Hey Ya'll-
What a phenomenal week it has been. I love being a missionary! We had a train the trainers meeting this week, where all of those who are training and their trainers got together for a meeting with President and Sister Craig. We separated into trainers and trainees and talked about how the training was going. We shared what was going well and what needed some improvement. It was very enlightening and actually quite wonderful. It was so good to get to see where I was doing good and where I was falling short as a trainer and how I could specifically help my companion in her progression out here as a missionary! I am so grateful for this opportunity to train. Like I have mentioned before, this has been one of the hardest things I have done on my mission, but so fulfilling and joyful as well, I love it! Sister Boucher is a wonderful missionary and is going to do many great things here in the Fjm! She is so prepared to share this gospel. She loves goals and planning, which I am grateful for. She really knows how to set inspired goals and then do all she can to fulfill them. I have learned so much from her. My planning has been better then ever before, with her. Its incredible. I have always been the kind of person to read up, study, and work hard, but still kind of just "wing it" sometimes...by the spirit of course.....I don't know why it has taken me till now to really understand the power of specific and detailed planning. Setting up how the whole lesson should go. We still might deviate from it a bit, but its been amazing to see the miracles that have come as we have prepared well. Its a bummer that it has taken me this long to really just accept the fact that detailed planning is so important....and put my pride aside.
That is one major thing I have learned from my mission and especially as a trainer.....how important it is to put your pride aside and humble yourself. I have struggled with that throughout my mission.....it's not always easy to see pride. It causes lots of problems that sometimes you dont even realize is a pride problem. It has been very interesting as I have been learning to recognize pride in its various forms, in my life and in the lives of other....and then realizing how much easier and happier life is when you LET GO of pride!
We had a miracle online this week. We received a referral online from a member to teach his friend Isabelle Kanga (she is from the Ivory Coast), about two months ago. We have been trying to teach her off and on for the past two months, we finally were able to really get into a solid lesson about the restoration this past week, and then Saturday the Miracle happened. We were able to connect her with the member who referred her and he was able to bear his testimony after we talked about Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon. While in that conversation he told her that he would be willing to bring her over a Book of Mormon if she wanted to read it, she said Oui (yes)!! I was overjoyed. She loved what she was hearing and she said she would read and pray to know for herself. She had to go before we were able to invite her to be baptized, but that will happen this week for sure!! :-) Yay for online work and for member referrals!! :-) I wish more people would refer their friends online! BTW....Isabelle speaks french...so i have to use this little translating app on my ipad to talk with her...it is an adventure for sure!
We have so much going on in our area, I am not even sure where to start. We have a couple, Jim and Deborah, that we are currently teaching. They know a lot of our ward because she was a school teacher for over 30 years here in Waycross. :-) They are honest seekers of truth and are very open to listen and seeking the will of the Lord. We taught the Plan of Salvation this past week and they took notes together and wanted to look into it themselves even further. It was amazing. They talked about how they had been reading and praying and seeking to find answers to their questions. They really want to listen to what we have to say, because as Jim puts it, "Salvation is a no small thing, which ya'll seem to understand....and ya'll are basing your salvation off of these teachings." Indeed we are and they are now praying to know for themselves. We are so excited to go back and teach them more this coming week. :-)
There are so many more things that I want to talk about, like Alisa Williams coming to church and just crying the whole time through Sacrament (and testimony) meeting, SHE LOVED IT! It was amazing! We are teaching so many people and having miracles happen everyday. It seems like every time we go over to a current investigators home, we have someone walk in (often a friend or a neighbor of theirs) who ends up becoming a new investigator. People are just coming out of the woodwork, who are just prepared and read to hear the gospel it is incredible! We have had that happen to us like 3 times this week. Miracles are happening everywhere and everyday!!
I am running out of time, but I hope ya'll have a wonderful week!
SHOUT OUT TO MY BEAUTIFUL MOMMA!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY this week!!! :-)
Love Ya'll
Sister Heckel
The picture is a sign that we came across when we went to Zone Meeting this past week :-) Fun fun!
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