October 14, 2013

Dear Family,

So this week was a tough one. Isn't every week with me though? Hahaha I feel like that's how it's going. But Sister Masima and I are going to keep working hard and hopefully things will perk up a bit around here, eh?

On Saturday, do you know what happened? People actually let us serve them! It was great! Usually people tell us, oh no, but thank you. But on Saturday we actually got to do service! First of all, Sister Masima and I were finishing up our morning studies when I looked out the window to see a woman struggling to carry a heavy box down the stairs. We waited to see if she would bring out another one (since she was at the bottom when I saw her), and when she did, we ran out to help. Turns out the guy directly across from us was moving out, so we helped him do that! Him and his two friends were amazed at how quickly we were able to get stuff done. Then, we went to visit that less active woman whose two children we've been teaching. She wasn't home, but her friend across the way was! Sister B had brought this friend to church once, so we went and talked to her and helped her do dishes and clean house. Sister B showed up and was talking to us about how she was for sure coming to church tomorrow (finally haha), how she was bringing her friend Katie (I changed the name don't worry), and about her children's baptism (WHICH IS ON THE 26TH YAY!!!). Anyways, before we left we asked Katie if we could come teach her some more about our church and she said yes! So we're dropping by later this week on her day off to do that. Finally, at dinner with Sister Atkinson, she put us to work flattening boxes to go to the recycle. It makes me happy when people let us serve them. They should do that more often.

On Friday, Sister Masima and I were tracting and this guy let us into his house. We talked with him for a while and we were going to say a prayer with him. WELL he brings up out of nowhere that there's a ghost in his house. He's telling us about all the creepy stuff that goes on and I REALLY don't like hearing about it and it just feels different as he's telling us this. Well, guess who gets to say the prayer? Me, naturally. When we pray with people as we're tracting, we say "In virtue of our calling as missionaries, and as representatives of Jesus Christ, we ask for the Savior's peace and blessing to be on this home and this family." and then you add whatever else you want. The elders say something about the priesthood which they hold (I haven't really heard them do this, for obvious reasons hahaha). So anyways, I got to pray that the ghost/spirit/whatever was troubling them would leave in peace. I have never wished so much that I had the priesthood so I could have the AUTHORITY to make it leave. Maybe we'll send elders by there later on.

Hey so fun fact: Elder Jacobson, the new elder in our ward and our new district leader, has the same birthday as you mom! We found that out because we had dinner with them one night, and because my birthday, Sister Masima's birthday, and Elder Austin's birthday are all within about two weeks of each other. So we thought it'd be cool if all four missionaries in the 1st ward had birthdays around the same time, but Elder Jacobson had to go and ruin it for us. Hahaha.

Anyways, still loving being a missionary and still missing you guys! We're looking out for people to teach and opportunities to share the gospel with more people.

I love you guys so much!!!

Love, Sister Noakes

 

Sister Noakes with member's dog

Sisters Noakes and Masima at ward trunk or treat

Mom note: We are having a special stake conference on 10/27/2013, with Elder M. Russell Ballard as our special guest. Turns out Elder Ballard is also visiting Grand Junction, Colorado! He’ll be there on 11/17/13. Sister Noakes is pretty excited about that!

Our stake is supposed to read Elder Ballard’s last General Conference talk (http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2013/10/put-your-trust-in-the-lord?lang=eng), and also read about his trip to Rome in September (http://www.lds.org/church/news/apostles-organize-stakes-in-rome-paris?lang=eng). 

Sarah said: We're (I say "we", but the letter from the stake presidency was addressed to the families/members in the Grand Junction West Stake) supposed to ponder and pray about how we can increase reverence before and during the meetings. That way we can be more prepared to hear the message he'll be bringing. It's at OUR building too, because that's the stake center, and I imagine we won't be allowed to save seats either. But I also think he'll probably talk to just the missionaries out here as well. We'll see.