Conference was Amazing!! -- April 3, 2017

Hello all!

We had a pretty short P Day today because I had a doctor's appointment in Newcastle pretty early. We were stuck in traffic for about half an hour, and then couldn't find the right entrance (it was in the back of a store complex...) so I was about 45 minutes late, but luckily so we're all the other patients, so the doctor still saw me. So that was good! Then we did a little shopping and met up with the Sisters in Newcastle for lunch. We went to a Chinese Buffet and enjoyed ourselves. Then we went to the chapel, which cool story, the bus time tables have the Mormon Church as the final destination! I think it's a sign Newcastle!

Literally. Anyways, we just spent the rest of our day there and started our exchanges. I went with Sister Reynolds and we did a ton of street contacting and tried by one of their investigators. We had a short lesson with her about the Book of Mormon and then she had to go, so we street contacted the rest of the night. 

Tuesday we had exchanges again. We had a lesson with a recent convert about Obedience and then we went to do some knocking...but we talked to so many people, we only had half an hour to knock. So we only got to talk to one person since everyone else was away. Then we went in and followed up on our exchange and Sister Kirk and I went back to Ashington. We had a lesson with a less active in the evening and then went to do our shopping during our tea break since we didn't have time due to my doctor’s appointment.

Wednesday we had district meeting about setting expectations with people and then came back to go to work! We went and saw Heather in the hospital and then had a lesson with John and Shannon at the chapel about the Word of Wisdom. Then we had tea and went to have a lesson with Kayleigh. It was funny because her home teachers walked up at the same time. So we waited until they were done, and then put in our two pence and left for companionship study. 

Thursday we tried by a bunch of less actives in the morning and had a lesson with them. Then we had gotten special permission to move our weekly planning to Thursday since we had a plumber coming. So he came while we were having lunch and did exactly what we had tried three times...only it worked for him...and left in five minutes. But our hot water works again finally. So that's good! Then we did our weekly planning and had tea and companionship study (we planned a bunch of time to be in since we thought he'd be there awhile...) and then went to a relief society activity at the chapel with a few of the less actives.

Friday we went to do service for one of the less actives daughters. She needed help painting her kids' rooms. So we did a bit and then I got really sick. So we asked if we could stay in until our lesson in a few hours. So we did that and then went to our lesson. We had three lessons with two recent converts and a less active. One of the recent converts, Kurt, is preparing for a mission, and so he taught us the Restoration and I got to be his "companion" since he was so nervous. And Sister Kirk was the investigator, Megan. We started laughing and I still don't think he understands why...anyways, while we were on our way to try by someone else, it hit again, so we stayed in the rest of the day. Luckily, it was just side effects from some medication, so I'm ok and was able to go out to work again on Saturday!

Saturday we had a few lessons with some more less actives and even got in with one whose never let us in before! So that was good! So that took up our morning. Then we met up with Stephen and rode the bus with him to the chapel, so he'd know where it was. But the member who was going to meet us there lost track of time, so we went to her house instead...which meant we could only have a 10 minute lesson with him. But we're seeing him again next week! Then we went to the chapel and watched the Saturday Morning Session of General Conference before going in for companionship Study and tea.

Sunday morning we got permission to watch the General Women's Session on our iPads while the men watched the Priesthood Session. So we did that and then stayed for the Saturday Afternoon Session. We were going to go out and see people, but our Branch Mission Leader decided to have a last minute meeting with us during the break. So we had a meeting, and then watched the Sunday Morning Session and went home for companionship study and tea. 

Conference was so good! My Spiritual Thought for the week is from the Women's Session

"When life seems unfair, as it must have seemed to Martha at the death of her brother--when we experience the heartaches of loneliness, infertility, loss of loved ones, missing opportunities for marriage and family, broken homes, debilitating depression, physical or mental illness, stifling stress, anxiety, addiction, financial hardship, or a plethora of other possibilities--may we remember Martha and declare our similar certain witness: “But I know … [and] I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God.”

Christ wants to help us through all of our trials. He's been there. He knows us. He will help us. We just need to have the faith in Him to let Him heal us.

Sister Hope