That was the best email title I could think of. By the way Harker family, thank you very much for the cookies in the MTC and your letters! I loved them. I still have your letter in reply in my backpack:) Just like everyone elses. Haha.
How's everyones life going? Mine is going swell. It's been really slow. Getting investigators in Livermore is super hard. I feel like everyone is curious about the church, but doesn't want to be seen talking to the missionaries.
I think the only interesting thing that really has happened is going to the hospital this week. Sister Fui and I are being forced into a different eating lifestyle, so we decided to go on our last horray and eat some Cold Stone. And Cold Stone has this new Lava Cake thing, which was super good. But as I was eating eat, I started feeling my throat close up, and I just kept eating it. Haha. And then I started to get hives on my hands, and Sister Fui was all like: "You better not die Sister Powell!" So she made me call the Mission Nurse and then the Mission Nurse made me go to the hospital. I was super upset about it. And then I get there and everyone is walking really slow and really not concerned whatsoever. The doctor I had had long hair, kept asking the same question over and over, and had a teddy bear sweater hoody on. But I got a shot and some benedryl. I was lucky I didn't die it took that long.
Since we are supporting the Elders and just teaching the Widowers, women, and Old Ladies in Livermore, we teach a lot of Part Member familes. We are teaching these two girls named Miranda and Delany. Their dad isn't a member and wanted them to wait until they were 18 to get baptized, but they aren't. They are super nice. It's cool to see two sides. Sister Zidek was like that. Her dad wasn't a member and he wanted them to wait until they were eighteen to get baptized. But Sister Zidek just knew the church is true and now she is on a mission. Miranda I feel like believe it's true, but is just scared. All I hear about constantly from every member is how great her talks are at Sacrament.
The other Part Member family is the Lloyds. Sister Lloyd is the only one that isn't a member in her family. Her husband is amazing adn I was super proud of seeing her sons, who were just recently baptized, passing the sacrament. She goes to church, does everything, but isn't baptized. She is amazing too. And that is pretty much our investigators. We don't got lots, but I love them. I know how important they are to the Savior. And you can tell how much their families want them to be baptized.
It's cool though, becoming aquainted with people on the streets and creating friends, even if they aren't interested right now. We were contacting one day, and we met this guy named Darryl. He is super awesome. I was just walking and I saw him and started talking to him. He was really mean at first: "I know all about your religion" and I was like cool. So do I.
Darryl: What Bible do you read?
Me: The New Testament and the Old Testament and we have this Book called the Book of Mormon which is another Testament of Jesus Christ.
Darryl: I know about that Book, but what do you think of the Bible
Me: Oh I love the Bible.
Darryl: I bet you know nothin' about the Bible
Me: Well, actually, This Morning I read in John 13 where Jesus washes Peter's feet. Here, let me quote it for you."Then cometh he to Simon Peter and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet? Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now but thou shalt know hereafter. Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me. Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head.
(I am memorizing scriptures in Portuguese)
Darryl: I love that message. Not only should we love people, and preach the word, but we should serve people. Here y'all are just preaching the word, what about serving and doing good for others?
Me: We actually just helped some people move in their home. Part of our mission is doing service. We are here to follow the example of Chirst in everything.
Darryl: Well, y'all do know you can't be saved by any way but through Jesus Christ.
Me: Jesus Christ is my savior and you are right, we can only be saved through and only through Jesus Christ.
Darryl: Well, it seems like you are doing everything just right. Y'all are some good people.
Me: Where are you from. you just said y'all.
Darryl: I am from Louisiana.
Me: ME TOOO!!!
And ever since then, me and Darryl have been best friends. Haha. I love that guy.
Other than Darryl and some Part Member familes, I haven't really talked to much nonmembers, but I have talked to a lot of lonely women who do need to talk to someone.
There is this woman in our ward whose husband is dying. He is supposed to die any minute. She had to make the hard descion to take him off life support. It was super hard for her. We didn't know who to visit, but as Sister Fui was driving, I told her to pull over so we could pray. I prayed, and then I opened the binder and the first thing we I saw was her name. And I felt like we really needed to go. We drove to her home, and she just started crying when she saw us. It was the 4th of July and she didn't want to go out with her family, but she did want someone to talk to. And she had been begging the Lord to send her someone and then we knocked. It was a really cool experience. I might never baptize someone in Livermore, California. But I will plant seeds in everyones mind, members and nonmembers. I think that is equally as rewarding.
I love y'all. I just want y'all to know that i love my mission. I love my Savior, and I know this gospel is true.
By the way, if anyone wants to email me (don't expect a reply) you can at sydney.powell@myldsmailnet.
Love,
Sister Powell
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