Not FINNISHed Yet: A Week of Firsts

Rakkaat ystävät,

I apologize that this e-mail is rather sporadic, but hope you can forgive me and enjoy it anyway :)

We had a great lesson with E on Thursday, and he's been reading the Book of Mormon diligently. He really does want to know if it's true, but he's a little hung up on whether or not man can see God and live, so we're working through that right now. We've been talking with him about baptism, and he won't set a date yet, but he said he would be baptized if he knew the Book of Mormon was true.

But, he finally, finally came to church! Sisar Lafferty and I were giddy all day because of it. I know I just had this stupid happy smile on my face all of Sacrament meeting. They only stayed for Sacrament meeting, but he came! I can tell his wife is getting excited and starting to think that it really is possible. We had Ward Conference, and the Watsons were there and President testified strongly about the First Vision, and E's wife leaned over to me and whispered, "This is PERFECT!" We're going to try to set a date with him this week. Pray for him!

I was a little down all week for some reason. Not sad, but just not 100% on top of it. Sisar Lafferty felt kind of the same. We're now super positive what it was, and we're both fine now, but it was kind of a long week, with not a lot happening and not a whole lot of action. But we went out yesterday with no appointments and did a lot of finding and talking with people and it felt so good. Whatever funk it was, I think I'm over it now.

At one point during the week, Sisar Lafferty felt she needed to take a breathing treatment for her asthma. I was at my desk working on something, when she opened the bedroom door and told me her nebulizer had caught fire. Imagine the surprise and incredulity in the "WHAT!?" that came out of my mouth. Well, nothing was damaged (except the machine) and we felt that, as much as it maybe wasn't pleasant, it was pretty funny in the long run.

I had a couple other "first" experiences this week:

1) Someone told me "ihan yes" when I asked how they were doing.

2) A man opened the door in very small underwear. Suffice it to say I was very focused on his face during that whole conversation.

3) We shoveled a member family's driveway and I got to use a cool heavy-duty snow shovel that they have all over the place here.

4) I had a shouted conversation with a man on his second story balcony. Nothing really came from it, but I felt like an accomplished missionary afterwards.

I'm short on time for a spiritual thought, but I'd like to quote my lovely former companion, Sisar Bunting: "I've come to the conclusion that mercy is the part of the atonement that takes away our sins, and grace is the part that helps us to do good things that are beyond our own power, or to improve upon ourselves. It is through the Savior’s grace that we receive the strength we need to go about consistently and cheerfully doing all good that is in our power, and then a little extra. Use His mercy to cleanse yourselves of mistakes and sins, but never forget to also apply His grace to help you do good beyond your abilities." I thought that was really insightful and sums up the Atonement so well. Thanks, Sisar Bunting!

I love you all and hope you have a great week!

Rakkaudella,

Sisar Hillebrant