3-1-10 "No Novios"

My apologies in advance in case of any blatant typos. This computer has a stiff spacebar, so I'm doing my best, and it's getting a little better, but even the best editor cannot catch everything when she's on a time limit. Please take this into account. Many more thanks.

What a week! We had zone conference on Wednesday, which was all about faith and obedience. Zone conference is always a spiritual boost, but this time more than ever before I was determined to take what I learned there and not just let it be spiritual truths recorded in a notebook, but actual principles that I put into practice. Lucky for me, I got to do so right away by going on exchanges with some Spanish hermanas. One of them went with Sister Hoskins and Sister Smith to work in our area until Friday morning, and I got to stay in their area and work with Hermana Christensen. I felt like I was on fire that day. My fear of tracting has almost entirely vanished, it seems, and at the risk of sounding prideful, I won't say I love it, but I will say that I see so much more purpose in it now, and I'm really trusting that God will help us find people through that means. Anyway, back to Wednesday. Hermana Christensen and I did just a little bit of tracting, and we saw a few people who were interested in maybe having the sisters come back at another time. Always a good sign. Sometimes you go tracting and no one has any real interest at all. That night, we were able to teach two first lessons. We were trying to find William, someone the sisters had met before and who wanted them to come back. But we knocked on the wrong door. But the young woman let us in to talk to her. She has quite a difficult life, but she is looking for a church. I love being able to testify about God's love using the Book of Mormon. And after we met with her we did find and teach William. Luckily, all of this was able to happen in English so that I could be a support to Hermana Christensen. The next day was not as easy. It seemed like no one was home, or no one would open the door, or no one had time, or a million other things. But we kept going. Finally, in the mid afternoon, we were able to teach a lesson to the teenage sons in a family the hermanas have been teaching. We taught the ten commandments, the law of chastity, and the word of wisdom, and we did it the only way that every really works: straightforward with no mincing of words or beating around the bush. (Although with a few more words than Mom's usual strategy: Don't do drugs. Don't have sex.) And then my favorite part of the day: we had a conversation with the mom in the family. In Spanish, because she speaks very little English. You'll be pleased to know that I held my own, although my vocabulary is not what it once was, and my verb conjugations in different tenses are less than stellar. Although sometimes I would start thinking of a response in German in my head, I eventually was able to get the Spanish to start flowing unimpeded. There were only a few times when I didn't understand what she was asking me. We talked all about my family and my education and my plans for life. For some reason, the only time I had a hard time producing a truly coherent answer was when she asked, "Tienes un novio?" ("Do you have a boyfriend?") All I could say was, "No novios!" She got the message. We giggled and laughed. It was just one of those moments you wish could go on forever, like meeting a kindred spirit and somehow communicating both with and without words. Words are only one medium of creating friendship. One of my favorite mission memories so far.

Back in good old Tomball, the work continues to move forward. We've had more luck in being able to teach lessons to people who've expressed interest in the past. We got to teach one man who lives right down the street from our ward mission leader, and he said he would read the Book of Mormon. What a victory! That is the most vital resource we have to aid in conversion. I know it is at the center of my own testimony of the gospel, along with the witness from the Holy Ghost that its message is true. As time goes on in my mission, I see my own weaknesses in even greater light, but that only gives me greater resolve to conquer them. I'm striving to open my mouth more readily to absolutely everyone I meet about the message we carry. It's starting to feel like time is running out, and there is so much more work to do. No matter the challenges, I know the Lord will guide us to the right people, or He will guide them to us. We are going to have great success, and none of our efforts are wasted. We started meeting once again with the Vietnamese lady we were teaching when I first arrived in Tomball. It will be a challenge for her to progress in the gospel, since her husband presents some opposition to her, but he doesn't stop us from coming to visit her. We are praying that his heart will be softened, and in the meantime we are striving to help her maintain her growing testimony.

I am so relieved to hear that Mark is okay. We heard about the earthquake at our first appointment on Saturday morning, and I immediately thought of him. I was sure you all would be worried but faithful. I'm glad to hear so many prayers have been answered. His mission certainly will be different from what he expected it to be, but in times of crisis servants of the Lord have such a great opportunity to show the Lord's love for everyone. A few years ago there was a semi-severe hurricane in the Houston area, and the missionaries spent two or three weeks just going around neighborhoods helping with clean up. I know that in those tragedies the Lord has a way of preparing the way for the gospel to be received and softening hearts. Including if that service is at a food pantry doing more than just dropping off cans.

Tell Eli that scriptural comics still leave plenty of room for creativity. Sister Hoskins likes to draw them, too, actually. She most recently drew one of the last chapter of the Book of Ether. I did get your news about Jordan Walker. I'm not sure I remember him, but I'm sure I would if I saw his picture.

Oh. The Olympics. Over once again. Sounds good. I have no regrets about Team Canada winning on home soil. It's how it should be. Let's face it: nothing could ever beat 1980. And who won the women's figure skating gold? Any one I know? Probably not, since you didn't bring it up. Here's to counting down to London. Those will be amazing.

Must go. Gotta do some shining. Actually, we're going bowling today. Wish me a few strikes and a score of over 100.

All my lovin,
Sister Whitney Mikell Sorensen