Well-Worn Boots!!

This week was a really spiritual one for Sister Rodda and I.

First we met a former investigator named 'K'.  He texted us and said he wanted to meet with us.  We found him in our area book and sure enough he was a former, that had met with missionaries before.  We pretty excited because we have been striving to find people and this seemed like it could be a real miracle.  So we met him at the library and established our purpose as missionaries and then brought out The Restoration pamphlets to begin, then he goes, before we begin, 'I have a few questions if that's okay? ' So we are like yeah of course.... oh... and this is just when it went downhill.  He was NOT there with real intent to learn more, all his questions were cynical, confrontational and not with the desire to learn more but to prove us wrong.

The cool thing though was every time I bore my testimony I felt the Spirit come back into my heart and manifest that what I was saying, was in fact true.  He was very intelligent and was throwing out all these big words and ideas that just went right over my head, at one point I just said, "you know sir, I am only 20 years old, and I don't know everything, and everything you just said right there went right over my head, but what I do know is that Joseph Smith really IS a prophet of God and through him the fullness of the gospel was restored."  Once again I felt the Spirit so strong.  At the very end, we are sitting across from each other at the table and he goes "One of us is going to heaven and the other is not, and you REALLY think its you?  That is frightening."  I once again felt the Spirit as I bore testimony of the plan of salvation and felt so strong and happy as I said that I was not even a LITTLE bit worried.  We ended our meeting of course, as we felt there was nothing we could do for him.  As Sister Rodda and I sat in the car, we were filled with gratitude as we talked about how amazing it was that we had strong testimonies that could not be shaken.  I know if I would have had that confrontation at various other periods in my life, and it may have shaken me up a bit.  I am grateful that it did not and for where I am today.

The story gets better actually.  Then we met with the Bishop later and were telling him about our week.  As we brought up 'K', he goes, "Oh no... did no one warn you about him??  Don't you have notes in your area book?"  I told him that we had notes but nothing that said anything about his intent, just that he wasn't interested.  He told us how he had met with 'K' and he is actually a part of 2 organizations and his calling is to convert Mormons!  So he was coming to convert us.  Bishop pulled up his profile on the computer, it was crazy.  On the website it even says "the missionaries will tell you to read and to pray, under NO circumstances should you do this!!"  LOL!  I couldn't believe it. I had never even heard of such a thing.  Once again, as Sister Rodda and I went back to the car, we were grateful because I know that as 'K' went back home he knew there was no way he converted us, or shook our beliefs.  I am grateful for an unshakeable testimony.

Then we FINALLY we able to make contact with 'B'.  We have been so worried about him because he hasn't been coming to church and he has this new dog from the Czech Republic so we aren't about to just show up there, but he called us this week and wanted to meet.  So we went over and caught up with him and his wife.  At the end we showed the "Because of Him" video and I bore my testimony of Jesus Christ and how everything is really possible because of Him.  Then, all of a sudden I turned to 'B' and I bore testimony of the Atonement, and I thanked him for showing me the TRUE power of the Atonement.  I told him how I have always struggled to understand how it works, I have struggled with believing it can apply to me too, and until I met 'B', I didn't.  But when I came here and I taught him and I saw his change, I knew that if a man that had been in prison for 25 years could be forgiven, then so could I.  That is one of the strongest times I have ever felt the Spirit, I didn't even plan on saying any of that, it just came out. I was crying, his wife was crying, Sister Rodda was crying, and even 'B' was crying.  It was silent for a while, then through tears in his eyes, 'B' looked down and muffled out "thanks Wawro."  I know he felt the Spirit.

I was grateful for those experiences because they really helped me to recognize how much I have grown on my mission.  I am truly thankful for the Spirit and the power it has on everyone.  I will miss the experiences I get to have like this.  But I'm sure there are many more to come in my life.   :)

Home three weeks from today - crazy!  So, I am going to take some online classes while I am home.  Just some foundations courses.  Its actually pretty cool - I am deffered for the Fall 2015 semester, but at BYU-Idaho they let returned missionaries attend back in whatever semester they want.  So while I'm at home I'm gonna take just a few online classes.  The spring online semester is only from April 21st to July 23rd.  That will still give me a break after the mission, and then keep me fresh when I go back to school.  So I'm excited about that.  The classes are pretty cheap too...like one of the science classes is only $35 bucks.

Mom - loved the muffins, thanks for sending more!  :)

LOVE YOU ALL

Sister Wawro

PICTURES:

The sign of true missionary shoes!  (Mom:  throw those out!  Right now!  LOL!)

So the Elders are always pranking us.  We came home to this beauty...a couch from the dumpster.  LOL!  But we called them and made them move it.   haha

I was able to go on exchanges with Sister Tennant who is from KELLER TEXAS!!!!! We just had a blast.

Sister Lawson who goes home at the same time as me!!

Elder Lambourgne and I in our matching "tent dweller" shirts.  Everyone in the mission has these silly "tent dweller shirts" (like from the scripture "my father dwelt in a tent").  Well, I've seen them everywhere and I was complaining about how I wanted one and it turns out, Elder Lambourgne in my district is the one that created them, and he only had one left!  So I got it!  On the back it says the "I'm Mormon.  I know it.  I live it.  I love it" that quote that was going around a while ago.  :)

Beautiful Washington