November 25, 2013

Another great week in Grand Junction!

We have 2 new investigators, which brings our teaching pool up to a grand total of 3! One we found because we were tracting in some condos and found a member who is from Utah. She was having an investigator from Fruita move into her condo with her. This investigator, Debbie, is on baptismal date for December 7th, and it looks like she will be baptized on that day. This is a huge miracle! President Murdock had challenged all the companionships in the mission to have one baptism by the end of this transfer (Dec. 16th), and Sister Keihle and I weren't sure how we were going to accomplish that since we just opened the area and started with nothing. We just decided to work hard, be obedient, and see what happened. Voila, miracles!! Our other investigator is Joyce. She was a referral from 1st ward. She's been reading the Book of Mormon and she really likes it. She accepted the invitation to be baptized if she finds what she is reading to be true! Best part? Both Debbie and Joyce were at church on Sunday!! Our other investigator, Tia, was planning on coming with her family, but some last minute plans shook things up and she couldn't be there. That's okay, she'll come next week. We're really excited about her and her family, and we hope to be able to see all of them at once and teach them.

So this Thursday was Sister Keihle's birthday, and dinner was a fun one! We had dinner with the Steele family. Their daughter, Brittanie, just got home from the England London mission (be still my heart), and she's come out with us a couple of times. When she found out we didn't have dinner on Thursday, she informed her family so we went over there. Oh my goodness gracious, probably the most memorable dinner yet! We showed up and Brittanie was the only one at home. There was a delicious looking chicken dish sitting on the counter, a cake, a happy birthday banner, but just 3 of us. We decided to start eating, figuring her mom and brother would show up shortly. Right after we prayed they did. Brittanie cut into a small piece of chicken, but it didn't look really cooked. Sister Steele ate a bite and said it was okay. Well, I cut into a different piece and it was raw. The Steeles weren't trying to kill us, but they had moved while Brittanie was gone and she apparently didn't know how to work the oven! It was hilarious. So we had spaghetti, and we had spaghetti sauce. Well, Brittanie was getting more salad and instead of pouring dressing on it... she pours spaghetti sauce all over it. She realized halfway through what she was doing and we all DIED laughing. It was a super fun dinner and very memorable. They had also made a chocolate cake and gotten mint chocolate chip ice cream, since that's Sister Keihle's favorite. It was fun!

Oh, another thing: Sister Keihle and I both spoke in church yesterday, along with Brittanie. I think I did alright. It's a little scary to have to give a talk when you have 2 investigators at church. Hahahaha. But it was all good.

This week is Thanksgiving! Can't wait!

Love you all!!!!

I had asked how many times she was being fed on Thanksgiving; sometimes missionaries go to two or three homes, depending on where they're at. I also asked about the talk she gave in church the previous week. Here's what she said:

Well, President asked us to try to get invited as many places as possible, but people have been asking if we're being fed and we don't want to lie and say no, so when we say yes we don't necessarily get invited. Hahaha. But an older couple is feeding us, but their kids will all be there. Should be fun!! I wrote my talk in my study journal, sooo I can't send it home. Sorry! It was about developing, nurturing, and strengthening our testimonies.

Sisters Noakes and Keihle

Grand Junction Sunset

Snow! Beautiful snow!!