The Miracle of Prayer!

The miracle of prayer

 

 

So before I tell you the story behind the title I will start with what happened last Monday. 

Monday was crazy. I packed, we cleaned the house, and did studies all before we were at the church for transfers. My new companion came around 3 o'clock and I was ready to go back to Fort Lupton unpack and enjoy some of my p-day. However, we didn't have our car yet. So we waited, talked to the Denver North Zone leaders, waited, talked, played basketball in a skirt, waited, talked and finally 5:45 rolled around and we received the key to our car. Turns out our car was there the whole time we just didn't have the key (Which came when the AP's came to the church). I might have been slightly frustrated but for some odd reason that was meant to happened. I really have learned and relearned to put my trust in the Lord. We also weren't able to fit any lessons in. -sigh- Numbers are the worst!

Now a little about my companion. "Short story or Long story?" She says that every time someone asks her where she's from. I won't share all the 100 places she's been but she is recently from Tuscon Arizona. Oh Tuscon... ;D And no, her dad isn't in the military. He's an accountant. She's 21 and has been out on her mission for 6 months. She is my followup trainer and the senior companion. However, most of the time I play the role of the senior companion. I don't mind only because I've learned so much and because of the responsibility that I now have I seem to have more of a desire to work harder. And well my family know's my personality. I like to be in charge. In fact Sister Mortensen asked me, "Do like to take charge? Because I don't like it at all." Of course I didn't admit it but... yes, yes I do! haha She suffers from hardcore depression that she has to take medicine for so that is kind of hard to deal with. Well and not just that but it also effects our lessons. However, she is really trying her best and I hope to help her in anyway. I'll make this companionship work just like I did the last one! :D

When transfers happened our zone received about 8 new missionaries. Two companionship were swept in (meaning that both companions are new to the area). My district had 4 companionships and now has 6! On Tuesday the whole zone turned up to do service and well... the old ladies at this quilt place were slightly overwhelmed. So overwhelmed that a lot of us were kicked out. I can now say that there was a time in my life that someone didn't want me to preform service. Luckily we had another place to do service at. 

Wednesday... I woke up at 4:15 in the morning... to go to the temple(: AAAAHH! I was so excited! To go to the temple at least. Now, waking u[ at 4:15 not so much. It was so great to go to the temple after not being there for 7 weeks! After the temple we did studies, visited a less-active and went to dinner. Man, Wednesday was interesting. haha. Right after dinner... well I couldn't find the car key. (I am the driver. For some reason my comp can't). I was in such a panic mode. Sister Smith, the member who fed us, and her little daughter tried to help us find it. We still couldn't and so we of course decided to pray. Her little girl wanted to give the prayer. It was so sweet and I was convinced that we would find it right after. We didn't. Then Sister Smith felt like I should go back to the less-actives home to find it. (We walked to Sister Smith's home from there). I was in disbelief that it was there but we made the quick walk over there. I went up to the porch and there on the porch bench where we gave our quick message was the key. I was so shocked. We went back to Sister Smith's home and showed her that we got it. Her daughter is 4 I believe was so excited! Sister Smith asked her what we should do next and she said, "A Thankful Prayer! Can I say it?" Again the spirit was so strong! And again I was amazed at how the Lord blessed us through this little girl's prayers. 

Alex (one of the flaky investigators that I mentioned last time) texted us on Friday and said that he had watched the Restoration movie we gave him and had also visited Mormon.org and that he thought it was beautiful and amazing! He also mentioned that he wasn't sure he was ready to give up coffee haha. I told him not to worry about it because that was another lesson at a different time. I was so excited! We set up an appointment for the next day at 3 because we had a service project to be at from 11-2. We were there right on time and... he wasn't home. Because I have been playing the role of senior companion I have been so frustrated and disappointing in our lesson count. Its actually been a hard week numbers wise. All we have is 2 flaky investigators. However, something that I am really proud of is that we are working a lot with less-actives. We had about 8 lessons with less-active families this week! I found myself getting discouraged... but the Lord blessed me with the comfort I needed. 

Gah! Our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ are so amazing! Most of the lessons we taught we shared a scripture. 2 Nephi 25:26 "And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins." We shared how ever thing is centered on Christ and how he should be the base of our testimonies. The spirit just seems so strong in each of those lessons as we centered the lesson on our wonderful Savior! Guys, He is every thing. We could not be more grateful for what he has done for us! That is just part of my testimony about my Savior, Jesus Christ.

I love you guys so much! Be brave, work hard, stay sweet, and of course don't do drugs!

Love,

Hermana Durfee

One Transfer Down, One New Companion, And ONE BAPTISM!!!! :D

Of course I will always start with the beginning of my week. Unless you guys would prefer me to do in backwards. Just let me know. ;)

Monday was a really fun P-Day. After I e-mailed you all we headed to a park where the Denver North Zone was playing capture the flag. Found out that they were using flour balls to do the tagging. It was so much fun... Flour might have been everywhere which includes me. haha. One elder totally got my face (accident of course). When we were done we all went back to the cars to take pictures and a water fight broke out... Think about it. Flour and Water... pretty much it turns into glue. It was all in my hair... -sigh- It was a lot of fun however it didn't end until 5 and we had dinner at 5:30 with a member from the Monte Vista ward. Now, we were thinking about canceling with them (because the elders would be there) and go home to take showers but the dinner was with Hispanics. They are more offended if you cancel on them then if you show up all covered in flour. So we went to dinner looking like that. Turns out that was where we were needed. The sister there is in a really hard marriage. She really wants to go to the temple but isn't able to because she doesn't have a ride. We shared a nice message with her. I shared my testimony in Spanish and then Sister Espinosa gave a special prayer for her. The spirit was so strong and tears might have been involved. So despite being all covered in flour and it glued to our hair the Spirit was so strong and we all knew we were supposed to be there.

This week was really good. Again our numbers are really small but! we were able to catch some really flaky investigators! One is Alex the other is Eve. Both have really great potential. They love their Heavenly Father and love the bible. We just have to catch them and this week we did(:

Now for the best part! Pati(: Oh man I love that women! We had one last lesson with her on Friday before the baptism on Saturday. We invited a young pre-mission boy (who is going to Brazil) to baptize her. He was really excited (His mom might have cried when we mentioned it to her). He came to the visit with us. We all just shared our testimonies about our Savior Jesus Christ. It was so fantastic! And again tears were involved(: The next day Patricia Nell was baptized. It was really nerve racking only because Pati is really fragile (being 77) and needs a walker to walk. Tyler Shaffer (the pre-mission boy) is kind of small and skinny only a little taller then me XD. However, on the first try she went all the way under and it was good! YES! Oh man, I can't be happier! Seriously, if she is the only person I baptize then who cares! I sure don't!(: Of course I will continue to work hard and get more baptisms but that is how happy I am! Then on Sunday she was confirmed a member of the Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-day Saints. She said those days were the happiest days of her entire life and she is so happy to have a family again! What a sweetheart!

Saturday night we had what is called Transfer Doctrine. The entire zone gets together and we all figure out what is happening to us on Monday for the next transfer. I found out that I was staying in Fort Lupton but I would be getting a new companion named Sister Mortensen. I was really excited but nervous at that same time. Then the missionaries that were leaving the zone shared their powerful testimonies. It was so good! I now have a new Zone leader (a long with the old one, there are always two) and I have a new District Leader. Tears were also involved here as well... a lot of crying this week. 

Now, I have to go... we have to run to dinner but! I will tell you all about my new companion and transfer day(: Stay Sweet and Don't Do Drugs!

Love you guys!

Hermana Durfee!

Let's use Goats to Mow the Lawn

(So slightly panic attack... I can't find my camera and I know I brought it... :/ so no pictures this week even though I had some prepared. Hopefully I'll find it soon... really soon!)

I am not kidding. And let me tell you how much of a fail that was. The library that I have emailed at this week and last week really tried using goats to mow the lawn. They used about 100 goats in a pin and moved the pin every hour or so. They said it was easier then mowing the lawn, probably cheaper too. HOWEVER, you should now see the grass... the goats ate everything and the lawn is totally brown! It makes me laugh! I wonder really how effective they thought that would be. Whatever the case may be I sure enjoyed it!

So Monday is P-Day. It supposed to be kind of a day off however we are always so busy that I can never really sneak in the nap that I am hoping to get each P-Day. -sigh- 

On Tuesday we had Zone Conference. A total of three zones got together and learn alot! At this moment, I happen to be in two zones which means when they do pictures I am in two pictures. I am kind of special. I was originally in the Brighton Zone and when we were ETed we moved into the Denver North Zone. The first time we met with the Denver North Zone the Zone leaders said, "Welcome to Zion." I corrected them saying because I use to live in Zion, Zion is where ever I am.  It pretty funny. If I had to choose between the two zones I would definetly say that Brighton is the best plus my Zone leaders are Black and Canadian! Cant get any cooler then that right? 

On Wednesday I was able to enjoy my first smores of the summer. Yes, I know summer is almost over. In fact, people are starting school here! Gosh... Its crazy to think about it and a little sad just because I wasn't really able to enjoy it. Anyways we invited some potential investigators over to a members house next door to enjoy some smores with us. We also had a less-active named Jose. (I love Jose!) (And of course not in that kind of way). It was nice, my hair smelled like smoke but I really enjoyed it.

That same night we met up with a bunch of other sister missionaries to do what is called exchanges. I was with Sister Earl and we worked the Fort Lupton area. It also was a really good day! A REALLY good day! It might be because I was able to have a nice break from my companions but we won't get into that. The rest of the next day Sister Earl and I were companions. We went to this place called The House of Smoke. There I tried buffalo!! It was actually really good! I really wanted to buy some elk jerky which they sell there and possibly send it home but you don't really have the money for that kind of stuff while on a mission. Like I said before it was a really nice day... a really needed day.

We also had a ward BBQ on Friday. We were able to have Jonathan (a less-active) and Patricia of course! Jonathan really needs someone to fellowship him. He doesn't really have any friends in the church. I introduced him to another boy about his age. Conversation wasn't really clicking until I remembered that both of them were gamers. I brought up the topic and zoom there it went. ;) I am kind of good sometimes! Man... I kind of miss my little Nintendo 64. I just remind myself it was a easy sacrifice that I had to make. 

The biggest thing this week is PATRICIA IS GETTING BAPTIZED!!! I am so so excited! In Alma 26:30 (In The Book Of Mormon) it says, "And we have suffered all manner of afflictions, and all this, that perhaps we might be the means of saving some soul; and we supposed that our joy would be full if perhaps we could be the means of saving some." I don't care how many people I baptise on my mission. If I can be the means of saving just a few souls my joy will be full! 

I love my Savior! I am learning to put my trust in him during this hard time. Not only that but to do so cheerfully and with patience! I hope you guys are all having a great week! 

Remember to Stay Sweet, and Don't Do Drugs!

Hermana Durfee

They call it being ETed

Before I explain the title I just want to share the experience on Monday right after I emailed you guys. We went to go pump air into our tires. While Sister Espinosa was struggling with it for a bit a man who was sitting on the ground with his back against the gas station asked her if she needed any help. We politely said no. After we were finished we decided to give him a Book of Mormon. Turns out he was a homeless man. He told us that his wife kicked him out but he knew he wasn't a good husband. He also had a huge gash on his arm. I wanted to take him to the hospital and get him stitches but alas we can't. We sacrificed some of our P-Day and sat down to listen to him. He shared this insight that we have to experience the lows in order to experience the highs. That is so true! Before we left I gave him a few bucks and the Book of Mormon in hopes that maybe his life will be changed because of that money and mostly because of that wonderful book the Book of Mormon.

Now! Later that night (this is still last Monday by the way), we got a voice-mail from President Toombs (my mission president) saying that he wanted to talk to us and to call him ASAP. We did and that's when I found out that both my companion and I were being ETed, or in other words Emergency Transferred. He said that we still would be covering the Fort Lupton ward but also the Monte Vista ward. We would also be getting an additional companion. One of the Monte Vista sisters was heading home on Wednesday because of medical reasons. The other sister would make our companionship a trio. Sister Espinosa was super excited but me not so much. I was really overwhelmed. Here I am, only 4 weeks into my mission and I am already being ETed. I told President Toombs that I would do what he asked because I know he follows the Spirit and that his direction comes from my Heavenly Father. I really have learned to put my trust in him. He told us he would call tomorrow to give us the details and let us know if we were moving out of our house into the other missionaries or if she was moving into ours. We said goodbye and I prayed to my Heavenly Father for comfort and the ability to sleep and not stressed. He blessed me and I slept soundly. 

The next day it almost seemed like that call never happened. We were waiting patiently for President Toombs to call us back but nothing. I almost thought that he had made another decision but then he finally called us around 3 pm to let us know that we would be moving into another house and we needed to be there at 8:30 in the morning. We packed and cleaned that night and then moved the following morning.

Wednesday... well... it was rough. The new sister is named Hermana Moreno and she is Latino as well. All three of our personality don't really mesh. We fought a lot the first day and the next... and I would say the next to but by that time it has gotten better. Hermana Moreno isn't very obedient and Sister Espinosa becomes a little more bossy and pushy when she's around. Then there is poor me. I get caught in the middle. There have also been times where Sister Espinosa and Moreno talk Spanish for the purpose of me not listening. Don't worry I brought this all up during companionship inventory and we are trying to work it out. I was reading another missionary's e-mail and he was not really liking his companion. But he mentioned that we were put with those certain companions to learn something even if that means patience and loving someone you don't really want to. I have learned this week to really put my trust in my Heavenly Father. That probably should have been my title and will most likely be my spiritual thought. Haha

Saturday was a decent day. We were doing weekly planning and I looked outside and said out loud, "Kind of looks like tornado weather." Sister Moreno mentioned that she thought outside look funny. But I didn't think twice about it. We were talking to the elders (who have dinner with us when we are covering the Monte Vista area every other day.) and they had said there was a tornado near Greeley (North of us). Later we headed up north towards Brighton for a baptism that the other set of sisters in the Fort Lupton ward were having. While we were driving (I was the driver) We ran into a huge rain storm. Like the ones we have in Missouri where you can really see anything even with your wippers going as fast as they can. It was awesome and reminded me of home. Pretty sure it was a small bit of the tornado weather. Sister Moreno was really scared but I went slow and we made it to the baptism all in one piece!

The baptism was really great! His name was Dean Cole. He really has changed his life to become a member of this church. He stop drinking and smoking and is really excited to turn his life around. It was a great experience and there is pictures! Sister Espinosa and Sister Earl were the ones who found him before I came in. Sister Earl and Hanshaw were his missionaries but I still was able to get to know him pretty well. He bore his testimony on Sunday and that too was really powerful. The hardest part in the conversion process is enduring to the end and staying on that straight and narrow path. I pray that he has a solid foundation and that he will continue to progress!(:

We all need a solid foundation. I put my trust in the Lord and lean on him all the time! Especially during this hard time during my mission! Just remember me in your prayers. Maybe write me a letter or two and I'll be good to go(: 

I also want to thank Brother Kesler for the print that he gave me! I got it on Friday and really needed it. It was one of those days(:

Thanks everyone for your prayers and support! I love you all! Stay Sweet and Don't Do Drugs!(:

Hermana Durfee

PS. PICTURES!

Picture 1: Is of the wonderful tornado weather that we drove into on Saturday.

Picture 2: My comp and I with Dean at his baptism

Picture 3: Is my trio companionship. Hopefully this works out right? ;D