Wa-hoo!

The manager at Qdoba's personally thanked me for bringing my whole church to his restaurant. I guess I have been going there at least once a month for about a year now and I seem to bring different missionaries every time I go, lol...

 

We made cupcakes for each member of our district. See pictures below.

 

This week has just been wonderful. It has been jam-packed with things to do and people to see with random little miracles all along the way. We met a cute 12-yr-old that might be the doorway to her whole family. Met Joan, who was super nice and strongly spiritual but has the strangest beliefs...I'm still trying to figure out exactly how to explain the precise reason fro Christ having to come and save us to someone who only believes that God loves us and would extend mercy to us under any conditions...complicated.

 

We had these crazy french toast banana things for breakfast with Elizabeth and Jess, now a part-member family. It was good stuff.

 

Blake is bringing one of our potential investigator's kids to church with him, and that kid says he is thinking about becoming a Mormon. Coolio. I've never had the privilege of bringing an entire family into the church all at once, but I'm starting to realize that this is how it normally happens. One step at a time. One person at a time.

 

The Yangs are the coolest Hmong family ever that are so nice and willing to consider our message. I feel like we hardly even know each other but when I told him and his wife that I'm leaving they were so loving and said to come to their house anytime and visit them :) Some people are just too cool.

 

We've been living the missionary life to it's fullest this week. And it's true that when you work hard it simply leaves no room for homesickness, or trunkiness, or anything. I don't even feel like the end is near, which is chill with me :)

 

We gotta run cause we're going to go party with our district and the Packers in GB and live up the time our district has left together :) I've never had a district that has been such a family as this one. We are very sad to be parting :(

 

Remember that the worth of souls is great in the sight of God. That's one thing I've learned big time on my mission. God loves all his children.

Also, spiritual experiences never have to end. A mission gets sad at the end because you're leaving the beautiful, happy world of a missionary, and for some reason it seems like the spiritual experiences have to go with it. But they don't. I will make sure of that :)

 

Sister Neal

Last Full Week :S

Is it weird to you? It's pretty weird to me.

 

This week was a party!

 

We had mission tour with Elder Martino and he was sooo great! As was President Cutler. And their wives. Everything was just great.

 

This sounds weird at first, but since I'm at the end of my mission it's probably the most important realization I could have had at that meeting: Elder Martino had President and his wife stand up and some of the missionaries talked about things they had learned from their example.

It hit me soo hard, something I'd never considered before but now I know to be true: a MAJOR reason I came to the Wisconsin Milwaukee Mission was because of President Cutler. When I reflect on the things I've done and the things he's done and all our interactions...no other mission president would have sufficed for me. He was the most perfect one. I totally never would have guessed it, but seriously--President Cutler has been a defining part of my mission experience.

 

My companion and I also realized that he favors us immensely. Her because she's Swedish (he's obsessed with Sweden, seriously) and me...I don't know why. But he definitely does.

 

I also learned in the meeting that the best people to teach and baptize are generally part member/less active people. We talked about all the work in all the areas that can still be done, and I was kinda laughing to myself because , in this respect, we have one of the hardest areas in the mission. We have about 15 potential elders in our area, all of which have zero potential (except for the recently baptized ones). Our part member families have a little potential, but the greater majority are less than interested. unbaptized children are about the same. Our numbers for these categories are the lowest in the entire mission besides, because our branch is so small. And yet here we are, leading the whole mission in baptisms (in branches, anyway). I don't know why the Lord loves us so much. He must love Sturgeon Bay as much as us and President do :)

 

We partied with the Appleton 2 Sisters (aka, spent the night at their house before mission tour). I love meeting new sisters!

 

This week we met a cool new investigators named Autumn. Pray for her :) We are also working on Elizabeth's daughter Jess, and I think it's working >:)

 

We also met the nonmember guy who drove the charter down to the temple for the stake temple trip that happened this weekend. That was cool!

 

New Relatively Useless Gospel Understanding for the week: In BoM class we were reading 3 Nephi 8 (I think) where it explicitly states that the last Monday of the Saviors mortal life, the day of the Triumphal Entry, was also his 33rd birthday. Cool right? HAPPY BIRTHDAY. Okay, it's not explicit at all, but I'll let you search it out :)

 

Sister Neal

Blake Got Baptized

The weeks go by so fast I can't even keep track of them! Which might be a good thing, cause I'm not trying to...

We met a cool new investigator named Jeff via a RC Sam, and member missionary work is just THE BEST

Tuesday we finally got Blake into the waters of BAPTISM. We also spent an ungodly amount of time making the lemon meringue pie he requested. Note to self: leave to members in the future. But we did it from scratch, and it worked out pretty good :)

We also went to a Swedish fiddling concert (like the last ten minutes of it) so Sister Karlsson could talk to them in Swedish. So I talked to probably the only one that was American, which was ironic. Gave her a Mormon.org card standing in the lobby on a nondenominational church. yay for missionary work anywhere :)

We had EXCHANGES this week, which I just LOVE! Sister Harris and I got to party like crazy in GB. She was MTC comps with my old trainee Sister Smith, so I was really excited to get to work with her, and we had an awesome time :) GB is still exploding, as always, and I contacted an awesome former that I'm sure will be able to be baptized soon (he would have been baptized by us a long time ago if he hadn't been in jail until last month) YAY!!

Sister Seymour is the missionary mom in SB. I'm so glad she moved here :)

We kinda had a rough ending to our week outside of Blake's great confirmation blessing. We struggled to up our number this weekend because we didn't have very many lessons during the week for some strange reason, but as it happened the Packers were playing! Which meant we got like nothing done. It's seriously impossible to accomplish anything in Wisconsin during a Packer game. State Religion.

But I have been finding out who some of the elder's I'm going home with are, and they're the cool ones, so that makes me feel better. It was gonna be really lame if I was the only sister in the mission home with a bunch of elders I don't even know. I'm pretty sure I'm the only sister going home this transfer...aghadkjngfsodsgk

We helped a new family move into the branch, who are just so great! I knew them well in GB, so life is good :)

Just realized today I only have one DTM left...BAH

Mission Tour is this Wednesday! Elder Martino from the 2nd Seventy is coming. It will be fantastic, and it might just get me out of giving a departing testimony, muahaha >:)

Party on. Missionary work is the best kind of party.

Sister Neal

Just Baptisms and Stuff

Our week has just been ridiculously busy and we failed AGAIN at the BoM giveaway commitment. Maybe next week...it seems to be an every-other-week thing.

Getting ready for baptisms takes so much work!! especially in the form of phone calls, which is one of me and Sister Karlsson's least favorite things to do. But because she doesn't like doing it, I've actually gotten really used to it. And there's something satisfying about just getting everything done!

We asked Nick, one of our recent converts, to perform Blake's baptism, and he was grinning from ear to ear :):) Yay for people moving forward in the gospel!! I LOVE this!

We barely squeezed in teaching the Laws and Ordinances (church rules were recently changed so that these have to be taught before baptism) to David before his baptism. Luckily he's had the lessons a couple of other times in his life, and he's been around for years as we've taught his wife. So he already knew them pretty well.

The BoM ROCKS. We just read some of Alma 36 to some of our more skeptical investigators and it was SO POWERFUL. They didn't react much to the spirit, but it was definitely flowing. Hopefully they'll have more of a desire to read now!

We met a sweet lady who is very committed to her own faith, but has Mormon friends in AZ and is very open to talking about religion. The members in AZ have been keeping close contact with us and her, but I think it'll be a slow process. She's not interested in converting, but that's how they all start :)

We had David and Blake's baptismal interviews and they both passed! PHEW. Not that we were concerned ;) Then the elders stuck around for a game of Apples to Apples and some Pizza Hut. It was lots of fun.

The Door County Fair was this week, and we've been helping out at the church booth. It wasn't a very big attraction, haha, but our awesome members the Maddens converted pretty much all the other non-religious vendors in the building. That's what happens when the other religious booths are being jerkwads and telling people they're going to hell for selling jewelry. We make friends :) I love the Joseph Smith quote where he said something along the lines of, "And if we are going to hell, we'll kick the devils out and make it into a heaven, because wherever the Saints are gathered there is joy."

Then we had the baptism of David Shepard. Judy bore her testimony and said, "There's been a lot of arguing between us to make this day happen, but finally it's here. So I guess I won." It was super funny. And David was just GLOWING after his baptism!! SOO happy for him. Judy had a picture of the elders who taught her about 6 years ago, and that was cool to see. The work goes on!

Church was just ridiculous yesterday. The testimonies in first hour were soo cool and all about missionary work, which makes us smile :) I was glad I was sitting at the piano where the tissues are because I could NOT control myself. It was my last fast and testimony meeting, which is probably why. Annoying.

Then we did more testimonies in Relief Society and I had one of the most tender moments of my entire mission. Catrina, who I failingly fought to reactivate in GB2, is moving here to Sturgeon Bay, and she got up and bore her testimony and explained everything about why she had fallen away and why she had stayed away even though her testimony is solid...she explained the things she never would tell us before, and my heart just exploded with love for this woman!! She looked at me and something passed between us that I couldn't explain...just a lot of gratitude and understanding. A determination to change. We are going to be working very closely to finally get her 10-yr-old daughter baptized. I think that little girl knows the BoM better than I do. :S

We went to dinner with a member family on Sunday and had a great time, and also stopped at their friend's across the street, who were really nice and have been considering coming and checking out our church. DO IT!

SAM GOT SUNDAYS OFF! Finally. I am dragging him into activity before I leave. He wants it, after all. Just needs a little help.

I definitely know that I was supposed to be here this last transfer. Blake's baptism was supposed to be on Sunday, but we last minute cancelled because his girlfriend couldn't make it...which is kind of important. We'll be doing it on Tuesday, regardless of whether she can make it or not, though. But we're trying to give her a chance to be there. It's gonna be AWESOME. Yay baptisms.

Sister Neal

Week of Sudden Things and Cave Point!

This week Dean, who we met on Sunday, was like, "Hey, I want to get baptized this Saturday!" Then he didn't make our appt, then he didn't get in contact with us, then he didn't even come to church on Sunday. Punk. Teaches me that just because a person thinks they are ready and they've been meeting with the missionaries for a year, does not mean they're ready.

Then Elizabeth got cleared for baptism on Wednesday and was like, "This Saturday!" and I wasn't about to get in the middle of stopping someone who is ready from getting baptized as soon as possible, but that meant we had like all of two days to prep, which is so not enough time for a baptism. But we did it, miracles occurred, we worked our tails off, and it was awesome. At long last, she has finally been able to be baptized :) And the Baker's came up! Oh, how I LOVE them!

In addition, we were stressed out all week about having to give talks in church yesterday. They went really well, actually. Now we have to give a lesson to the youth next Sunday. And I was studying it last night, and the church has totally made lesson planning easy! I love it!

Only in Wisconsin: our investigator has Dissociative Identity Disorder(also known as multiple personality disorder). Like, for reals. He called us and told us he was his own boyfriend, who he told us previously was rather controlling. It's like full-on Sybil. Only in Wisconsin. No wonder he keeps disappearing for days at a time without explanation.

We took a tour of the east coast of Door County last Monday. pictures below. It was the greatest thing ever. Today we're touring the Green Bay side of the penninsula. I love awesome members :)

In spite of being busy with a lifetime of other things, we had some really good lessons this week. We haven't seen Ron in forever, and he was really friendly toward us and is still willing to let us come back and share more. Same with Hilario. And Jennifer. Life is good.

Sister Neal

Last Transfer Begins

This week has been AWESOME. So many good things are happening. Yay!!

 

We started teaching this girl named Tierra. She really wants her life to be better than it has been. She's fresh out of jail (again) and those types tend to be really bad at keeping their commitments, which has been true so far (not that I'm being judgmental because I've also seen too many times the power prison has to change people's hearts) but we hope she will find her way. She really wants something better.

 

Tuesday we left home at 8 am and didn't get back until 9:30, and that's always fun. We went to ZTM, and I love our ZLs. Good mission leaders make a big difference. Then we heated up some leftovers and ate them on our way to Algoma, where we had several really good lessons and saw some people we don't normally get to see (Algoma's killer for our mileage). We also taught Robert...our awesome friend whose trying to prove us wrong. As it happens, we discovered the problem while discussing the Plan of Salvation. Robert's bible church doesn't believe in free will.

 

Yeah, you read that right.

 

Seriously. He said it himself. They don't believe in free will. They believe everything is God's will, and then he allows for like 5% 'permissible will', where he lets us choose stuff. It was ridiculous. So we sent him home pondering agency a little bit. It was been blowing my mind all week that people actually believe that way. It's so sad  :'(

 

We had a hugely successful lesson with Melissa again. They only happen once in a blue moon, but she was in a good mood and super honest with us. She's so close it's driving me crazy!!

 

We moved like 15 TVs again for service. The fun part is where you throw them in giant boxes and hear them crash. Lol.

 

And we did service for a fundraising project held at Hope Church, which is my favorite church around here (besides ours). The people are super open and nice. We got some new potentials out of it and I really hope we can find a way to do more service there...basically that whole church is ready to be converted.

 

Friday Game Nights, which used to be a relaxing, wind-down time have recently been some of the most tiring, service-oriented parts of my week. So many people come to the game nights just to get away from something or because they really need fellowship and we just spend the whole night trying to help all of them simultaneously. And make everyone else feel loved. It's totally exhausting but totally spiritually rewarding.

Then randomly a member who is a baker showed up at the church, left us a 2-foot loaf of cheese bread, and walked out. Talk about strange but perfect tender mercies.

 

We extended a baptismal date to our awesome 16-yr-old friend, who accepted. Fellowshippers are everything. He and Krystal have been having deep discussions about testimonies. What better way to help convert?

 

Then at church a LARCPM family came. The husband, who normally works out of state, is around for a few weeks, and has been studying with the missionaries for about a year. He's ready to get baptized here, so his family can be there. Free baptism. He's actually really cool and I think he will be an important strength for his family. He plans to get baptized this Saturday...so we have some preparations to do :)

 

I had a headache all day yesterday after church, and had to kinda sit out all day. I need to start bringing snacks places, cause I always seem to get these headaches after church if we stay too long, such as for branch council. It also happens when I fast. Bleh. But it was actually a good thing because Sister Karlsson got to watch The District 2, which was the last thing she had to do in her 12 Weeks. We're finished!!

 

And we're staying together for my last transfer. I think I couldn't ask for a better area or a better companion to end on :) And because of all this stuff that is happening, I know for sure that I was meant to stay. I kinda worried I was just being selfish, so it's good to know it's also the Lord's will for me :)

 

Sister Neal

4th of July (swedish style)

I went on exchanges back to my old area again this week! It was lots of fun. Sister Brandley and I went and saw several people I knew, and several newer investigators I'd never met, which was cool :) I love seeing that places still grow and change for the better. We also had the worlds best icecream for dinner.

Elizabeth broke down as she contemplated the 30 years she's been away from the church and what she has missed out on. It was a tender moment. She might be a little crazy sometimes, but she is really sincere. I love her :)

The Seymours are our adopted family here in sturgeon bay. Every area has the awesome member family that just reaches out to the missionaries and makes them feel at home. We haven't really had one here, and this one is lacking a solid priesthood holder, but we'll take them :) And Sister Seymour makes DELICIOUS food and just shows us so much love :):)

On the fourth of July we walked in a parade. That was fun. Threw candy to kids and stuff. Wisconsin goes all out for their holidays. It's the best. Sister Karlsson felt pretty weird saying the pledge of allegiance and waving an American flag, haha

We had a depressing lesson with one of our investigators and had to recoup for several hours. He's not lost, but it's really close. I will DESTROY all antiness when I get home. I really didn't think that it was that persuading...but apparently some people think it is. Fools.

We, after a long time in preparing, got a baptismal date this week! With David, Judy's husband. It's been over a year since he had a baptismal date. But this one will STICK!

Kaylyn, a now-8-yrs-old girl we've been teaching moves to Utah today. She came to church yesterday and bore her testimony and started crying and it was the saddest, cutest thing I've ever witnessed. I an going to hunt her down when I get to Utah. She's SOOO sweet!! All of the 4th-of-July-visitors were super jealous of our awesome branch, I'm sure :)

With our difficult lesson that ruined our week, not having the Bakers around was pretty hard. We have this entire penninsula to ourselves now...it's quite lonely. I hope we get more missionaries up here soon, but I don't know that we will. At least the work will move forward :)

Meekness is awesome. Learn it.

Sister Neal