I Love You Lots! And I Love This Work!

August 3, 2009

Family!

Can I just say I love you SO much! I really, really do! I've been memorizing the Family Proclamation (almost done!). And it's been such a blessing to reflect on our family and know that we've been striving to "establish and maintained [our family] on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work and wholesome recreational activities." I know we could do so much better, but I've been so grateful as I've talked lots of mothers who wish their children had been raised like we had. I don't know how I got so blessed to have you, Mom and Dad. And I'm grateful you taught me that true happiness comes from living the gospel and cherishing our families! God has a perfect plan and that is why he put us in families!

I loved talking to Brother and Sister Jungkunz this week! I got your hug Mom! ha ha... I felt the love! I laughed lots while they told me how much fun they had! I was so surprised to hear how long you kept them there! They laughed and said they were the ones that hung around. They are such neat people! They do a lot for the work out here!

I guess Sister Jungkunz answered all of your questions Mom. :) So I get to just write anything today. ha ha.

Well I had my first interview with President this week. It was wonderful. We got locked out of the building, so that is how I got a picture. We were waiting for the keys. :) He is a good man. I'm grateful for the insight he gave me and hopefully can apply soon. I told him how I'm not a very good missionary yet, but I'm trying! He laughed and said, "Sister Painter! You're brand new!" Oh. I guess he's right. I told him how the first week I was here the Lord had already told me, "It's okay, you'll learn." Man, was I ever grateful for that. President laughed and said, "Out of the mouth of two or three witnesses." So I'm trying.

Sister Thacker and I are hoping to stay here, together, for another transfer. Transfers are next week! Crazy huh! Sister Thacker even told President that in her interview. We're praying too. ha ha. Hopefully we get to stay.

This week has been full of wonderful experiences. The work still is slow, but we're working hard! We finally got to meet with Suzzy alone! (She's another Ghanaian friend!) Whenever we go over there are lots of people, and it’s loud and crazy! We could never communicate with Suzzy because she has a hard time with English. So we felt prompted to stop by one evening and no one was around but Suzzy! So we sat down with her and finally got her understanding, talked a lot about the Restoration of the Priesthood and the Book of Mormon, she knows it’s true. But... she doesn't want to be baptized because she's been baptized twice already. :) We'll get there! She needs the blessings! We all do!

This week we've been doing a lot of walking. (Last week of the month...out of miles! :) It was the end of the day and we needed two more contacts for our goal. So I said, "Heavenly Father, we need two more contacts. That would be wonderful." Well what do you know; there was a family moving their daughter into our apartment complex. So we picked up some boxes and started moving her in. Afterwards, she and her best friends sat down with us for awhile and we talked about why we are out here on our missions. We're friends now, and excited to go back. After all he does say, "Ask and ye shall receive."

Sister Thacker and I started writing down a "funny" section in our journals with all the funny experiences we had that day. I thought you might enjoy a few:

We were talking to a young man about coming to church. Later in the conversation we were talking about how he needs to find a good girl to marry. So I said, "See if you come to church, you'll meet lots of really good girls." When Sister Thacker and I walked away, we just laughed! That is unlike any church invitation we've ever made.

Another good one was when we met with Suzzy. She said a prayer when it was time for us to go, but she said it in her language. Sister Thacker and I were just listening enjoying the Spirit until she leans over to Sister Thacker and says, "Amen. Amen... say Amen." ha ha. I guess we missed it.

Well until next week...

I love you lots! And I love this work!

Sister Painter