Tracting, Exchanges, and Tender Mercies

Friday Night Pizza and Mutal

So here to update you on some things I did this past week (somewhat long. You can all pick and choose which parts you want to read :) 

Tracting: yesterday for the first time on my mission! It's super fun to go knocking on doors actually before appointments! We even picked up 2 potential investigators: one American and another woman from Brazil. No one even slammed the door in our faces, haha.

Exchanges: We now go on exchanges with the Sister Training Leaders in Woodbridge, CT instead of Hartford so Hermana L. went to Woodbridge all Wednesday and I stayed to take charge of Bridgeport for the day. We had so many appointments-we weren't stuck with the exchanges curse where everyone's appointments cancel. Sister B. (my companion for the day) didn't understand Spanish so I taught her some phrases to say (for example: Sister Sutherland is the best) and at 2 of the houses we went to, she was actually able to speak English!

Service: We did service at the Food Pantry (it's in a local retirement home and is like a free grocery store for those who run out of food at the end of the month..all the food is donated). Next month (if I'm not transferred) I will have to get a video of some of the crazy, old people we deal with there. For example, this one old lady always tells us she wants to lock us in the closet so she can get more food. She tells us she'll run over our toes with her wheelchair so we can't walk. So funny.

Friday Night: We taught E about temples (she's received all the lessons for baptism-we're just awaiting the time her parents allow her to be baptized!) with G who is 17 and from Peru. She has a little Spanish accent when she speaks English-it's adorable. Then, all of the youth from the ward came to bishop's house for pizza and mutual. Us, missionaries, taught the lesson. We did charades with missionary/gospel words and then related it to missionary work at the end. We said that without the spirit we cannot teach people to meet their needs or say the right things. With the Spirit in the lessons we can say what Heavenly Father wants us to and the lesson is more successful. We committed them to always being worthy of having the spirit with them. They seemed to enjoy it! 

Day Exchange: Sister B. and I got to go on our exchanges for half of the day yesterday since both of our companions had to go to Massachusetts for a "missionaries going home within the next 6 months" meeting. It was so fun. We worked so well together-which we knew was likely since we've become such good friends during the time we've been roommates. We went to some of her lessons and some of my lessons. It was so fun to have her come to the Hispanics homes because it was so different than what she was used to. We went to dinner at JA's house who is amazing. She feeds us every other week and there's always dessert too! I got to find out she speaks great English too. It was such a blessing that Sister B and her were able to communicate because they really connected well during the lesson we shared. 

Just right now in the library: A woman needed to use the computer right when we got to the library. There was one left when I was signing in, so I decided to tell her to let her use it instead and that I could wait. This was kind of hard and I was a little bummed out because each week I look forward to emailing! Who knew how long everyone would be on the computer and if there'd be time to email for me. I was going to find something to do while waiting for my companion when some woman comes up to me and says, "Do you go to byu?" Because I'm wearing a byu shirt right now. This led to a whole conversation about life and religion. She's read the whole Book of Mormon and really wants us to come by her house so we exchanged numbers and everything. She was so awesome and it just was a little tender mercy from the Lord for giving service. 

That's my super long week. It is so fun being busy all of the time! I feel so productive and that I am doing exactly what God wants me too. I don't want to let him down or waste his time. And guess what?! Jose's getting baptized tomorrow! The day is finally here! I'll let you know how it goes next week :) Everyone, have a beautiful week!

Lots of Love,

Hermana Suth