I am learning that the Lord very much has things under control. He knows
where we plan to be and things work out the way it needs to. Being in the right
place at the right time just simply means being obedient and doing what you
should be doing. This morning we
were on the bus going to the library and these two ladies on the bus recognized
us as sister missionaries. They had no idea that the church was on the island.
They are here for the summer selling designer bags. She started talking to us
and said that her father is very into missionary work and has served a mission.
Turns out she has been in active in the church for a long time. She took this
happenstance of running into sister missionaries on Nantucket as a sign from God
that she should go to church. She asked when church is and said that she will be
coming every week. It seems that every time we are running late and miss our
bus we meet someone who has a lot of questions about the gospel or who has had a
lot of exposure to the church who we would not have met had we been on
time.
This Sunday we were planning
the Sunday School lesson on
baptism. And we were really excited for Patrick and Kathleen to be there. So we
had planned it around their needs. They had decided not to come. But Rosie's
friend Dida came to church again. And we were glad that we had tried to make the
lesson simple. Afterwards she came up to us and told us that she wants to learn
more about our church! We are so excited:)
We have an appointment to meet with Yanedra on Thursday and to start teaching her. We have decided that
with Patrick and Kathleen we will start treating them as if they have a
baptismal date and start preparing them for baptism. President Packard has his
ten commandments of all the things missionaries must do for an investigator when
they have a baptismal date. So maybe if we start working towards it, it will be
sooner than later. We had a good talk about them with the Milsteads this week.
We decided that it is better to love them and to accept where they are at then
to push them away why wanting them to do things they don't want to do. It is
terrible frustrating because they have such strong testimonies of the gospel and
baptism would bless them so much. But I am trying to understand the Lord's
timing in things.
We were able to see Lacy on Monday. She had not gotten back to us for two weeks but we
thought we would told her that we would be off island on Monday hoping she would be able to
respond. She happened to be away from home when we texted and also was planning
to be away again on Monday for
appointments for Angie. It was such a blessing. We met her at a park with the
cape cod sisters and she was able to meet them. We think going to church will be
a little less scary for her now. She was terrified of the thought of going to a
big ward with three noisy children and Angie having a break down in the middle
and what people would think when she had to hold her down so she doesn't hurt
herself. We told her we would find someone to sit by her to help her with the
kids. Shes feeling pretty low. The rules at the shelter are pretty rough. And
she is feeling very alone. If she could just make it to church then we think she
will be ok. She said that she is starting to wonder if all of this is worth it.
We pray that she makes it. It was heartbreaking to have to leave her. Sweet
Lacy.
Zone Conference yesterday was
really good and just what I needed. It was all about retaining baptismal dates
and that we as missionaries have more control over it then we think. President
Packard talked a lot about becoming who we need to be. And to not let pride get
in our way. He told us that we should welcome correction with open arms. Let
everyone know our faults so that they can help us with them and that we should
not be ashamed of them. Life experiences are meant to correct us and who are we
to be offended by correction or to be hurt by it. Because that is how we become
more like our Savior. We can't gain Christlike attributes if we don't find our
faults and try to change them. It was a good reminder that becoming and changing
and making mistakes is a beautiful and wonderful thing. I realized that if I am
so busy at trying to be what I want to be and worrying that I am not, then I
wont become who the Lord plans for me to be.
I am starting to fall in love with the ocean. On Monday we took the ferry to the main land and sat outside on the side of the boat. My
companion was asleep and I just sat there for two hours looking at the ocean. I think it is
the best therapy and can take away any worry.
I love you very much, and I hope that you have a wonderful week. I know
that we are so blessed to live in this time and to witness all of the miracles
of the Lord Hastening his work. I know that he is very much in control and will
not be stopped and it is up to us to be a part of it. I love you all. Have a
wonderful week.
Love Sister Abbey Lou Rushton
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