Family!
This past week was a pretty good one! It has been one of the hottest weeks in like ten years, but the good news is I'm alive. There was one day we went tracting for an hour or so, and that's all we could stand. I still wonder how I got put in the only walking area in my whole zone...kind of unfortunate. Still, driving on these narrow windy roads would be a little frightening, so I'm trying to see this as a blessing. On to more important matters, Barbara had her baptismal interview on Saturday and she passed! Whoo! Sister Strate and I made a goal to get one baptism this transfer, and it's happening with only a few days to spare. Still, I recognize that this isn't just a baptism; it's Barbara's baptism, and I am so excited for her. My love for her continues to grow as I see her strength to do what is right, even when her family isn't exactly happy about the idea. We went over last week and she started to cry because her family hasn't been as open to the gospel as she would like them to be. However, as she expressed her concerns, never once did the idea to postpone her baptism enter her mind. She just hopes that as her children and grandchildren see how happy the gospel makes her, they will one day come around and want to learn more. She has such amazing faith, and I am confident that she will remain a strong member of the church the rest of her life. She has made some great friends in the ward, which I am so grateful for.
Another great experience from this past week was a lesson we had with our friend Ed, the man we met while street contacting. We taught him the Restoration, and the Spirit was so strong. I told Rachel, the first time I cried since I've been in Pennsylvania was during that lesson. Looking back, however, I've recognized that my emotion was not just in response to the Spirit I felt, but the love I felt for Ed as well. Ed is just an average guy, trying to make ends meet, but in that lesson I think I began to see him as Heavenly Father does. I often think about President Monson's talk, "See Others as They May Become," and I've learned that that isn't a skill that comes naturally to me. It is something I've been trying to work on and pray for, and I am grateful to have seen Heavenly Father's hand in helping me overcome that weakness, especially with Ed. I know that the Spirit bore witness to his heart that what we were teaching was true, and I sincerely hope that that we will continue to teach him.
We got to go to Sewickley, the new part of our area, for the first time this past week! I tell ya, it is very different than what we're used to. The main street is full of boutiques, yoga studios, spas, and other businesses only rich people can afford. It really is a quaint little place, and I'm excited to spend more time up there. It's funny though, at first I was super intimidated by the people there, even though I fit in more there than I do in our other area. I guess I've just gotten used to the weirdies in Bellevue...Haha I love them :) We've been told by a couple people that we're not supposed to tract in Sewickley (which makes no sense to me), but we've been instructed by our mission president to do it anyway. Let's hope we don't get arrested, but at the same time, wouldn't that be the greatest story ever? When we were tracting this nice lady let us in for a glass of water, and it turns out her husband is the congressman of the area. Haha, the fact that she didn't know anything about that rule puts me at ease. Man, they were so nice, but also devout Catholic...oh well.
I love you guys and hope all is well! And keep the letters coming please :) They help so much. Thanks for everything!
Love,
Sister Denney
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