Finding Fury and a Goodbye to August.

Holy cow! I can't believe it's already Monday again! This week was good, kinda slow, but good :) 

Pictures::
. We found some cool sunglasses in our car on our way to the farm :) 
. A random elephant on someone's porch. I LOVE elephants! 
. Weekly selfies with my philipino :)

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The Holocaust Museum was more of a refresher for me because we studied it pretty thoroughly my senior year in English. It was good though! We hardly had time to shop and email because we live so far from DC, but that's okay :) 

We had a dinner every single night this week; this ward is almost too good at making sure we are fed! Monday night was with the Carrott family, and we had spaghetti :) 

afterwards we stopped by C's house because we hadn't seen him all week. We weren't able to share a message, but met his wife and followed up on some invitations we extended. He's a nice guy :)

 Then we went to see a less active and her dad who is a new investigator! The less active wasn't home, but her dad was so we brought him a Spanish Book of Mormon and taught him all about it. He has a love for his family, especially his daughters, that is enormous! You can see it in his eyes when he talks about them :) we testified of the joy that the gospel brings to families, and that he can be sealed to them for time and all eternity! We have a return appointment for this week :) I love that guy! He's the sweetest!

Tuesday was AWESOME!! :)

sister Donato and I studied, cleaned up the apartment, went to Pei Wei for lunch with sisters that we have stewardship over, and then exchanged! 

I went to Manassas with sister Walton and we had a BLAST! Oh my dear goodness. I love exchanges! We were jam packed with lesson after lesson. The first one was with a lady from Cambodia :) She is learning English and the gospel by reading pamphlets with the sisters :) she's already a member, but her understanding is slim. Because she can't read (any language) she hasn't ever read the Book of Mormon! We asked how she knew the church was true and she said, "I have the spirit! I know how I feel and the spirit tell me that it's true". You go girl! :) her English is good, though :) she gave us some Asian pears that look like dark green apples, as a 'thank you for coming over' gift. I love them!! They're super good! :) 

After that we went to see a part member family. The wife is a returning member and the husband isn't a member. He's an older, hilarious grandpa :) we hit it off really fast! We just got along great and sister Walton said he has never warmed up or opened up to any sister like that. It was a tender mercy to be a tool in the lords hands, and to feel the love that God has for him :) I'm sad I only got to teach him once, but grateful for the opportunity :) slowly the seeds are planting :) 

Afterwards we headed straight to dinner with a member family! Their daughter was there and had just come home from her mission to California a month ago. She was super sweet and it was awesome to talk with her!

 Then we went to a lesson with an investigator who is getting baptized in a week! She is STELLAR! I love her! She wants to be baptized like, right now. She has a huge testimony and we got along great, too :) she kept asking me to go to her baptism :) I love her excitement and love for the gospel :) we taught her about the light of Christ and the gift of the Holy Ghost. Sister Walton shared the coolest story ever about an experience she had with the Holy Ghost; it's too long to repeat, but just know it was awesome :) 

Straight from that lesson, we went to a lesson with another investigator named L. L is a man who lacks desire and real intent, but loves the way he feels when the sisters come. Why? Because they have the spirit, and the spirit feels good :) I don't think I've ever been so bold on my mission; he kept making excuses to not come to church, or keep any commitments, and it drove me nuts! So I lovingly called him out on these excuses and continued to be frank with him because he won't get anywhere if he doesn't do anything. We can't beat around the bush or cushion his excuses and say it's okay that he isn't making time for God. Because it's not okay! He went from excuse to excuse, to agreeing to come to church on Sunday :) If you find yourself in a similar situation, I hope you make time for Heavenly Father and set aside excuses. He doesn't make excuses when you need him :)

Wednesday morning was beautiful, so we ran outside! :) It was awesome! 

I did some training with sister Walton during comp. study before we left to exchange back. Sister Donato and I headed to district meeting, which was super good, and took a power nap before we went to volunteer at the women's shelter. I always love helping at that place :) Afterward we went to chipotle because a member had to cancel dinner, but dropped off a gift card to chipotle for us :) yumm :) 

The rest of the evening was full. of. rejection. 

All of our appointments canceled, nobody opened their doors, people who did open were quick to shut them, and we were running out of mental juice by 8:30. We tried though, and that's what matters :) sometimes you just have days like that! That's what missionary work is :) I signed up for those days :) We weren't going to let our night end in gloomy moods though, so we turned on our playlist while we got ready for bed :) somehow, good music always makes us feel better! Also prayer :)

We went to the farm again on Thursday and helped with the chickens! That lasted until the late afternoon and we were exhausted! So guess what we did? Took a nap :) because we could, and we deserved it. For dinner a member bought us Panera Bread, so that was nice! 

We called a ton of investigators and less actives and a lot of them positively responded! :) later in the evening we had a meeting with the ward missionaries. Not a super eventful evening, but still pretty productive :) 

Friday was busy! 

We had a leadership meeting with our zone and finished making plans for the zone finding day on Saturday! Then we made oatmeal cookies because we were in charge of desert :) afterwards we went to Centreville to have lunch with a former sister in the mission! She trained sister Donato, and she is engaged, so we met her fiancé and talked with them for a while :) when we got home we started weekly planning. 

Soon it was time to go to dinner with members who live right next door to Ph! The guy who was super stand-offish and we made cookies for a couple weeks ago... Anyway, we went to see him! It's cool to see the transformation just in the past couple visits! We are friends now :) we talked about fasting and why we do it. At this point we are only planting seeds and helping soften his heart for a time that he will be prepared to fully accept the gospel :) and we are happy to help :)

Okay. 

Now for the really exciting part of my week.

The Finding Fury. 

Sweet name, right? ;) 

Our whole zone (38 missionaries) got together at 11am to bear testimony, and split off into new companionships for a couple hours. Each companionship went to an area throughout the zone, but one of the companions stayed in their area all afternoon. I stayed in Gainesville with sister Walton for a couple hours, and then hermana mugleston came for a couple hours until we all went to the church to eat dinner with the zone. After that we went to areas within our districts and switched companions around within the district until it was time to go home. It was so much fun! :) it happened to be the hottest day of the year, and hardly any doors opened. We faced a good amount of rejection, but in all we got 10 return appointments and a couple solid potentials! Basically we all just tracted for 9 hours straight (minus dinner time). It was a blast :) 

I was pretty humbled and content the whole day :) Before the finding started though, during my studies in the morning I came across a quote that ended up running through my mind throughout the day; 

"Most things in life are neither important or urgent; Sharing the gospel message is both". 

It's so true. With that in mind throughout the day, knocking on doors became exciting and rejection didn't phase me because I was doing what I knew I was supposed to do. It was almost like a game :) when one door didn't open, or when someone declined the invitation to learn more, I knew we hadn't found the elect yet. It was like a scavenger hunt for the elect :) haha when you think of it that way, tracting isn't such a drag :) It was a great experience! Also, sister Donato and I have never slept better than we did that night. Ever. :) 

At church on Sunday we had 3 investigators there and a handful of less actives! We heavily focused on the sabbath day and how to keep it holy. We talked about preparing ourselves at home before even leaving for church, and ways we could keep it a spiritual day. I'm grateful to have a day set aside for the purpose of resting! For the purpose of growing closer to the savior, taking a break from the world, and doing good :) I remember going to my grandmas home on Sunday's to visit her as a family because we hardly had time on any other day of the week. Those memories are precious to me :) I'm so thankful for family; eternal families at that! 

While tracting on Saturday, I found myself bearing testimony often, right away, of the priesthood power restored to the earth, enabling families to be sealed together for time and all eternity. I make sure everyone knows that the truth has been restored whenever we talk to them! that's our job isn't it?? As missionaries and members of the church, to spread the RESTORED gospel?? :) 

I love being a missionary. Even when we have slow, hard weeks like this one :) Thank you for your love, support, and prayers. They make a huge difference :) 

Today we are spending time with the zone at President Huntsman's house, so that's why I'm emailing early this morning :) Have a wonderful week! 

Be safe. Be smart. Be happy :)

Love,
Sister Kailey