June 19,2012

Hello Family!!

I just barely went and got the package you sent- you guys are the
greatest!!! :) I loved the "Fishy crackers" and swedish fish, I
haven't looked at the pictures yet or read the letters (Except for the
one of Di and Spense- He he that was a GOOD one! ;) ) But thanks so
much! I really do have the BEST family ever!! :) I am really excited
to go home today and read all your letters and listen to the tape!!!!
:) :) :)

So, this week has been really good! It is finals week again so we have
struggled a little with a lot of our investigators leaving, but we
didn't let that slow us down at all. We had some really great
experiences:

First we have been teaching an Asian girl named Kate. She is super
sweet and genuinely interested in learning about the gospel but we
have had a hard time getting her to open up to us. She is so quiet and
shy and so when we ask her questions her answers are very basic and
don't really give us anything to go on! We have been really praying
about how to help her and this week we were able to find the perfect
fellow shipper for her! :) I LOVE it when that happens! We asked
Elizabeth Downie to come with us- She is super great and a RM. She
went to Texas I think. . . any ways so she really knows how to teach
and is really good to just jump right in and testify to help us teach.
We had planned to teach Kate the Gospel, but as we were following up
we found some concerns about prayer. We ended up reading a little from
the Book of Mormon, and then really testifying to her of our Saviors
love for her. The whole lesson was amazing! We were able to teach her
about how much God loves her and will answer her prayers. The most
beautiful thing happened- I felt prompted to open to Alma 7:11-12 and
really testify that Christ knows how to succor each of us. As I did
that, she spoke up about another part of those verses. She said, "Wow!
I really like how it says here that He overcame death! I had a very
good friend of mine die in a car accident recently and this is very
comforting." With just those 2 little sentences we were able to really
teach Kate about God's love instead of teaching a lesson on the
gospel! Teaching people, not lessons is so awesome!!!! It still amazes
me how God prepares these people and helps me to love them. That was
the whole focus of that lesson- and it was such a neat, powerful
experience! :)

Next miracle: We were able to get Clara at church yesterday!!!! YAY!!
Clara is a PhD student at U of M. She is SUPER duper smart and very
devoted to her Episcopalian religion. She wanted a copy of the Book of
Mormon to read and study so that is how we started teaching her. We
have had to learn how to be really bold with her and just say it how
it is- straight forward and plain. It's been such a learning
experience for me. She is intimidating, but it had strengthened my
confidence in the power of my calling and the promise that the spirit
will be given us in the VERY MOMENT what to say! :) That seems to
happen quite frequently during our visits for which I am very
grateful! She has been wanting to come to church for a while now and
finally this week her schedule allowed her to be there. It was such a
miracle cause it was pouring rain and Sacrament had already started,
and she wasn't there! I felt like we needed to go out to the foyer so
that's exactly what we did. As i watched out the front windows this
little green car pulled up and out jumped Clara- soaking wet and a
little frazzled cause she was running late, but she made it!! :) I
cannot even describe the feeling of relief when I saw that little car
pull up and know that she MADE IT!!! Such Joy!! :) She really seemed
to enjoy sacrament and the Bishop talked with her for a few minutes
afterward so I felt like it was a good experience for her. It was
really neat too cause the Bishop offered to come and teach her with us
after we told him some of her concerns! What a great experience!!!

Alrighty- so next miracle!! We have had a great week with finding
fellow shippers for our investigators. We were teaching Hunaid last
night and we asked Kendall to come with us. We thought they would
really be able to connect and Kendall is always willing and helpful.
So we started the lesson and Kendall jumped right in to help us teach.
Every time after Kendall would say something Hunaid would look at
Sister Thompson and I and say, "Wow, He is GOOD!" Ha ha, that happened
the whole night, until eventually instead of asking US his questions
he would say, "Wait, can I ask a question?" . . . . Then he would
TURN, LOOK straight at Kendall and ask his question! Ha ha! It was
really powerful though. I felt like we were able to really identify
some of his concerns and help him see how living the gospel is so
important! It was really great!

We have really been trying to work with the ward more- we are redoing
the ward mission plan so that the mission committee, and all the other
auxiliaries can work together more effectively and efficiently. And I
feel like getting members more involved in the teaching and fellow
shipping of our investigators is definitely a step in the right
direction.

We have our Mission Tour tomorrow! We are really excited! I don't have
to play the piano this time either- ha ha! Maybe after the last
experience at Zone Conference they decided to let someone else try and
share their talents! ;) In the mean time I will keep practicing on our
little key board at our apartment and try to let my light so shine
that way! :)

Brother Elms should be in Utah now!! He is supposed to call you and
try to meet sometime in the next few weeks or so. He's great! You'll
love him and his family! <3 Also, did you ever get the package from
Rachel Suggs?? :) Thanks for taking care of my account Mom! :) You're
the best!!!

Di- I still don't know what to think of this BOY!?!?!? Ha ha- he
better be SO good! (And Hannah- you and I will keep praying, okay?!?!
;) ) LOL, JK!!!

Pageant starts this week- sounds like lots of good times! I love you
all super mucho and hope that you all have a wonderful week!!! :)

HAPPY FATHERS DAY TO DAD!!! YOU'RE THE BEST DAD IN THE WHOLE WIDE
WORLD- I LOVE YOU THE BESTEST!!!!

Lots and lots of love,

Sister Bishop