Elder D!
Subject: In Cottage Grove! First Monday in Cottage Grove...this will be exciting!
Well Hello ALL! I hope all is well! So Cottage Grove, it is a small town in the outskirts of Eugene. It is not huge, but the area we are expected to cover is just as big as Philomath (one of the towns he covered in his previous area). So really it is not all that easy when it comes to getting everywhere since we are on full bike. I find it funny how we are expected to get to a City named Drain and it is 14 miles away. (sounds like his bike training will come in handy :)) I have served around areas with my new companion and I am excited to start this transfer. I live next to a mortuary and we live over the garage that the hearse is in, so really it is pretty funny--ha ha ha--but it is one BIG apartment! We have our own washer and dryer and it is cool I don't have to use any quarters to pay for my laundry. Its heaven sent if you ask me! So let me think...this week we "WE KICKED BUTT!" to quote my new companion and I can say that is really true...we did! We were out and about talking to people and on Thursday, my first whole day in the area, we were ending our day and we had appointments with "eternigaters" (don't ask me...not sure what that means). My companion had this really cool rope that he tied together. As we were sitting there I told him he could use the rope in a lesson. And guess what? We did. It was cool, it was a spur of the moment object lesson.
So thank you again for the prayers. It was a very good transition to my new area. I will have more to write in the future. Sorry for the short letter.
I love you lots!
Elder Christian James Delis
------------------------------
Hermana Kate Delis
Subject: MOM I'M SO EXCITED FOR YOUR FUTURE PLANS!!!
Hi, fam!! How are you? You all sound well and alive, both good things. I can't believe the weather over there--so wild! Big news of the week: M---- ENA TIENE UNA FECHA BAUTISMAL! She is so so sweet. We had a powerfu lesson with her with one of our members. He's actually the ward mission leader. Oh it was perfect. Hno J--- (no names :)) always says how much he wishes he was better at his calling, how he wants to do so much more. He got baptized two years ago and it just kills him that he never got to serve a mission. He wants to so bad. But in the lesson I just listened to him and I thought to myself "he is the missionary I hope to grow up to be." He is so simple with his words, he listens, and when he prays he knows that he is talking to God. That man is so powerful and will forever be my example of the missionary and person that I hope to be. I am so grateful that he was there to help M---- seta date for her baptism: 8 de Octubre. It is going to be a special day and I know she is capable of doing it.
Ahhh...I don't have any time left, I am so sorry. man oh man. I will try to write a card this week because I am just so happy to be a missionary. I feel like I am finally coming out of my really hard patch and I just see so many answers to so many quiet prayers every day. Heavenly Father is just so mindful of us, and He loves us. He takes whatever we can give and magnifies it. I hope that by the time my life is over I can say that I really did change, that I really did give my life to Him. That's why we're here. If we just live the gospel, we are happy. It is so simple, and so powerful. I love to be a missionary fam. I am so happy every single day. :)
I love you very much, and I hope you are all doing great. :)
Hna Delis
Monday, September 19, 2011
Friday, September 9, 2011
Week of September FOUR: Week of transfers and so much MORE!
Elder D!
Subject: Soooooo here is the beginning of a new transfer ... Not in Corvallis ...
Hello!
Well family, I have some news for you ... I am going to be leaving Corvallis and I am going to be going to Cottage Grove. My mission president this transfer called every set of missionaries in the Oregon Eugene Mission to tell them where they are going to be serving. When I answered the phone, my mission president said and I quote, "Elder I have an assignment for you this transfer in Cottage Grove. I need you and your new companion to be super obedient! Do all that you can to make sure that the area is able to have 2-4 baptisms in the next 12 weeks." Okay, guess I've got my marching orders! I am going to pray that I can get the area to be that which the Lords desires. So on Wednesday I leave Corvallis. Oh cool news my companion who I trained is now training!!
This week was a depressing one. It was really just full of goodbyes. Not really how I wanted to be spending most of my week, but that is the way that is seemed to go. I really am starting to see why missionaries are supposed to get transferred. It is not only since we need to help others, but also we need to learn how to adjust to different situations. I am praying that I can do what is important for the Lord. I hope I do it right! .... We will see though. I think what most of my mission will be spent doing (guessing from the areas I have already served in and the one I am going to) is to "fix" areas. That's what I think anyway, but we will see.
Love Ya! I have to pack! I love ya loads!
Elder Christian James Delis
------------------------------
Hermana Kate Delis
Subject: Milagros cada dia!
Hello, fam! Happy autumn day! It is chilly here, and I think summer is for real gone. Every day it is just a little bit chillier, and I just get a little more nervous for the winter months...ah! Missionaries love to tell me horror stories about the winter...Lo vencere (I will overcome it). Ha. :) Can you believe that the summer is over?
To all: want to hear a little miracle of the week? Well, it is dumb, but it meant a lot to me. Like I mentioned recently, I am tired of my clothes. Especially skirts. So sad. But such is life, and I can handle it, because I am a big girl. Haha. On church this Sunday, the wife of one of the old consejos de la branch presidency (our branch presidency changed hace 2 meses) came to our branch again just for relief society. She sat next to me and told me that she had this skirt that didn't fit her and she thought to herself this week "maybe it will fit hermana Delis." So she drove out to our chapel--far from her house and church building--just to see if I wanted it. I would have taken it even if it didn't fit, ha. It was awesome. So I have a really pretty brand new navy, pleated skirt that will be really warm in the winter, but still works great right now. It was just a dumb, tiny moment, but it meant the world to me. I was so grateful. It is silly, but it was just a sign that Heavenly Father wants to take care of me. He just takes care of us. I pray that I can be a vessel of the Lord's constant concern for us just like this sister was for me this week. She has a son on the mish, too, so I pray that someone is taking care of him.
Thanks for your lettters and love and suppport! I love you all very much and pray for you daily. :) Have an awesome week. Love you!!!
Hna Delis
Subject: Soooooo here is the beginning of a new transfer ... Not in Corvallis ...
Hello!
Well family, I have some news for you ... I am going to be leaving Corvallis and I am going to be going to Cottage Grove. My mission president this transfer called every set of missionaries in the Oregon Eugene Mission to tell them where they are going to be serving. When I answered the phone, my mission president said and I quote, "Elder I have an assignment for you this transfer in Cottage Grove. I need you and your new companion to be super obedient! Do all that you can to make sure that the area is able to have 2-4 baptisms in the next 12 weeks." Okay, guess I've got my marching orders! I am going to pray that I can get the area to be that which the Lords desires. So on Wednesday I leave Corvallis. Oh cool news my companion who I trained is now training!!
This week was a depressing one. It was really just full of goodbyes. Not really how I wanted to be spending most of my week, but that is the way that is seemed to go. I really am starting to see why missionaries are supposed to get transferred. It is not only since we need to help others, but also we need to learn how to adjust to different situations. I am praying that I can do what is important for the Lord. I hope I do it right! .... We will see though. I think what most of my mission will be spent doing (guessing from the areas I have already served in and the one I am going to) is to "fix" areas. That's what I think anyway, but we will see.
Love Ya! I have to pack! I love ya loads!
Elder Christian James Delis
------------------------------
Hermana Kate Delis
Subject: Milagros cada dia!
Hello, fam! Happy autumn day! It is chilly here, and I think summer is for real gone. Every day it is just a little bit chillier, and I just get a little more nervous for the winter months...ah! Missionaries love to tell me horror stories about the winter...Lo vencere (I will overcome it). Ha. :) Can you believe that the summer is over?
To all: want to hear a little miracle of the week? Well, it is dumb, but it meant a lot to me. Like I mentioned recently, I am tired of my clothes. Especially skirts. So sad. But such is life, and I can handle it, because I am a big girl. Haha. On church this Sunday, the wife of one of the old consejos de la branch presidency (our branch presidency changed hace 2 meses) came to our branch again just for relief society. She sat next to me and told me that she had this skirt that didn't fit her and she thought to herself this week "maybe it will fit hermana Delis." So she drove out to our chapel--far from her house and church building--just to see if I wanted it. I would have taken it even if it didn't fit, ha. It was awesome. So I have a really pretty brand new navy, pleated skirt that will be really warm in the winter, but still works great right now. It was just a dumb, tiny moment, but it meant the world to me. I was so grateful. It is silly, but it was just a sign that Heavenly Father wants to take care of me. He just takes care of us. I pray that I can be a vessel of the Lord's constant concern for us just like this sister was for me this week. She has a son on the mish, too, so I pray that someone is taking care of him.
Thanks for your lettters and love and suppport! I love you all very much and pray for you daily. :) Have an awesome week. Love you!!!
Hna Delis
Week of August Twenty-Eight: Missionary posts are always HAPPY to CREATE!
Elder D!
Subject: This is quite a week
Well Family!
I can say I have been thinking about you a lot this past week! I heard about a hurricane hitting you. Also hearing about the earthquake made me worried. I am glad all is well. I am sorry I that I am not able to be there. So I am praying for you all this week. I am sure you are doing well.
So this week we had Zone Conference. The theme my mission president focused on was "Raising the Bar." I needed to hear everything he said. There was a lot on reaching your full potential, doing all that you can to be mentally, physically and spiritually prepared to do the work that must be accomplished. That a missionary must be prepared in all aspects to do the work. No matter what was said, I felt like the message was for me. I know that that's not the case, but I needed to hear what the conference was focused on. I am sure my mission president hopes we feel that way and we are not just filling up our schedules. I really look forward to Zone Conferences. It is a way I can be edified and feel that what I am doing is worth something. The amazing thing about this Zone Conference was that the whole meeting there was a sure feeling that my new mission president was called here for a reason. I personally can tell he understands what we each struggle with, cause we normally talk about it with him and he really listens to us both with his ears and the Spirit. I am sure glad to know that everything is a part of God's plan! I am truly grateful for it! To me, the whole Zone Conference was on doing all that we can to exceed in all aspects of our mission life! I am not going to lie, the amazing thing is that the small things really do count, so the Lord see that and miracles happen! For example, Monday my companion and I with a member of the ward were out trying to see people. We went to visit a guy, but he ditched us. We then went to hotspot, which is to knock doors in the area. First one, no one home. Second house we knock on and this man answers and comes outside to talk to us in his BOXERS...this is 8 at night mind you...Anyways, so we are talking to him and he tells us he has talked to the missionaries in the past and he feels that he would be interested. So we are teaching him! OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH YYYYYYEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH! Doing the Lord's work and doing small things bring great rewards!!! This week, other than this, was a normal week and we had a good edifying experience.
Well family, this is my week. I was realizing it is not huge, but to me I felt accomplished...hahaha. I guess that is all that matters. I am praying that you are doing well this week!
LOVE!
Elder Christian James Delis
---------------------------------
Hermana Kate Delis
Subject: ------- CAME TO CHURCH (again, sorry no names. it is for the individual's protection. unfortunately, i have been hearing disturbing stories of how anti-mormons are searching missionary blogs, finding names of people listed, seeking them out and taunting them about investigating the church. it is very sad. but true.)
Hello! Happy Wednesday to all! I hope all is going great and life is happy. :) It sounds like it is. It was great to get your letters this week, gracias! They are fun to read. It sounds like this week was really fun, though! How great! Full of natural disasters and NYC adventures...the usual thing, I suppose. Haha. You do cool things these days. This is all very good. haha. :)
We had awesome, awesome lessons with the less actives this week, too--I LOVE those lessons. These people are just so special. Sometimes I feel like I'm not the right knd of missionary or something--I just want to talk to people and learn about them and know them. I feel like I sometimes don't do enough inviting or something. I'm not bold enough a lot of times. I don't know. Sometimes I just think missionary work can be different than what we realize. I think it's just love. They invite themselves to do things when you love them. It's true, and I've seen it even just talking on people's doorsteps. Little lights just go off in them when they realize that someone is listening to them, someone loves them. I'm learning to listen, and I'm learning to love them more. But when it comes down to it, I know who we represent here. I know if I am doing my best to be obedient and becoming better, they will feel His lvoe in the room while we are there. Not because we are anything special or great, but because everything we have is so perfect and so unique and formulated especially for them. They have to feel it. As missionaries, they give us a million and one thngs to do so that we can help them come unto Christ. But first and above all we must love the Lord and we must love these people. I never feel like I know what I am doing, ha. I almost never feel like I know how to be a super on-top of it missionary. I am still just Katie, ha. :) I work hard, I get stressed, I try to do better, I have a lot I want to do and never seem to have enough time or energy. But I just know this is not my work. I know the Lord is in charge. I wish I could intelligently figure everything out and have a great solution for all the problems my investigators have, that I have. But I think the Lord knows how to help them. So I'm just trying to act when I get some sort of inspiration, I'm being a good girl, and I just love the people. And I just think we'll see miracles if we do that. Just little ones. But miracles nonetheless. How perfect. :)
I love to be a missionary. :) Thanks for all your prayers! They mean so so much to me. I love you back, and hope your week goes great!
Okay, love you much :)
Hna Delis
Subject: This is quite a week
Well Family!
I can say I have been thinking about you a lot this past week! I heard about a hurricane hitting you. Also hearing about the earthquake made me worried. I am glad all is well. I am sorry I that I am not able to be there. So I am praying for you all this week. I am sure you are doing well.
So this week we had Zone Conference. The theme my mission president focused on was "Raising the Bar." I needed to hear everything he said. There was a lot on reaching your full potential, doing all that you can to be mentally, physically and spiritually prepared to do the work that must be accomplished. That a missionary must be prepared in all aspects to do the work. No matter what was said, I felt like the message was for me. I know that that's not the case, but I needed to hear what the conference was focused on. I am sure my mission president hopes we feel that way and we are not just filling up our schedules. I really look forward to Zone Conferences. It is a way I can be edified and feel that what I am doing is worth something. The amazing thing about this Zone Conference was that the whole meeting there was a sure feeling that my new mission president was called here for a reason. I personally can tell he understands what we each struggle with, cause we normally talk about it with him and he really listens to us both with his ears and the Spirit. I am sure glad to know that everything is a part of God's plan! I am truly grateful for it! To me, the whole Zone Conference was on doing all that we can to exceed in all aspects of our mission life! I am not going to lie, the amazing thing is that the small things really do count, so the Lord see that and miracles happen! For example, Monday my companion and I with a member of the ward were out trying to see people. We went to visit a guy, but he ditched us. We then went to hotspot, which is to knock doors in the area. First one, no one home. Second house we knock on and this man answers and comes outside to talk to us in his BOXERS...this is 8 at night mind you...Anyways, so we are talking to him and he tells us he has talked to the missionaries in the past and he feels that he would be interested. So we are teaching him! OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH YYYYYYEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH! Doing the Lord's work and doing small things bring great rewards!!! This week, other than this, was a normal week and we had a good edifying experience.
Well family, this is my week. I was realizing it is not huge, but to me I felt accomplished...hahaha. I guess that is all that matters. I am praying that you are doing well this week!
LOVE!
Elder Christian James Delis
---------------------------------
Hermana Kate Delis
Subject: ------- CAME TO CHURCH (again, sorry no names. it is for the individual's protection. unfortunately, i have been hearing disturbing stories of how anti-mormons are searching missionary blogs, finding names of people listed, seeking them out and taunting them about investigating the church. it is very sad. but true.)
Hello! Happy Wednesday to all! I hope all is going great and life is happy. :) It sounds like it is. It was great to get your letters this week, gracias! They are fun to read. It sounds like this week was really fun, though! How great! Full of natural disasters and NYC adventures...the usual thing, I suppose. Haha. You do cool things these days. This is all very good. haha. :)
We had awesome, awesome lessons with the less actives this week, too--I LOVE those lessons. These people are just so special. Sometimes I feel like I'm not the right knd of missionary or something--I just want to talk to people and learn about them and know them. I feel like I sometimes don't do enough inviting or something. I'm not bold enough a lot of times. I don't know. Sometimes I just think missionary work can be different than what we realize. I think it's just love. They invite themselves to do things when you love them. It's true, and I've seen it even just talking on people's doorsteps. Little lights just go off in them when they realize that someone is listening to them, someone loves them. I'm learning to listen, and I'm learning to love them more. But when it comes down to it, I know who we represent here. I know if I am doing my best to be obedient and becoming better, they will feel His lvoe in the room while we are there. Not because we are anything special or great, but because everything we have is so perfect and so unique and formulated especially for them. They have to feel it. As missionaries, they give us a million and one thngs to do so that we can help them come unto Christ. But first and above all we must love the Lord and we must love these people. I never feel like I know what I am doing, ha. I almost never feel like I know how to be a super on-top of it missionary. I am still just Katie, ha. :) I work hard, I get stressed, I try to do better, I have a lot I want to do and never seem to have enough time or energy. But I just know this is not my work. I know the Lord is in charge. I wish I could intelligently figure everything out and have a great solution for all the problems my investigators have, that I have. But I think the Lord knows how to help them. So I'm just trying to act when I get some sort of inspiration, I'm being a good girl, and I just love the people. And I just think we'll see miracles if we do that. Just little ones. But miracles nonetheless. How perfect. :)
I love to be a missionary. :) Thanks for all your prayers! They mean so so much to me. I love you back, and hope your week goes great!
Okay, love you much :)
Hna Delis
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Week of August Twenty-TWO: I'm grateful for all the service my missionaries DO!
Elder D!
Subject: 5 souls come unto Father's Kingdom...The life of a servant of the Lord is hard, yet so worth it...
Well this was a good week, busy, but it was good. It went by super super fast. I can say that it was not at all what I would have expected. The baptism on Monday was incredible! My companion and I taught of the restoration. A ton of people came, 100 to be exact! There were so many people that we were unable to have everyone in the primary room. The baptism was full of the spirit. The amazing thing to me was that our new mission president and his wife came. It was cool. They brought a powerful testimony of the church and how it was restored to this earth through Joseph Smith. To me, that was a huge spiritual boost! I can say that it was really really cool to have them there.
The rest of the week was busy. Here is a small breakdown:
Tuesday: problems with bike b/c another Elder used it without my knowledge and broke my pedal. We success this day teaching a new guy who is really cool and humble and really nice, but super built. We then tracted for a good 2 hours and at the last door there was a man who seems interested.
Wednesday: b/c I had no bike, we spent the day walking and talking to people on the street. Not too much success, but it is alright.
Thursday: we had District meeting and on those days we are busy. We set up to go see the DO NOT CONTACTS with the ward mission leader. This guy is a Visa Waiter and is waiting to go leave for Taiwan and speaks Madarin Chinese. So he speaks to a lot of people in Chinese. I think the incredible thing is that I don't understand a word, but I can feel the spirit the second that he starts bearing his Testimony. That to me is awesome to just see how the Lord can give you the feeling even when you are clueless to what is going on! hahahaha!
Friday: we got the car (YAY!) and were busy!
Saturday: was our busiest day! We saw a visiting apostle (rhymes with wary) and boy is he to the point. He is so much a man that can get your attention and it is not much more than just saying how he knows we have a living prophet on the earth today and that the Lord's church is restored through Joseph Smith. I can say taht was incredible, really not even kidding!
Sunday: was tiring and long and that is the way that all missionary Sundays tend to be. It just totally drains me.
Okay, so this is my week. I love you guys! You are always in my prayers and thoughts!
Elder Christian James Delis
-----------------------------------
Hermana Kate Delis
Subject: Being a missionary is so great :)
Hi ho, familia! Happy today! Well, today I want to tell you something about companions: They are so wonderful. I love my companions. It is so hard to be with someone 100% of the time. Real hard. But I have made some of the best friends of my life these past few months because I have been paired with great, great people. Just awesome. They teach me daily. My companion right now, I will be forever grateful for. She doesn't even know how much she teaches me and I don't know that she ever will. She just helps me to learn by the Spirit and by her example. I have grown so much this transfer--so much. Weird that I can notice even because you normally don't, but I can jsut feel that I am more of the person I want to be. And just am so grateful that she was there with me through a lot of really hard times for me. She didn't really solve anything for me, or let me cry on her shoulder or anything, she was just there. She just let me be who I want to be and become who I want to be. How great is that? Just a huge blessing, I think. It maybe sounds dumb, but it has meant the world to me. I just know I needed this specific hermana to be my companion at this specific point in my life and I just feel so blessed. I feel that way for ALL of my companions. All of them have been strikingly different in so many ways, it is almost unreal, but I love them all with all my heart. They were exactly the people I needed to be with in these specific points in my life, and I just feel blessed. Companions are so inspired. It is really a special special thing to have them. Hard, for sure, ha, but so awesome.
Okay, well I have to get going. Love you all lots!
Hna Delis :)
Subject: 5 souls come unto Father's Kingdom...The life of a servant of the Lord is hard, yet so worth it...
Well this was a good week, busy, but it was good. It went by super super fast. I can say that it was not at all what I would have expected. The baptism on Monday was incredible! My companion and I taught of the restoration. A ton of people came, 100 to be exact! There were so many people that we were unable to have everyone in the primary room. The baptism was full of the spirit. The amazing thing to me was that our new mission president and his wife came. It was cool. They brought a powerful testimony of the church and how it was restored to this earth through Joseph Smith. To me, that was a huge spiritual boost! I can say that it was really really cool to have them there.
The rest of the week was busy. Here is a small breakdown:
Tuesday: problems with bike b/c another Elder used it without my knowledge and broke my pedal. We success this day teaching a new guy who is really cool and humble and really nice, but super built. We then tracted for a good 2 hours and at the last door there was a man who seems interested.
Wednesday: b/c I had no bike, we spent the day walking and talking to people on the street. Not too much success, but it is alright.
Thursday: we had District meeting and on those days we are busy. We set up to go see the DO NOT CONTACTS with the ward mission leader. This guy is a Visa Waiter and is waiting to go leave for Taiwan and speaks Madarin Chinese. So he speaks to a lot of people in Chinese. I think the incredible thing is that I don't understand a word, but I can feel the spirit the second that he starts bearing his Testimony. That to me is awesome to just see how the Lord can give you the feeling even when you are clueless to what is going on! hahahaha!
Friday: we got the car (YAY!) and were busy!
Saturday: was our busiest day! We saw a visiting apostle (rhymes with wary) and boy is he to the point. He is so much a man that can get your attention and it is not much more than just saying how he knows we have a living prophet on the earth today and that the Lord's church is restored through Joseph Smith. I can say taht was incredible, really not even kidding!
Sunday: was tiring and long and that is the way that all missionary Sundays tend to be. It just totally drains me.
Okay, so this is my week. I love you guys! You are always in my prayers and thoughts!
Elder Christian James Delis
-----------------------------------
Hermana Kate Delis
Subject: Being a missionary is so great :)
Hi ho, familia! Happy today! Well, today I want to tell you something about companions: They are so wonderful. I love my companions. It is so hard to be with someone 100% of the time. Real hard. But I have made some of the best friends of my life these past few months because I have been paired with great, great people. Just awesome. They teach me daily. My companion right now, I will be forever grateful for. She doesn't even know how much she teaches me and I don't know that she ever will. She just helps me to learn by the Spirit and by her example. I have grown so much this transfer--so much. Weird that I can notice even because you normally don't, but I can jsut feel that I am more of the person I want to be. And just am so grateful that she was there with me through a lot of really hard times for me. She didn't really solve anything for me, or let me cry on her shoulder or anything, she was just there. She just let me be who I want to be and become who I want to be. How great is that? Just a huge blessing, I think. It maybe sounds dumb, but it has meant the world to me. I just know I needed this specific hermana to be my companion at this specific point in my life and I just feel so blessed. I feel that way for ALL of my companions. All of them have been strikingly different in so many ways, it is almost unreal, but I love them all with all my heart. They were exactly the people I needed to be with in these specific points in my life, and I just feel blessed. Companions are so inspired. It is really a special special thing to have them. Hard, for sure, ha, but so awesome.
Okay, well I have to get going. Love you all lots!
Hna Delis :)
Week of August 1-FIVE: My babes still Jump & JIVE!
Elder D!
Subject: One soul comes unto our Savior's flock
Hello! Well this week has been a week of some excitement. We actually had someone call us and say that they have an investigator for us to teach! Cool! So on Tuesday my companion and I are at the Philomath church building to use the bathroom and head back to Corvallis for our dinner appointment. As we were sitting there on our bikes trying to figure out which is the fastest way to get to our appointment, the mission president calls. It actually shocked me to see his number. I answer and he asks where we are and how long will it take to get back to your apartment. I replied honestly and said, "about an hour." He then says, "Oh good. My wife and I will be there in 15 minutes." I get off the phone and realize we having a surprise apartment check with the mission president and his wife! My companion and I bust our butts to get home and make it in 20 minutes! We get there way faster than we ever have before. And we are covered in sweat!!! As they check our apartment, to our relief, they said it one of the cleanest apartment they have checked so far! Whew!! And AWESOME! In fact, we sat and talked with them a bit and they wanted to know how long I have been out in the field (this is Christian's new mission president that arrived in July) and when he heard only 7 months, he told me how surprised he was! He thought I would have been out longer! So anyway, that was pretty cool.
Other than our new investigator and the surprise visit, most of the week was spent getting ready for our baptism.
Love! I am sorry I couldn't make it to the birthdays...but HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
Elder Christian James Delis
------------------------------------
Hermana Kate Delis
Subject: WOODSTOCK ROCKS!
In the last letter I must've sounded like we had tons of investigators at church, which actually isn't true--we had tons of MEMBERS. Normally we would have literally five people at church when it started. Like five members of the church. Now the room is FULL of members, which rocks.
My companion and I had some great visits with investigators this week. One in particular AWESOME visit was with this family (sorry I'm vague, remember I can't post names in the blog...my children are working hard to keep the rules and so must I.) Fam, the minute I walked into this house the first week of my mission, I looked at this sister, and it was like I was looking at my mom's sister (who is currently caring for her college stuff and car...again, no names)! The more I get to know this woman the more I see similarities, it's crazy. She's awesome. But when we first met, she was so closed off about anything church related. She only allowed us to talk to her 12 year old daughter, who's not baptized. So we did. And for the first time this last week we bumped into them both and she just opened up. We had a powerful lesson on the importance of coming to church so we can feel the atonement in our lives. Oh my gosh...it ROCKED! She asked important questions, and her daughter just asked about baptism. Just asked about it. We told her we thought it was a great idea, ha. She should pray about it. So she is. The spirit does everything, I kid you not. People are prepared, and I feel like I get to watch these miracles just unfold in people. It is so incredible.
Also, I thought you would like to hear this nice tender mercy: the other day in district meeting this awesome elder gave a small thought on our familias. He talked about how much they love us and are praying for us, and he felt so bad because he was like "we normally don't talk about this, I don't mean to make you trunky or anything, but just think about how much they love you, how much they sacrifice for you." I think about it all the time, and it doesn't ever make me homesick, just so so grateful. I feel your love y en todos modos su support so strongly. Thank you so much for your prayers. They are so so so very real and powerful. I feel them. I know Christian does, too. Thank you so much. :)
I love you and pray for you often!
Hna Delis
Subject: One soul comes unto our Savior's flock
Hello! Well this week has been a week of some excitement. We actually had someone call us and say that they have an investigator for us to teach! Cool! So on Tuesday my companion and I are at the Philomath church building to use the bathroom and head back to Corvallis for our dinner appointment. As we were sitting there on our bikes trying to figure out which is the fastest way to get to our appointment, the mission president calls. It actually shocked me to see his number. I answer and he asks where we are and how long will it take to get back to your apartment. I replied honestly and said, "about an hour." He then says, "Oh good. My wife and I will be there in 15 minutes." I get off the phone and realize we having a surprise apartment check with the mission president and his wife! My companion and I bust our butts to get home and make it in 20 minutes! We get there way faster than we ever have before. And we are covered in sweat!!! As they check our apartment, to our relief, they said it one of the cleanest apartment they have checked so far! Whew!! And AWESOME! In fact, we sat and talked with them a bit and they wanted to know how long I have been out in the field (this is Christian's new mission president that arrived in July) and when he heard only 7 months, he told me how surprised he was! He thought I would have been out longer! So anyway, that was pretty cool.
Other than our new investigator and the surprise visit, most of the week was spent getting ready for our baptism.
Love! I am sorry I couldn't make it to the birthdays...but HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
Elder Christian James Delis
------------------------------------
Hermana Kate Delis
Subject: WOODSTOCK ROCKS!
In the last letter I must've sounded like we had tons of investigators at church, which actually isn't true--we had tons of MEMBERS. Normally we would have literally five people at church when it started. Like five members of the church. Now the room is FULL of members, which rocks.
My companion and I had some great visits with investigators this week. One in particular AWESOME visit was with this family (sorry I'm vague, remember I can't post names in the blog...my children are working hard to keep the rules and so must I.) Fam, the minute I walked into this house the first week of my mission, I looked at this sister, and it was like I was looking at my mom's sister (who is currently caring for her college stuff and car...again, no names)! The more I get to know this woman the more I see similarities, it's crazy. She's awesome. But when we first met, she was so closed off about anything church related. She only allowed us to talk to her 12 year old daughter, who's not baptized. So we did. And for the first time this last week we bumped into them both and she just opened up. We had a powerful lesson on the importance of coming to church so we can feel the atonement in our lives. Oh my gosh...it ROCKED! She asked important questions, and her daughter just asked about baptism. Just asked about it. We told her we thought it was a great idea, ha. She should pray about it. So she is. The spirit does everything, I kid you not. People are prepared, and I feel like I get to watch these miracles just unfold in people. It is so incredible.
Also, I thought you would like to hear this nice tender mercy: the other day in district meeting this awesome elder gave a small thought on our familias. He talked about how much they love us and are praying for us, and he felt so bad because he was like "we normally don't talk about this, I don't mean to make you trunky or anything, but just think about how much they love you, how much they sacrifice for you." I think about it all the time, and it doesn't ever make me homesick, just so so grateful. I feel your love y en todos modos su support so strongly. Thank you so much for your prayers. They are so so so very real and powerful. I feel them. I know Christian does, too. Thank you so much. :)
I love you and pray for you often!
Hna Delis
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