A Good Week. . .

July 20, 2009

Hello from the Ohio! ha ha!

Oh my goodness! I love this work! I really really do! It's still hard, but I love it! We are finally starting to get used to the area! It's nice now that I don't have to look at the map as much and we're not doing so many U-turns. My carsickness really appreciates it. And the weather has been beautiful. A real tender mercy that it hasn't been horrifyingly (my new word) humid!

One of my highlights every week is visiting Sister Winters. She is a recent convert (baptized two years ago), but she's in a residential living center and isn't able to walk. (She was baptized in a kid's blow up pool in the center. Cool huh!) So we try and visit her once a week now that she isn't able to go to church. She's just so sweet! We go to uplift her, but she uplifts us every time! The other day on our way out from visiting Sister Winters we met this little old lady in the parking lot. Sister Thacker and I were in awe as she zummed her little Buick up and did this fabulous backing parking maneuver. She had her window rolled down so naturally we went and talked with her. She was SO FULL of energy and love! She got out of the car and gave us a big hug. ha ha. She came to visit her younger sister who lived in the center so we volunteered to go visit with her. On the way up we practically got her whole life story. She had gone through a lot in her life, but she was such an example of a woman full of faith and trust in God! (Just the fact that she was visiting her LITTLE sister!) We visited with them for awhile, as well as some of the other residents on the floor. It was wonderful! We loved it! When we had to leave she took us aside, and she had the most beautiful praise for the "spirit" we had. ha ha. It was a beautiful moment for me to realize that we felt the Spirit there because I knew Sister Thacker, Dotty (the cute old woman) and I were doing what Christ would do if he were here. It sounds so cheesy, but it was super tender. I LOVE wearing this nametag and striving to live up to the name.

However, not all our experiences are so wonderful. For example this week we tracted into a wonderful mother and daughter. They were out pulling weeds so we grabbed gloves and got pulling. The mother told us how they just moved in and were looking for a church. Perfect. Well we got to know them, and taught them later, and a few more times that week. They were ready to come to church and then the grandma opened the door on Saturday, said they were Baptist and that was good enough for them and closed the door. :( I was sad.

But we have incredible experiences too. Like yesterday we got Martin, our Ghanaian investigator to ALL of church AND the cottage meeting we had last night! Not only that but Kate (our Ghanaian recent convert) brought Becky's whole family (another family we've been trying to teach!) to church! It was a full house! But it was wonderful! We had some quality time at the dinner and devotional at Jungkunz's house last night. Hopefully I'll have happy things to report about them next week!

Shalyn shared a quote with me this week, and I wanted to share it with you. It says, "Remember that you are entitled to our Father's blessings in this work. He did not call you to your privileged post to walk alone, without guidance, trusting to luck. On the contrary, He knows your skill, He realizes you devotion, and He will convert your supposed inadequacies to recognized strengths. He has promised: I will go before your face, on your right hand and on your left, and the Spirit shall be in your hears, and mine angels round about you to bear you up." Pres. Monson.

Isn't that amazing! And its so true! But its not just true for me as a missionary, its true for everyone. It's true for you Mom as you call to be a mother! :) It's true for callings, assignments, and our situations in life. And I think it's beautiful. Right now I'm realizing a lot of my inadequacies, but I'm more devoted now than ever. And its a comfort to know that the Lord recognizes the thoughts and intents of my heart and not just my imperfect execution of those things. :)

I love this work! It is amazing! And I love you lots!

Remember D&C 123:17!

Sister Painter