So I guess I'm on the sprint of my mission! My body feels like it may have already been sprinting for quite a few months now...but we're doing good! Sister N had a friend who would eat a spoonful of peanut butter before he went to bed every night, for extra energy and to keep his metabolism going or something. We've been trying it. I will either be very energetic or very fat in the near future! And also poor, since we have to pay more than 200 rubles for peanut butter haha.
We had this REALLY cool thing happen! I have to write about it right very first because I'm really happy because she just called us! There is a woman named Vika who knew a member of the church in Moscow (mom--it was Sergei M. who was the Nuutinen's driver called me! Ha he remembered we lived near Beloruski Vogzal even! Weird!) and so he called us and gave us her number! She sounds so nice!! We've only talked over the phone, but she just started crying the first time we called and said she really needed more faith and she wants to meet. She has already read the Book of Mormon, and gone to our church a lot--we just set up a meeting with her for Saturday! I wish it wasn't so far away because I can't wait! We're going to Krasnodar for awhile this week for a zone conference and splits, so we're looking forward to that.....but it's sad to leave Sochi! We are teaching a lot of really awesome people right now.
We had a miraculous experience with Irina this week. She was set for June 28. Well, then she got a new job that made it almost impossible for her to meet!! We thought. We called her one day, and talked to her for awhile, and assumed she was at work. After we hung up, we talked for a while about different things we could try, so that we could find a way to meet with her. We finally decided to ask if we could meet her at the bus stop, at 6am before work, to read with her and give her a picture of Christ. It was a long shot, but we called back to ask, right then. Turns out she wasn't at work that day, and the second time we called, she agreed to meet with us, right then! We had a great lesson with her, resolved concerns and figured out that July 6th was the day she needed. The absolute coolest part of the lesson was when we read from 2 Nephi 31. At the start of the lesson, Irina said, "Don't worry about what day I'll be baptized. I'll tell you myself when I am ready". My heart sunk!! I was like, noooo! I've seen so many people just get distracted or lose interest, this can't happen to you Irina!!!!!!!!!! As we read verses 9-12 in 2 Nephi 31, she thought for a second and said, "so I need to be baptized." She commited to the 6th. I know she felt the Spirit teaching her, and that helped her commit along with our testimonies and promised blessings. I know that the Spirit prompted us to call back that second time, and if we hadn't have had that meeting, who KNOWS. We've also seen great things as we've had her fellowshipper Raisa call her a few times a week--such a big difference than just us calling.
So, last P-day I was kind of worried about the week, because we didn't have much potential for new investigators I felt like, and I decided to just start calling through tons of past and potential investigators. One woman, Natalya, we had met back in March I think, on the square by the vogzal (train station). She was with her little daughter, and had heard good things about Mormons from relatives in USA. She was interested in the Book of Mormon, and agreed to go walking with us...well, I don't really know why, but we never called her! But she totally remembered us, agreed to meet, and then also came to church yesterday with her daughter! She's so cool--she's quiet, but I think she can feel how important this is. We had probably around 45 people in church yesterday, and we counted 10 that were either our investigators or potentials!!! I am AMAZED. And I can promise it has very little to do with us, and a lot to do with how merciful the Lord is. The greatest part for me was that a member brought his friend from work who is our age, and we had our neighbor from our building with us who is our age, and it just so happened that most of the youth from the branch were there, so it felt like we had youth!! For Sochi, that is a miracle.
On to the other end of the age spectrum, Olga is doing great! Raisa the Rockstar has taken full control of making sure everything from her journal from her baptism is signed by EVERYONE and their sabaka (dog), to making sure her bathroom gets a good remont (remodeling). Ultimate hand-off to the members. Sasha is also doing well--she wants to come to church so badly, but Zhanna's health is getting worse and worse. When we saw them this week, we found out her neighbor doesn't like that we come over, and threatened to call the police. It's so, so hard. I feel like I'm running out of ways to help them, and I feel like Zhanna is giving up. :( Her sons make her babysit every day, and won't allow her to take their kids to church. It feels like she has everything going against her right now. All we can do is keep going--we go walking with them, we call, and most of all we are working on keeping the members involved. It's definitely a challenge.
We have this next door neighbor, who leaves her door open always. It's really strange. The first day it was open all day, I was really worried for her, because she's pretty old and lives alone. I peeked in and saw that there was a bunch of stuff in the doorway--like a TV, a dresser, stuff like that. I kind of panicked and thought maybe she had died and they were cleaning out her stuff. It was all dark, so I peeked in a little more, and all of a sudden this face peeks around the wall and just does this creeeeepy giggle thing!!!!!!!!!! I almost passed out. It was her. She was just standing there with her cat giggling at us. It was crazy and really really weird.
“Happily ever after never happens in the second act.”
I watched a totally cheesy 80s thing about the Plan of Salvation this morning, that was from Elder Packer's comparison of how pre-earth life is like the first act, we're in the second, and the third act is what is to come. I love the metaphor but the movie had just one too many perms.
Hebrews 10:36
“Our lives are made up of thousands of everyday choices. Over the years these little choices will be bundled together and show clearly what we value.”
--Boyd K. Packer
These weeks are golden. I feel so blessed to be able to just run and go and focus! I love you all!
Love
Sister McGhie
PS: Sis N decided I need one super fun thing for each of my last pdays, so last week was watching legacy which turned out to be kind of lame and not really fun, but this week we are going to the wig store so sis n can decide how she wants her hair cut! which also might sound lame, but we are both really excited. AHHHHHHhhh! I think I might be lame.
We had this REALLY cool thing happen! I have to write about it right very first because I'm really happy because she just called us! There is a woman named Vika who knew a member of the church in Moscow (mom--it was Sergei M. who was the Nuutinen's driver called me! Ha he remembered we lived near Beloruski Vogzal even! Weird!) and so he called us and gave us her number! She sounds so nice!! We've only talked over the phone, but she just started crying the first time we called and said she really needed more faith and she wants to meet. She has already read the Book of Mormon, and gone to our church a lot--we just set up a meeting with her for Saturday! I wish it wasn't so far away because I can't wait! We're going to Krasnodar for awhile this week for a zone conference and splits, so we're looking forward to that.....but it's sad to leave Sochi! We are teaching a lot of really awesome people right now.
We had a miraculous experience with Irina this week. She was set for June 28. Well, then she got a new job that made it almost impossible for her to meet!! We thought. We called her one day, and talked to her for awhile, and assumed she was at work. After we hung up, we talked for a while about different things we could try, so that we could find a way to meet with her. We finally decided to ask if we could meet her at the bus stop, at 6am before work, to read with her and give her a picture of Christ. It was a long shot, but we called back to ask, right then. Turns out she wasn't at work that day, and the second time we called, she agreed to meet with us, right then! We had a great lesson with her, resolved concerns and figured out that July 6th was the day she needed. The absolute coolest part of the lesson was when we read from 2 Nephi 31. At the start of the lesson, Irina said, "Don't worry about what day I'll be baptized. I'll tell you myself when I am ready". My heart sunk!! I was like, noooo! I've seen so many people just get distracted or lose interest, this can't happen to you Irina!!!!!!!!!! As we read verses 9-12 in 2 Nephi 31, she thought for a second and said, "so I need to be baptized." She commited to the 6th. I know she felt the Spirit teaching her, and that helped her commit along with our testimonies and promised blessings. I know that the Spirit prompted us to call back that second time, and if we hadn't have had that meeting, who KNOWS. We've also seen great things as we've had her fellowshipper Raisa call her a few times a week--such a big difference than just us calling.
So, last P-day I was kind of worried about the week, because we didn't have much potential for new investigators I felt like, and I decided to just start calling through tons of past and potential investigators. One woman, Natalya, we had met back in March I think, on the square by the vogzal (train station). She was with her little daughter, and had heard good things about Mormons from relatives in USA. She was interested in the Book of Mormon, and agreed to go walking with us...well, I don't really know why, but we never called her! But she totally remembered us, agreed to meet, and then also came to church yesterday with her daughter! She's so cool--she's quiet, but I think she can feel how important this is. We had probably around 45 people in church yesterday, and we counted 10 that were either our investigators or potentials!!! I am AMAZED. And I can promise it has very little to do with us, and a lot to do with how merciful the Lord is. The greatest part for me was that a member brought his friend from work who is our age, and we had our neighbor from our building with us who is our age, and it just so happened that most of the youth from the branch were there, so it felt like we had youth!! For Sochi, that is a miracle.
On to the other end of the age spectrum, Olga is doing great! Raisa the Rockstar has taken full control of making sure everything from her journal from her baptism is signed by EVERYONE and their sabaka (dog), to making sure her bathroom gets a good remont (remodeling). Ultimate hand-off to the members. Sasha is also doing well--she wants to come to church so badly, but Zhanna's health is getting worse and worse. When we saw them this week, we found out her neighbor doesn't like that we come over, and threatened to call the police. It's so, so hard. I feel like I'm running out of ways to help them, and I feel like Zhanna is giving up. :( Her sons make her babysit every day, and won't allow her to take their kids to church. It feels like she has everything going against her right now. All we can do is keep going--we go walking with them, we call, and most of all we are working on keeping the members involved. It's definitely a challenge.
We have this next door neighbor, who leaves her door open always. It's really strange. The first day it was open all day, I was really worried for her, because she's pretty old and lives alone. I peeked in and saw that there was a bunch of stuff in the doorway--like a TV, a dresser, stuff like that. I kind of panicked and thought maybe she had died and they were cleaning out her stuff. It was all dark, so I peeked in a little more, and all of a sudden this face peeks around the wall and just does this creeeeepy giggle thing!!!!!!!!!! I almost passed out. It was her. She was just standing there with her cat giggling at us. It was crazy and really really weird.
“Happily ever after never happens in the second act.”
I watched a totally cheesy 80s thing about the Plan of Salvation this morning, that was from Elder Packer's comparison of how pre-earth life is like the first act, we're in the second, and the third act is what is to come. I love the metaphor but the movie had just one too many perms.
Hebrews 10:36
“Our lives are made up of thousands of everyday choices. Over the years these little choices will be bundled together and show clearly what we value.”
--Boyd K. Packer
These weeks are golden. I feel so blessed to be able to just run and go and focus! I love you all!
Love
Sister McGhie
PS: Sis N decided I need one super fun thing for each of my last pdays, so last week was watching legacy which turned out to be kind of lame and not really fun, but this week we are going to the wig store so sis n can decide how she wants her hair cut! which also might sound lame, but we are both really excited. AHHHHHHhhh! I think I might be lame.
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