Loaves and Fishes-Mississippi Miracles

This week has been a long one. But at the same time, it went fast! 

Yesterday we taught Brighton the Plan of Salvation and it was a really good lesson! She said it all made a lot of sense to her, and it really cleared up a lot of the confusion she had before. And she also got to go to the youth trip on Saturday and she loved it! I guess some of the girls in the ward were talking about missions, and so Brighton asked us how "mission trips" work in our church! Haha, so we told her about being missionaries and sharing the gospel with people like her, and she said that sounds like something she wants to do someday! Brighton is so prepared, it blows me away! 

Bertha...well, we still don't really know about her. But we have decided that we're going to pray really hard about continuing to visit her. 

We were able to sit down last night, and earlier this week with Vern. The Black's came the first time. We talked about the spirit and receiving answers to prayers. We talked about faith and sincerity and committed him to read the Book of Mormon every day. Basically, he can't know if all we share is true if he doesn't pray about it and act. So we'll see if he recognizes an answer this week or feels the spirit when he reads! 

We also met with Stefan. He's a preacher and very proper. He got kinda bash-y. He is smart and knows the Bible really well (obviously. Otherwise, I don't think he would be a very good preacher). But then he seems so friendly, and asks some genuine questions. It confuses us a little. But we think he has been looking up anti. We also think he may be one of the three Nephites, and he is hear to test our faith or something. We really just can't be sure at this point. 

SO the miracle of the loaves and fishes...pamphlet version! 

Saturday morning was kind of empty for us, but I try to make an extra effort to talk to everyone we can on days like that because Heavenly Father has prepared people to listen to our message, and I don't want to miss them! So there's a house down the street from us that we walk past ALL the time to get pretty much everywhere we go. And at this house, a lot of the time there are boys sitting outside. And we hadn't ever really stopped to talk to them. So we decided that Saturday would be the day we did! And as we walked past, one of the boys stopped us and said, "Are y'all ever gonna stop and talk to us?" 

Coincidence? I think not! 

So we talked! And that led to sitting down and sharing the entire Restoration with them! We gave them Books of Mormon and invited them to church. 45 minutes into Sacrament meeting, they came! And brought friends!! So it was our 3 new investigators (Brian, James, and Nick) and their 2 friends! What a day!! Getting that many people in sacrament (Brighton was there too!) was a miracle in and of itself. 

But the loaves and fishes...well, Sister Mellor and I aren't always the most prepared with materials. Sometimes we just forget to load our bags. I had 1 Restoration pamphlet and Sister Mellor thought she only had 2. But here we were sitting down to teach 5 guys! But as Sister Mellor got them out of her bag, she realized she had 4!! And so we passed them out, and turns out there were 5 in the stack! So we even had extras! (Just like with the loaves and fishes!!) God is good, folks!! 

Now I just need a miracle for my hands. Haha, I've had them bandaged up a little to help them heal, and I feel silly going out like that! 

But anyway, it's been a good week! Full of cooking and Elder Bingham's birthday! Oh, and we got fried chicken and biscuits after doing yard work for a lady in the ward! I just keep getting more and more Southern down here!

Elder Bingham's Birthday

Have a great week, and look for your many miracles. 

Love, Sister C.​

Mississippi is a Pretty Place!

​It's Monday again, already?! 

First of all, you know how things were cooling down and the weather was beautiful?? Well, for some reason the weather has decided to start to get more humid again! But it's still not as terrible as it was before, so I can't complain too much I suppose. 

Anyway! Last Tuesday, Sister Mellor and I had the privilege of going to the Lady's Lunch again. We were celebrating Sister Black's birthday. She's turning 26 for those who care. Almost up to mom's 29 years! But we went to the Froghead Grill (where light sabers are welcome) and it was delicious! I had red beans and rice, which I really like. And Sister Patterson made strawberry cake that was DELICIOUS! (No worries, I have recipes for both items.) We also met a guy there named Britain (his friends call him great) ;) and we ended up inviting him to church! We were just going to leave our card on the table, but he came back and said that he actually came back because he wanted to ask about coming to church with us! He also got some cake and good tips, so basically he has a ton of fellowshippers. 

Froghead Grill

Lady's Lunch for Sister Black's Birthday

Spoiler though, he didn't come to church. But he did say he might be out of town yesterday, so I guess we'll have to go back to the grill and get him to come this week! 

But it's okay because Brighton, her friend Darby, and Vern came to church! Brighton is doing well, and now she has a baptismal date again! She's terribly busy, and so it isn't until November 26th, but she's excited and has been reading the Book of Mormon and loves her religion! And we also got to finally take a picture with Brighton, so now y'all can see what she looks like :)

Sister Mellor, Brighton, and Me

We're teaching a lady named Bertha. She is nice. She always tells us we look nice when we show up. I think she thinks we're trying to force her to change her views and the covenants she's already made with God. She also may curse us. The last person she cursed died. But she's nice!

Vern is the guy we met a few weeks ago at Spaghetti dinner. He came to a baptism in the ward on Friday. He still has some questions and is interested in another church as well at this point. But he did say that he has been thinking about what keeps drawing him back to our church! So that was exciting. I invited him to pray about that and be mindful of it at church. 

We got to go back and see Ashley this week! A few weeks ago, we saw her on her porch. She seemed down, and as we got to talking she really opened up and I ended up going from our Restoration lesson to sharing my testimony of the Plan of Salvation. She was crying, I was crying, it was tender. But then she didn't seem too interested and I honestly didn't think we'd see her again. As we walked away I really wondered why I had even opened up to her so much and shared some things that were so close to me. 

BUT then we saw her this week! Twice!! She set up a return appointment and let us teach the restoration! We gave her a Book of Mormon and are going back tomorrow!! We saw her at Wal-Mart today too, and she was excited to see us, and made sure we'd be at our appointment tomorrow! She's great! 

Update on Mamma Dudley: She is out of the hospital, and back home! She is doing a lot better, and hanging in there so she can vote. Haha! 

Goodness, this is long! 

But last night we also met a super cool guy named Ernest Tche! He's from Cameroon, and went to school there and then France, and then Oregon. He has been to the Olympics four times! Twice as an athlete and twice as a coach! He has a cool story for sure. He believes in humanity and the goodness of people. He's very giving, and talked to us for a long time. He wasn't super interested in our message, although he respected it, but he's been introduced to it before and has read part of the Book of Mormon. But he plays and coaches tennis and said we could use his stuff and we could go play sometime! So basically, I may come back home a tennis pro. ;) 

With Ernest Tche

Well, I think that's about it for the week! Oh and we made pizza, the leaves are changing color finally, and Mississippi is a pretty place!  

Love ya'll! Stay cool! 

P.S. Looking back on those facial pictures. I kinda regret sending the last one. Haha!

The Weather Here is Beautiful!

​Good news, folks! The weather here is beautiful! It's been slightly hot during the day, but I am happy to report that it finally cools down at night! And our morning runs have actually been quite chilly! It's kind of strange actually. 

We started our week off on the right foot though, and went to Applebee's for dinner on Monday night. Then we treated ourselves to ice cream, and some facials! (Which I seriously debated sending pictures of...) But it was a relaxing, fun start to a work filled week! 

Ice cream...

...and facials!!!

This week Sister Mellor and I did some service for Tonya! We mowed her lawn and cleaned up her leaves, and it took a big chunk of our Saturday, but it was good work. I also got to teach Sister Mellor how to use a push mower, which I found to be quite humorous, because yard work is certainly not something I ever imagined myself teaching. Ha! 

Service at Tonya's Home

That night we also went back and taught Tonya the first part of the Plan of Salvation, and it was a really good lesson! She asked us some great questions about life and how she always thought that there just had to be something before this life. So we were able to answer her questions and give her new knowledge, and it went great! We're excited to go back and finish the lesson with her, because I have a feeling she will really like the second part of the Plan as well. She also really liked that we referred to it as the Plan of Happiness! And well, it really truly is. How great is it, that we know how we can have eternal happiness with those we love? :) 

Brighton ended up not being able to come to church yesterday because of another appointment :(  But we did get to see a couple we met a few weeks ago! They are Lori and David, and have recently been married. They are friends with our Stake President. Lori is a member and is just starting to come back to church, and David is not a member but is interested!! They requested to have us teach them, and David has said that they are planning to have us over for dinner soon! They're great and that is exciting! 

On Thursday, we walked to the park and drew with chalk! At the end of it, we made some new friends who came over to draw with us! Two of the little girls started looking at my name-tag and decided to write my name all over. And then they wrote Jesus Christ's name, too. I thought it was pretty cute :) 

Chalk Art at the Park

We also found out that Mamma Dudley is in the hospital :(  The sweet Black's took us to go visit her, and so we got to talk and sing a hymn for her. We hope she starts feeling better soon though, and have been praying for her. 

Also, in my last update I forgot to write that Sister Mellor and I totally won a cute squirrel at BINGO. And yes, yes we were very proud of ourselves :) 

Take care y'all!

Put a Smile on Your Face :)

Well folks, not much by means of pictures today, so how about some stories??

On Tuesday, Sister Mellor and I still didn't have the car. And we really didn't have many people to teach who were close enough we could walk to. And so what did we do?? We prayed, of course!

  

And God was good to us. 

We set out walking and met SO many people! We knocked on some doors, and talked to as many people outside as we could. People have never been that open or receptive to us. We taught 4 lessons to these new people and set up return appointments with many of them. We were on fire, and were so blessed with the chance to meet these people. 

Just an experience that added to my testimony of prayer. 

Then when we did have the car, we were able to go see a whole bunch of Bible referrals! And were able to teach a lot of them as well! They ended up being a big blessing as well. I was (and still am) feeling ever so grateful for how our time was able to be filled this week. 

That really all was a small miracle in and of itself. 

Also! On Friday Sister Mellor and I talked about Brighton and how we could help her during our weekly planning. It was hard to know what to do because we haven't heard from her in so long. But we finished our planning, and checked the phone and we had a text from...Brighton! She's out of the hospital and doing better and I think we'll be seeing her soon!! 

And then there was General Conference! I simply could not pick a favorite talk from that. Having the opportunity to hear from such inspired men really is something I will never take for granted again. I learned so much! One thing I particularly loved was Elder Nelson's talk on joy. Sometimes it's hard to remember that life is not meant to be miserable, and that through Christ we can always find joy! So put a smile on your face, and get to it, my friends!! :) 

I also thought there was a missionary theme going on (perhaps a little more so because I'm a missionary), but it got me fired up for the work! And it was fun to imagine all of my missionary friends, sitting in their various places around the world, all singing "Called to Serve" together. What a great work this is, and how glad I am to be a part of it and share the joy of the gospel!! 

Oh, and thank you grandma for the cute necklaces! Sister Mellor and I have already gotten compliments on them! 

(The picture of the trees is for you, mom. That's about as much color change as these trees are seeing right now...haha, still pretty green!)