Hey everyone,
This week went by reallllyyyy fast. We did a lot of traveling to and from China and the U.S. or rather PA to Silverdale. We had to drive down for a spur of the moment zone conference in which we watched a video of a press conference following the announcement of the change in missionary age. Elder Holland spoke and President Weaver wanted us to watch so that we would be informed of what all these changes were going to mean for us. The size of the mission geographically will remain the same but the number of missionaries in an area will increase. We cover two areas here in PA and so with the influx of more missionaries in the near future, every area, including branches and YSA wards will most likely have their own set of missionaries. Most of the changes won't affect me directly, because I'll be HOME!!!!!
It was so nice to see Cathy and John! Wow, talk about a small world to have family in literally my neck of the woods. They live a few miles from our apartment in a more woody area of town. They took us out to a nice restaurant in PA called The Bushwhacker. haha when I first got to the area and we drove by the restaraunt I thought it was the weirdest named place. But it was way good. We just talked and laughed and chatted. Cathy said that I remind her a lot of you, mom. haha. They are super cool and easy going and are going to have us over to their house sometime soon for a homecooked pot of taco soup which is John's specialty we hear.
We got invited last minute to drive down to Bremerton for the Gig Harbor Missionary fireside. We have still been doing those but this is the first one that I have gone to since being in PA. It was amazing as usual. I had a feeling dawn on me that this presence that we missionaries have is pretty astounding. It might be hard for us to recognize it because we are the ones that live so close to spirit everyday that we don;t really realize what we are walking around with. But to others it is really tangible, how rich and thick the spirit is around us. Basically, I am really going to miss being that close to that special spirit, that missionary mantle, when I inevitably go home. I am really motivated to really squeeze everything I got out of me until the end of the end of my mission. There is still so much that I want to do and accomplish and still ample time to do it.
The mission finished reading the Book of Mormon together for now a second time. Making it my sixth time completing it since being out in the mission field. I have a goal of 8 time by December 18th and I know I'll make it.
Miracles have been abound this week. We have just been finding some really amazing and prepared people and have had some really powerfully spiritual lessons that we've taught. We had 7 investigators attend church on Sunday! That is a record for this area, I believe. John came! At a hefty price, too. The private transportation company that the church has agreed to pay is $60 one way. So we can't afford to bring him each and every week. Way sad. But it's better than not at all! We met a guy, Dan, tracting on Thursday night, he came on a church tour friday night and came to church sunday and we have a return appointment with him tuesday. He is looking into being baptized on Oct 27th. MIRACLE.
For my birthday I am having the best gift of all, a birthday-TISM!! haha well 2 birthday-tisms actually. A mom, Angela, and her 12 yr old daughter, Mckenzie, are getting baptized on my birthday. So RAD. The day before on the 19th we have a sister's training meeting down in Tacoma and there are 2 other sisters that have birthdays this week so it'll be a party for sure.
I can't believe that I only have 9 weeks left on my mission. Cannot even believe that. Going to work till it's down to the wire.
I'll close my epistle with something I wrote down this past week in my study journal:
It's an excerpt from True to the Faith and stems from the scripture in Helaman 3:35
"To be humble is to recognize gratefully your dependence on the Lord-- to understand that you have constant need for His support. Humility is an acknowledgement that your talents and abilities are gifts from God. It is not a sign of weakness, timidity, or fear; it is an indication that you know where your true strength lies. You can be both humble and fearless. You can be both humble and courageous. The Lord will strengthen you as you humble yourself before him."
Love y'all,
sister Baylon
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