HASTE WEEK! February 9, 2015

We had such a terrific week. A great way to end my mission. Our goal was to teach 50 lessons, and we didn't come anywhere close to that haha. BUT, we had decided beforehand what our priorities were, and our main goal was to help our investigators progress and I think that was accomplished regardless of how many lessons we taught. Plus, even though our numbers weren't the highest they've ever been, I feel like I worked harder this week than I ever have. It just feels great! 

Kay is doing SO well. She called us the other day and just casually talked to us for a few minutes and then out of nowhere she was like, "oh! also I've been thinking about it and decided I want to be baptized." She said that as soon as she made that decision it felt like her spirit was jumping right out of her body and she felt so much peace. So we went over and immediately taught her the Word of Wisdom because her smoking addiction is going to be the one thing that slows her down. After we taught it she was kind of soaking everything in and we knew she believed it really was a commandment from God, but she asked "So...does this mean I can't get baptized until I completely quit smoking?" and we had to say yes. So this has been the biggest hurdle so far. She has a hard time wrapping her mind around the fact that God wouldn't allow her to be baptized when that is such a righteous desire. We explained that quitting smoking before baptism was for her to be prepared to make a covenant where she would promise to keep ALL the commandments. I think she understood but is still having a rough time. We know she's strong enough to overcome anything though.

Oh, and a miracle story. So there is this family, an American member of the church and his nonmember Russian wife and stepdaughter. They were travelling from Ohio to California when they got pulled over in Missouri and the husband was arrested for failure to appear in court for a child support case. The two Russian women were left stranded in Missouri, not able to speak much English and with no idea what was going on. The husband was able to contact Bishop Fowers of our ward though, and make him aware of the situation. Bishop Fowers picked up Tania and Geniia and let them stay in his extra cabin. So, they are stuck here in our area until the husband gets out of jail. Well, it just so happens that the Fowers family has a foreign exchange student from Kyrgyzstan who speaks Russian, and that the Elders in St Robert had two copies of the Book of Mormon in Russian. So we took them over to the cabin, not sure if they would be interested at all. Geniia accepted the Book of Mormon, saying that she was so grateful for the chance to learn what her husband believes. And now we're teaching them! 

I wish I had time to talk about more of the miracles that happened this week! I'll probably continue to update the blog as I remember more experiences I want to share. But this is my last email from the mission field. I'm excited to see everyone, but sad to leave this place. I am so grateful for the privilege I've had to be a missionary in the Oklahoma Tulsa Mission.

Sister Boll