We have had such an interesting week here in Portland. The saying is so true, Keep Portland Weird. And that is what this week has been, weird. But always good as well. Debbie had her baptismal interview on Saturday and she is already to go for her baptism this Saturday at 6! We are so excited for her and so is she. We are going to go to the temples visitor center today after pday with her and the Muellers. Its gonna be pretty amazing. So she is doing swell. Gladys and Fred are also doing awesome. They are learning more and more each week and are so prepared for baptism. We just have to wait a while so their families can be with them. But we still teach and help them along their journey. The ward here is so great at helping fellowship these new almost members. It is so important just to be kind to people at church because that really sets the tone for their experience in the church and them learning with the missionaries. We have one young girl whose grandparents were baptized last year but she is hesitant at taking the discussions because she went to church and the young women weren't very nice to her. Man its just the worst. So always be kind!
We did a lot of service this week, including helping someone in their halfway burned down house, yard work, and helping a hoarder move stuff from one side of the room to the other so the inspection people can get to the attic. So that was fun. We ended up just having to throw stuff on top of other stuff. Cleanliness truly is next to Godliness. And now for the yard work story. We have two investigators who were a referral and we are helping them move from a house to a duplex this last week. The last thing to do was yard work so we go and start raking things up and Sis Michaud accidentally raked into a wasp nest. Which was on the ground. Something stung her and she flicked it off and we kept working....until we saw the swarm...and then we ran. And screamed. And flailed our arms everywhere. We run into the house and there are still wasps stinging us. I got hit twice but she got hit five times. So painful. And we smacked two off each other before they could sting. and one was in my hair. Worst experience ever. Okay maybe not ever but still. After a while we laughed about it.
Second keep Portland weird story happened in sacrament meeting. One of our members has a lot of mental and health issues but she got clearance from her foster home to come to sacrament meeting so she has been coming. And we were asked to sit with her today so we did. Also did i mention that she has seizures? Well she does. And she did. She fell over on sister michaud and started seizing. So we let it go for a minute then i was in charge of calling the ambulance. And sacrament is just going on like normal, everyone just learning about prophets. So the paramedics come into the back of the chapel and do their thing and take her out on a gurney....and the bishop is still talking about prophets....then the rest of the meeting just continues. So that was one for the journal.
And the third was yesterday we had such a busy day and were in meetings and training and dinner and so many things. So we finally get out to go talk to people and we go to maybe not the best area of town. But lets be real, that explains like our entire area. And we start to talk to these two guys and this huge man was very drunk and just comes at me. We think he was just trying to give me a hug because we were church people. He apologized profusely after he realized how scared i was. Then we left. It was weird. We got into the car and went to a different area. Man i love my mission, and my area. Its the best. Also Heavenly Father really does look after his missionaries.
So now on the spiritual side of our week. We got to talk to this man (who also lives in the hood) And he was talking about aliens and God and it was just weird. So we were trying to leave and we just testified about how there is a living prophet on the earth today. And he was like hold up. You mean to tell me there is a prophet right now. And we are like uhhh yea. Do you want to see a picture? And we were able to talk about Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon. And he opened up a lot to us and talked about how he is searching for the truth and knows there is a lot more out there but isn't sure what it is. So we have a return appointment with him this week. Super awesome.
Mia and Chance came to church! Man we are so excited. Chance is a less active member and mia is our investigator. The miracle is chance hasn't been coming to church for 7 years and now wants to change his life and come back. It was so awesome. They have a few things to work through but the atonement is real and works for everyone no matter what! I just love that. We just have to listen to the spirit and be courageous enough to follow the promptings we get. And when we do that we live such a happier life than we have been. Because it is an eternal happiness, not anything fleeting. And that's what i love about the gospel that it isn't fleeting but makes us have an eternal perspective and become who God already knows we can be.
President has been teaching us a lot lately about identity. And how we ALL knew Christ and accepted this plan that our Heavenly Father has for us. We were all valiant in the life before this where we lived as spirits with our Heavenly Father and Savior. We all are sons and daughters of God and have such a huge potential to obtain. We truly can inherit everything the father has for us if we use our agency to keep the commandments and endure to the end. What a wonderful time we have to prepare to meet our God. Let us not waste any time but re-turn to God and find joy in the journey!
I love you all and pray for you everyday!
Sister Stephens
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