dolphins :(

Missionary work is definitely different during the summer! Lots more people out and about to tlak to, it's great! We are continually trying to be creative in the way that we do things so that we can find more success.  But we are working hard and being obedient, so miracles will happen!

Everyone should join the next part of the Called to share event.  PLEASE DO IT!!!! It would make me so happy if you did.  The next event starts tomorrow (Tuesday) and is #searchthebook.  You share a picture of you reading the book of Mormon in your favorite place to read it and then share an experience you've had with the Book of Mormon or share a favorite verse.  Join everyone in the world who is doing it too! From Hungary to Florida to Asia!

Have a lovely week!

Sister Richardson