A lot seems to have happened this week and I'll try to remember it all. I'll start backwards.
A few hours ago, for more than an hour, Elder Farr and I went on a wild goose-chase trying to find someone in Fayetteville or Hope Mills that could notarize some paperwork to get a new Utah drivers license (I lost my wallet 12 weeks ago). So far, no good. I've been to three different random people's homes, 3 banks, and a DMV and they either won't sign it because I'm not a member of their bank or because my USU school ID won't pass as identification. But they always seem to know of a place "just down the street" that would probably be able to do it. It's a little frustrating. The last place I went to suggested some place across the street from the Walmart, which is probably where we're going to shop right after we're done emailing. Hopefully that one will work.
Yesterday (Sunday) was a great day. Last night we felt inspired to see how Bro. Adams, a member of our ward, was doing. When we got there, he introduced us to a nonmember friend that came with him to church earlier in the day. He told us that he was thinking about calling us because he needed help moving a washing machine inside his house, but he didn't want to inconvenience us. After moving it into his house, Bro. Adams asked if we had a message we wanted to share and his friend, Machita (muh-SHEE-ta), joined in. We talked about her experience at church and she said she really enjoyed it! She loved the fellowship and said she felt an unusual but wonderful feeling of peace and calmness that she never felt before (a.k.a. the Spirit). She especially loved the Relief Society because she could tell that every woman in the room had a sincere belief in and love for Jesus Christ, and that no one was speaking hypocritically or being fake. She felt uncomfortable at church at first because she wore a pretty immodest dress, but was touched that no one judged her or looked down at her; there was one woman who let her borrow a shawl to cover up her back and shoulders more, and a different woman asked her if she would like to borrow one of her own dresses for next week. (Wow! Way to go members!) We taught Machita about the Book of Mormon and that she can know if it is true through prayer. She is really excited and it makes so much sense to her, even though she comes from a Pentecostal background. She is our newest investigator and we will be teaching her the message of the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ tomorrow... after Bro. Adams feeds us barbeque and collards. Mmmm! :)
Right after church, we had a meeting with Bro. Shields, the stake high councilor over missionary work, to discuss an auxiliary training meeting coming up. We will be instructing and training the ward mission leaders in the stake. It should be a really good meeting and I'm excited... hopefully it will significantly help the coordination between the missionaries and the wards.
We had two investigators come to church (not including Machita because she wasn't technically an investigator yet), one of which was Sis. Hernandez, who is getting baptized on Friday! She passed her baptismal interview just before church started. I'm so excited for her! She can't wait. :) It never ceases to amaze me how much the Lord has prepared her for this. She soaked everything in like a sponge, but she didn't just take our word for it. She has prayed several times to know that different principles we have taught are true, and each time she has recognized answers from the Holy Ghost. She and Bro. Hernandez are moving to Italy in June to a little military branch near Florence and Pisa. We'll miss them... they have been such a blessing in our lives.
We've also been teaching an investigator named Sis. Sheppard, who was completely ready to be baptized but relapsed and is trying to quit smoking again. She has a strong testimony and is reading the Book of Mormon for the third time. To try to help her quit, we've given up sweets. I'm a little more committed than I was when I went on a dessert-free diet in Greenville (I actually want to do it this time) so I think I'll probably do it for longer. I have felt a lot healthier and I'm actually losing weight, which is great because I've put on a few pounds, thanks to this Southern cookin'. (Speaking of Southern cookin', we had a member tell us about some cooter-stew she had... stew made out of snapping turtle. Hopefully we can find someone who makes it cause it sounds right nice.) No news on my back.
That's about all I have time for! The rest of the week was good too. Hard things and great things all in the same week. One of the hard things was no mail. *Cough, cough*
I love you all so much and I hope you are having a GREAT time with what ever it is that normal people do (I forgot)!
With love,
Elder Schank
