September 3, 2013

Family!
  

Sorry I was unable to email yesterday. Since it was Labor day the library was closed. I have a lot to update you on! But before I go on, happy birthday Joseph! I love you and hope you had a great celebration. 
 
We had our "Bellevue Potluck" this past week! I would say overall it was a success. The majority of the members from our area came, and I think they all had a good time. We even had a couple non-members there! After we ate we had a little fireside where a couple converts shared their stories and Sister Strate and I said a few words. Our goal was to help them recognize the power they have as members to influence their friends, and help them feel a sense of team spirit- As we work together we can strengthen the members in our area and bring new members into the fold. One of the ward missionaries suggested that we do another potluck in a month, but the members are to bring a friend along. At that potluck my companion and I will actually teach the Restoration. Haha, we are going "Joseph Smith" style, preaching to the congregation. That sounds a little intimidating to me, but everyone seems excited about that idea. So, we are keeping this push for member involvement going! By the way, one of the non-members expressed that she really enjoyed the potluck. She was even a little emotional during the fireside, and she later expressed to one of her member friends that she felt a peace around the members. Of course we were very excited to hear that! She has been invited to take the lessons before, but has not yet accepted. I hope that we can begin to see more progress with her. 
 
We had a pretty interesting experience last week while tracting. Do you remember my first email when I talked about that guy who was a Mormon hater? The one who commanded us to leave the neighborhood? Well, we had another run in with him this past week. Haha, so as we were tracting down this road, I saw this guy across the street watching us that looked really familiar. I couldn't figure out how I knew him, and we just continued on our way. We talked to this lady in her yard briefly. She said she wasn't interested so we just left her a card. As we start walking up to the door of the house next to hers, it hits both of us. It's HIM. We knock on the door, look back, and see him walk toward the woman we had just talked to. Remember, we are literally feet away from them...The first thing he asks her is, "Those girls you were just talking to. Were they Mormons?" The woman said yes, and then he began to bash. Awkward since we can hear everything he is saying. He apologized to her for allowing us to talk to her. He said that he feels responsible that "people like us" are walking the streets. The woman basically said that everyone is entitled to their own beliefs and you can't stop them, and to that he basically ended the conversation. As he walked away we said hi to him (To be honest we both wanted to talk to him a little bit). He, however, just waved and left. As he drove past us we saw him mouthing something and waving his hand at us. He was trying to shun us again! Hahaha, we both thought it was pretty comical. Wouldn't it be great if we run into him again after he has commanded us to leave twice? We told a couple that has lived here all their lives about this experience, and they told us he's been after the Mormon missionaries for over twenty years. All the sudden this guy doesn't seem so scary. Still, we may call the cops if he starts harassing us again. The exciting life of a missionary! 
 
Well, I would say those were our biggest highlights. Transfers are next week, so it will be interesting to see how things change. I've been told by my zone leaders that they have recommended me to train a new missionary, but I don't know for sure if that will happen. That is slightly intimidating to me, but it would definitely help me grow as a missionary. I hope all is well with everyone! Keep the letters comin' k? Love you all! 
  

Love,
  

Sister Denney