First 6 Weeks...In the bag!

We have had such a blessed week!!! We taught double the number of member-present lessons we have in the past, and we have five new investigators this week! Hooray!!! Of course there's still the issue about getting any of them to progress... but that's a struggle anywhere. This is the week that the chapel is going to be filled, though, I can feel it.

Oh, and I've determined that basically this mission can be summed up by Nacho Libre:

"Why have you not yet been baptized!?"

"I only believe in science..."

(sorry dad, I know that you think those movies are dumb and cheesy... probably because they are. :))

But there are still people out there! In fact, I think I'll tell you a little bit about these investigators we found this week. Are you ready for this? Number 1 is.... SANDRA!!!

Remember her? We've been trying to get back in with Sandra for a month now, and this week we finally caught her at home! We set up a time to meet with her, and when we got there the first thing she said to us was that she had officially decided that she wanted to discontinue the missionary lessons. We sat down to talk with her though, and both Sister Turley and I felt very strongly not to let this one go. Sandra absolutely knows that it's all true, she's just getting in her own way of being baptized and I think she knows that too. Our discussion with Sandra was absolutely without a doubt directed by the spirit. We talked a lot about Joseph Smith, and how if we know that he is a prophet of God then by extension everything else is true too. We discussed faith a lot, and how there are always going to be questions, but everyone is eventually backed up to the wall of faith and there they must make their stand. We told Sandra that we loved her too much and Heavenly Father loved her too much to let her fall through the cracks. Finally, Sandra said, "Alright. Tell you what. Why don't you come back next Thursday ad teach me the next lesson." We accepted that invitation... :)

It drives me crazy how faith always seems to be such a huge issue with people. I think there are times in life that all of us struggle with faith, though. Some struggle more than others, and that's why sometimes just acting and doing those hard things is so important. Bennett and Verna had quite a few questions in our lesson this week, and it looks like faith is definitely going to be an obstacle we will have to get past. Oh, and also the fact that Bennett talks a million miles a minute and it's hard to get a fluid lesson in... Bennett's questions are amazing though! He told us that the things we are telling him are new to him, and he feels that they are much better explanations than anyone else can offer though. He says he agrees with many of them, he's just trying to figure out how they fit into his life and the big picture (Next week is Plan of Salvation lesson time... looking forward to that :)). Bennett and Verna are reading the Book of Mormon though!

We had a lesson in spanish this week, that was really cool. Karina is a former in our area book who took the discussions very extensively and was even on date at one point. She speaks English, but she feels a little bit like a fish out of water with it though, and is much more comfortable understanding things in spanish, so she requested spanish missionaries. The spanish missionaries in our mission don't come as far as Whidbey Island, so we got permission to take spanish speakers from our ward to teach her. I didn't understand half of what Sister Cruz and Brother Penaloza were saying, but the spirit was so strong when Brother Penaloza began teaching her about the restoration! She says she wants to try attending the spanish branch that is about an hour away, and continue learning more!

Oh and then there's River! A few days ago we were tracting, and there were three people sitting outside their apartment building together. We went to go talk to them. We talked for a while, and they told us partway through the conversation that they had actually been planning to be rude to us. When they saw us they started talking about mean things they could say if we went to go talk to them, but when we actually came they saw that we were really open and friendly and honest. One of the women got emotional when we shared some scriptures from the Book of Mormon with her and she said she just couldn't do it- she couldn't say anything rude to us. River was one of the people there. He's 24, so he should technically be turned over to the YSA elders, but he's living with a girl who he's been dating for 5 years, so we talked to the elders and they said that we should teach him. River is one of the most outgoing, positive people I have ever met! We went back to teach him a lesson a few days ago, and I can't count how many times he said, "Is it a beautiful day, or what!?" He has mild cerebral palsy so he walks a little bit differently, and he has really long hair that he wears back in a pony tail. He's one of those people that you just have to meet to understand what a great person he is! River asked all the right questions during our lesson, and at one point he started explaining how "sometimes when I'm in church singing and stuff I suddenly get this happy energy inside of me and it's like I just want to shout for joy or something." After we shared the restoration with River, he got a little bit emotional and told us how, "I've actually been praying recently to know if there's a specific church I should be going to, and just for more understanding, and I think you guys might be the answer to my prayers." Golden.

I'm running out of time and I know this is super long, but I do want to really quickly tell you about one last person- Everett S. We've actually been teaching Everett ever since I came here, but we had our last lesson with him this week and I can't believe I haven't told you about him! Everett was baptized when he was about 19, and he was super strong in the church for a few years, but then he began drinking and he has been inactive for the last 40 years. It took him up until 12 years ago to give up alcohol, but then after that he still didn't come back because he felt so much shame and guilt. He has read his scriptures every single day for the past 40 years, without fail. He says he never once doubted the church was true in that whole time- the church didn't turn away from him, but he turned away from church. 2 months ago he finally got the courage to come to church. He talked to the bishop, and requested to be taught the lessons again. We've been teaching, him, and let me tell you, I have such a big love in my heart for Everett S! He is such a tender-hearted man. For our last lesson we talked about enduring to the end, and Sister Turley had the idea of having a mini testimony meeting afterwards. It was probably one of the most special experiences I've had on my mission so far.

As always, I feel like I have about a million more things to tell you. There are so many people that you still don't even know about! And a million funny moments too. Sister Turley decided that rather than a "People of Wal Mart" website, we should make a "People of Oak Harbor" website. Some people just crack me up. People are the best. I love it.

But anyways. Those will have to wait until some other time.

Love you lots!

Love, Sister Slade

4th of July

 4th of July companionship party - complete with red, white and blue pancakes!

 Sister Turley, Sister Slade and Kelly H.

 Sister Turley with the Elders on P-Day by our driftwood fort.

District P-Day and our driftwood fort.

Forth of July

It has been another long week and I'm exhausted! I think the real reason the Lord give us companions is that he knows his missionaries wouldn't get up at 6:30 if they didn't have a companion telling them to. :) Oh and the other reason he gives us companions is that we can have off the hook companionship 4th of July parties. It looks like we'll probably have to be in early on the 4th, so sister Turley and I are going to have a party, and let me tell you, this party is going to be like no other! We're talking red and blue pancakes and bacon, dollar store decorations, and 3 hours of watching The District missionary training... :)

               We had our first exchanges this week. I stayed in Oak Harbor, and at first I was a little bit nervous because that meant that I was mainly in charge of planning the day, teaching, and driving the STL and I everywhere. I developed a new appreciation for how hard it must have been for Sister Turley to up and start training after being out only six weeks! I surprised myself and actually did pretty well though. I knew my way around the area at least. :)

               On Tuesday President Wilson decided to have a last minute training meeting just for the sisters, so we drove to Everett for that. There are about 40 sisters in the mission right now. There are 2 more coming in this next transfer, then 17 more coming in in August.

               I realized that I haven't really told you much about the area I'm in! I've given up on making my letters sound organized or even fluid, so hopefully you can get used to just reading whatever comes to my mind next. Which results in me writing a novel. Anyway, Oak Harbor is mainly older retired couples with lots of money that are happy with their life and Navy personnel- this makes things tricky because lots of people we have met either are moving out and the transition time is very short, or being in the military have caused them to have a stigma against religion- they tell us that religion is just a way for people to judge each other and start wars. Which in some ways I can understand their viewpoint, but it's still sad to me that they feel that way. The other thing about Washington is that it's the second least church-going state in the Nation. I can't tell you how many atheists we've met. And for how conscientious everyone is about the environment here, it's interesting that when it comes to smoking nobody could care less about their own bodies. It's true what they say about Washington being a very liberal state. The good thing about that is sometimes we'll meet someone who is super open to experimenting and learning new things, so we've had a few times that we've gone back and taught a first lesson just because people are curious. The spirit will be very strong, then without fail they'll either drop us or they'll purposely set up a second appointment where they won't be there. It's always when someone feels the spirit and they realize what that means and they start to get scared and they immediately back out.

               The strawberries here are sooooo yummy! We have strawberry shortcake at members houses after dinner all the time, it's the best! Poor Sister Turley doesn't like strawberries. But that just means more strawberries for me! :) There are huge planes that fly over the island all the time, and when they do the sound is absolutely deafening- it's so loud that everyone has to stop talking and you can feel that rumbling in your chest. I think of you every time, dad!

               Even though we're still struggling to find progressing investigators, we did have a few awesome lessons this week!

               We finally had another lesson with Bennett H.!!! I'm not sure if you remember but I think I told you about him in the first letter I sent. Sister Turley and I planned to teach about the Plan of Salvation this lesson, but I'm afraid we didn't get around to much teaching because Bennett is so outgoing and talks so much. That's ok though, because we learned things about Bennett that absolutely amazed me and helped us understand him a lot more. When we came to visit Bennett told us about how he had an older brother, Bobby, who died about 10 years ago from cancer. The night that Bobby died, Bennett had a dream where Bobby appeared to him. He said that in the dream he couldn't quite hear the words that Bobby was telling him, but he could understand what he was saying. Bobby told Bennett that he was safe and happy and that the transition to where he was now was almost instantaneous and he shouldn't worry about him. Then Bobby pulled out a pad of paper and told him, "They're teaching me so much here. I have to go learn some more" then he left. I wanted so badly to just tell Bennett all about the spirit world right then and there! Bennett shared with us that he's had numerous dreams in the past where loved ones who have passed on have come and he's had conversations with them. Bennett's wife Verna, who joined us for part of the lesson, told us that sometimes he'll wake up laughing and tell her that Bobby came again and he told him something funny. Bennett also told us how his dad used to casually say, "I'm gone" when he was walking out the door to work. When Bennett was in the Navy he was walking across the deck of a boat and out of nowhere a very strong feeling came across Bennett and the words "I'm gone" came very clearly to his mind. Later that day he was called to talk to one of his supervisors, and before the supervisor said anything Bennett asked, "My dad died, didn't he?" He said that the supervisor was so stunned and beside himself that Bennett somehow already knew.

               Listening to Bennett tell us these experiences he's had gave me chills. He has been so prepared to receive the gospel. Not only that, but I know that his ancestors have been preparing him!!! I get the feeling that Bennett's conversion process might take longer than we think, but I want this for him and Verna so bad! I get along so well with Bennett, he is absolutely hilarious. In some ways he reminds me of grandpa Les, and I can't quite pick out why that is. But I wish Grandpa Les was here so that we could have a member present lesson with him! As always, keep Bennett and Verna in your prayers.

               We had a first lesson with another African American man named Shannon, who is in his 40's. We found him tracting as well. We took Brother Bullock, our ward mission leader, to the lesson and all sat out on the front porch. During our first lesson he told us a lot about his struggles ever since his wife and daughter left him and how he's struggled with his self worth in the past few years but he is trying really hard to become a person who he can love so that if he can love himself, other people will love him too. We had a very powerful conversation about Jesus Christ, and after the lesson Shannon told us "I feel so blessed that you guys came. I feel happy. Not in a hyper way, but in a calm way." Wow! And that, brothers and sisters, is what we call the spirit! Shannon will be in New York for the next two weeks, so we're looking forward to having another lesson with him after that.

               We had a second lesson with Chuck Q. He told us, "I don't want a world based on faith." I think deep down he knows it's true, he's just scared to take that leap. Right now might not be the time for Chuck, but we are still hopeful for him and his family. If anything softens his heart, it will be his beautiful baby boy, and his little 4-year-old girl who changes into a skirt and jewelry when we come over and says, "Look, I'm a missionary like you!" and his wife who is one of the strongest converts I have ever met and is preparing to go to the temple.

               Then there's Sandra. She never called this week like she said she would. Both Sister Turley and I feel strongly that we shouldn't give up on her yet. Nobody really knows what happened that turned things around for her so quickly. We tried stopping by her house a few times this last week, but she was never there. She could use lots of prayers too.

               Well I'm sure I missed something, but I guess those things will have to wait for a future date when I come home. Until then, I love you all a huge heap!

Can't wait to hear from you and learn about all of the missionary work you are doing! It makes my week!

Love, Sister Slade