New York Utica Mission: Hip Hoppin' Week!

Hi friends!!

This week was just hip hoppin!! It was so much fun!

Last Monday night we had an appointment fall through and I felt prompted to call a part member family and see if we could stop by and they said yes and we had a really good conversation about the mom's conversion story. The Spirit was so strong and even though she had some tough things happen around the time she was baptized she could definitely see the hand of the Lord in her life and knows it all happened for a reason. I just love that.

Wednesday we had Chipotle for dinner with a member and then right after that another member picked us up and we went to a lady's house who had just moved into the ward. When we get there she surprised us by having a pizza, garlic bread, huge salad, fried raviolis, cheese sticks, and lasagna and sparkling cider and peanut butter ice cream cake AND lemon pie. I was a little worried that I would be too full to eat but luckily I didn't eat a ton at the members house. In addition to the food the family was so awesome! The mom is hilarious and had us laughing the whole time. The teenage son isn't baptized and the dad is supportive but not interested. We had a fun night with them and got to know them better. From there we had a lesson with an investigator and she gave us brownies! It was just a party.

Thursday was a busy day and that night we drove with another set of missionaries to Utica to stay at the mission home! It was really fun to see some of my friends who are trainers too.

Friday was Return and Report! We had really great training from the APs (Assistant(s) to the President) and President Rogers. It really helped me focus on what I need to do better as a missionary and as a trainer. We also got to see the new Easter video!! It is SOO good. If I was an emotional person I would've cried.

We taught S that night and it was just the best. The member who usually comes with us and translates couldn't come but we just prayed we would be able to understand each other and taught her anyway. We were teaching about prayer and reading a few verses about it in 3 Nephi and when we read scriptures she likes to read along (she has both her Chinese and English copies open). I got to watch Sister Johnson read with her from the Book of Mormon and take lead in the lesson and it was such a proud companion moment :') I just couldn't stop smiling. S is so earnest and eager to learn and Sister Johnson was such a good teacher. Being a missionary is the greatest.

Saturday was just a day full of miracles!!

1. We stopped by to see someone that might be interested in learning more about the gospel and he let us in and we shared the restoration with him and he said he wants to learn more.

2. Stopping by a new investigators house and teaching her more about the restoration.

3. Going to another interested persons house and them letting us in and sharing about what we do as missionaries and what we believe (they are Roman Catholic and not interested in having us teach them more). I told them about the new Easter video the church is putting out and I almost started to get emotional talking about it. I am so incredibly grateful for our Savior and what He did for us and knowing that He Lives. It was a really sweet moment as we were able to share common ground and testify of the Savior. The Spirit was definitely felt.

4. Saturday night was the general women's session of conference which was so so good! And after it was over we met C and M!

A little back story...so we were tracting at night before an appointment and we met a cute mom that said we could come back that next friday during the day so we did. She let us in and we shared our beliefs a little and answered questions she had about what we do etc. and she told us that two girls from Mexico were living with her while they went to school and were nannys for her and they were Mormon! They didn't know where the church was so we gave her a card with our number on it and the church address and she said she would give it to them. The next thing you know two girls come to church on Sunday and unfortunately we didn't get a chance to talk with them because that Sunday was just crazy. But we text a member that was sitting by them and she said they were the two girls from Mexico! So the next time we see them (which was Saturday night) we make sure to say hi and introduce ourselves! M was freaking out because she couldn't believe that we tracted into the lady they live with (J) because M had been wanting to go to church for awhile and had been praying to find it but didn't know how! It was the coolest thing to see how God worked through us to answer her prayer! C is the 15 year old and apparently isn't baptized but lives like a Mormon because that's what she grew up around! They are so sweet and we are going to see them this week and talk more with them and hopefully J and her family!! Biggest tender mercy!!

Last night we had a musical fireside all centered on Christ and Sister Johnson and I were in one of the performances(we sang Beautiful Savior with other women in the ward). The whole fireside was so powerful, the Spirit was SO strong as members of the ward testified of the Savior through music. I had the thought that if our investigators or just anyone could have come to that(we invited everyone but they weren't able to come) they would tell us they wanted to be baptized right then. The Spirit was just that strong. I loved it so much. This ward is amazing and it makes me so sad to think that I only have about 7 weeks left here. :(

I am loving life and couldn't be happier!!

Sister Horne