Jul 28: Miracles in Castle Hills

Oi, tudo o mundo!

It was a great week in Castle Hills. Sister S and I are seeing miracles each day here!

This past Wednesday we got to go on exchanges with the Sister Training Leader Leaders! I went to the Sonterra area with Hermana C. Hermana C was one of my very first Sister Training Leaders when I was a brand new missionary! Before Wednesday, my last exchange with her was when I was still being trained! Now Hermana C only has a few weeks of her mission left. Time flies!! It was an incredible exchange. I loved every minute of it and learned so much from her. It was so helpful! I feel like I am more prepared to serve the sisters I get to work with, as well as prepared to be a better companion and better missionary.

I admire Hermana C so much! One thing she said (from President Slaughter) that really struck me is, "It is more important to magnify your companion than it is to magnify your calling." More important than magnifying yourself as senior companion, or junior companion, or training leader, or trainer, or district leader, or anything, is to magnify your companion and their calling. I think this applies to almost any relationship! I hope to learn more of these skills on my mission.

Dad, I enjoyed the talk you sent by Ezra Taft Benson about "President Kimball's Vision of Missionary Work." In order to increase convert baptisms we must ...

1.) Learn the sacredness of saving souls.
2.) Increase our Personal Faith
3.) Set Personal Convert Baptism Goals
4.) Be Urgent. Actively engage ourselves in member missionary work.

I like this pattern. I think it could be used for setting many different kinds of goals.

1.) learn importance- (learn the doctrine/the "why")
2.) increase your faith in the principle
3.) Set a personal goal
4.) get to work and be urgent about it!

Our investigator, Ar, is doing wonderfully! We have taught him 4 or 5 times now, and he has a date for August 16th! He came to church for the first time yesterday (a member gave him a ride) and it went very well! I feel confident that he will be baptized. He is such a kind man and has a humility and genuinity about him that inspire me.

We met a new investigator this week named Al! He went down a rough path, found himself in trouble, and now is a completely different person. He is very open and has enjoyed meeting with us and learning. We did some contacting at the park that night - there were so many people there! I've been using Spanish a lot in this area. Our area has lots and lots of Spanish! We have 2 sets of Spanish elders whose areas overlap with ours, so we give lots of referrals back and forth when we meet someone Spanish-speaking or when they meet someone English-speaking.

I forgot to mention this last week, but one night we were at dinner with a sweet sister from the ward named Sister B. She is the kindest lady! I really admire her! She has so much light coming from her, and I hope to be like her someday!

Her table is one of those little ones with extenders on both sides. (you pull the side up and secure the little poles underneath it. Not sure if that makes sense...) We were finishing a lovely dinner at her little table, when I bumped the table or something, and the whole side of the table by me collapsed! I ended up with a bowls worth of green beans on my lap and ice water every where. Sister S couldn't stop laughing! And Sister B is just the sweetest! She chuckled and chuckled. That night Sister B said, "Why is it that you two are so easy to talk to? I am just so glad you came for dinner!" She then continued to scoop us huge bowls of ice cream! She said, "If it won't offend you, I'll use these big bowls!.. I'm just trying to save you another trip to get seconds!"

This week in my studies I have read some from Jacob 5. What stands out to me is the persistence of the Lord in saving his trees. After doing all he can, over and over and over and over again, he sees that the fruit still isn't good, he weeps, and he asks, "What could I have done more for my vineyard?" (verse 41). I know that the Savior truly is that way. He works and works and works for our Salvation. He has given everything to help us and provide a way for us! And yet, when some of the people he loves do not accept his help, he cries, and asks, "What more could I have done?" I hope that I can develop this attitude as I serve his people throughout my life. I hope that I can have the perspective to never cast unrighteous judgment, or to just give up on anyone or anything the Lord asks me to do. I hope that I can be filled with his love and continue in his labor until the work is finished.

I am so grateful for this gospel. I know with all of my heart that Jesus Christ lives! I know that He alone is our Savior. Only His grace and His mercy can save us. I know that this church, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, is the only true church on the earth! It is Christ's church! I know that baptism is essential. It is the entrance of the path to eternal life! I know that as we participate in missionary work, even in small and simple ways, the Lord is pleased, and our lives will be filled with more peace and more joy.

I hope y'all have a super week! Thanks for your love, prayers, and support!

-Sister E. Greenall

Jul 21: Castle Hills

Hi family and friends!

It was an incredible week in Castle Hills.

We spent a lot of time at apartment complexes this week, contacting and seeking those who are prepared to accept the restored gospel. At one complex, we walked by a group of kids sitting at a picnic table. They said, "What are those cards you are giving people?" We showed them our pass along cards, with pictures of Christ and the temple. They said, "Can we have one??" They all wanted one! They really looked at the pictures and loved them. Later, my companion asked me, "Do you think kids see Christ when they look at us?" I thought that was an incredible question. I've noticed over and over again on my mission that kids smile when they see us! They wave and smile, and want to talk to us! I know that young children truly are innocent and that in order to become Christ-like, we must become child-like.

We had Zone Conference on Tuesday! I learned so much! My favorite training was President Slaughter's first training, about who we really are. I didn't know that when our lineage is declared in our Patriarchal Blessings that we literally have that blood in us! I always figured we were adopted into certain tribes. But President Slaughter corrected that common misconception. When we are told what our lineage is, we literally have that blood within us. "The Blood of Israel is flowing through our vains!" He talked a lot about the scattering and gathering of Israel. Wow! I need to study that more.

A miracle this week:

We went to an apartment complex to visit Ar again. He wasn't home, but as we were walking around, a woman far down the walk way, at the front of the complex, caught my eye. We went over to talk to her. She was in an electric wheelchair, parked in front of a little part of the sidewalk where it went up (like a tiny driveway, but sidewalk version). We asked if we could do anything for her. She said something along the lines of, "Can you push me up the hill?" We said of course! She told us her battery had died. Once we got up the little hill, it was clear that her battery was not going to get her back home. It was completely dead, and her apartment was on the other side of the complex. Because it was an electric wheelchair, it was heavy, and even though she could walk a little with something to lean on, she would not have made it all the way to her apartment. We were able to push her along until we got there, and were able to plug her chair in at her apartment. She was so grateful. It was touching to me to see how aware Heavenly Father is of His children. We were not able to see Ar that day, or even meet any others who were particularly interested, but Heavenly Father wanted us there to help one of His daughters who needed a boost. In Preach My Gospel we learn that visiting teachers are basically missionaries for members, and that missionaries are basically visiting or home teachers for nonmembers! I love this, and I know that it is true! This sweet lady did not have a visiting teacher, but Heavenly Father quickly called a couple to her to give her a hand. God is a merciful, loving, and very aware Father.

We got to drop by the C Family's home this week. They are the family in the ward that is from Brazil! I got to do a little bit of language practice with Sister C and the two little girls (8 and 6). It was wonderful.

On Friday and Saturday, I got to go on an exchange. During the exchange we had dinner with a family who had 3 sons and 2 daughters. During the meal I felt like I should ask the oldest, R, about his plans for a mission. I asked how old he was, and when he said 18, I said, "Wow, you could go on your mission soon!" He smiled and kind of laughed. He said, "That's a whole big thing!" And started talking about how he was still trying to decide and it was a big thing for his family right now. It was obvious that his parents knew that going on a mission would be the right thing for him, but that they wanted him to be able to make his own decision.

I've had a couple of times on my mission where suddenly a reason for me being somewhere became very clear. I had that with M once in my last area, when it became very clear to me that if I didn't let her know that drinking was not ok in God's eyes, I would not be fulfilling my purpose as one of Christ's servants.

At that moment with that sweet family, I began to feel very strongly that if there was anything I could do or say to help R make the decision to serve a mission, then it was my responsibility to do it right then.

As we finished eating, I felt impressed to share D&C 18:15 as well as little parts of Brother M's story. Throughout the dinner message, Brother and Sister T got tears in their eyes, and the kids were all quietly listening. I finished with my testimony that any sacrifice is worth just one soul in God's eyes. I promised R that he would never regret serving his mission. I could tell he felt that that promise was not just from me, and his parents both had tears in their eyes. As we left, they thanked us so sincerely, with light in their eyes, and smiles on their faces. They sent us home with a whole bottle of root beer and dinner left overs in bags.

There are moments when you can tell that someone is seeing you not for yourself. I cannot explain how humbled I feel in those moments when I can see that someone is looking at me and seeing a representative of Jesus Christ. That dinner experience was one of those moments.

We have a lot of Spanish speaking in my area.

We tried to meet Ar again later in the week. He was not home, but we realized we had never gone to the 2nd floor of the complex before. We went up and after knocking a few, we met F. She was a young woman/teenager, open to our message, but there was a woman in the background at the kitchen table who looked unhappy. There was also a little girl (about 6) who came to the door and smiled up at us. F was open, but when she went back and asked the woman if we could come in, the answer was no. But she said we could share it there in the doorway. She told us she was sorry we couldn't come in, but that her mom wasn't feeling well and only spoke Spanish. I told her we could speak some Spanish. F told us that her mom's mother was passing away. We told her we had a message that could bring comfort. She went back and told her mom, but when she came back, she said we could just teach her there at the doorstep. We pulled out the restoration pamphlet, and after just the first picture of Christ, F's mother called her back and talked to her. F asked us, "So you speak some Spanish?" We said yes. F said, "She said you could come share." So we went in and joined the woman at the table. She looked so sad and began to explain to us in Spanish that her mother was very ill and could be dying, but was all the way in Mexico. She sobbed as she told us that she is praying for her mom, and she has faith, but that she just doesn't know what is going to happen. She explained that she cannot go to Mexico because it is so dangerous in the city where they lived - that is why they came to the U.S.

I was able to share a simple Plan of Salvation lesson with her and her two daughters. R, the little girl, brought water bottles and gum and put them on the table in front of us as we were teaching. The mother, D, cried as she listened to my broken spanish with lots of portuguese mixing in. Even though it was not eloquent at all, I could tell that she felt the power of the message of Jesus Christ and the Plan of Salvation. She cried as she learned about the Spirit World and the chance to receive the gospel after this life for those who have not learned about it. We asked if the Spanish missionaries could come back to teach them more. She gave us her phone number and said yes. Before we left, we prayed, and R smiled and gave Sister S and I each a big hug and said, "Thank you for helping my mom!"

The Spanish Elders went back that night and met D's family, including her husband who had been away when we were there. Things are going very well.

Every day is filled with miracles. God is truly aware of the simple and small parts of our lives and the lives of all of His children. He loves us so deeply and understands what we need to be comforted and what we need to progress towards our eternal potential. I am grateful for a loving Father and I am grateful for a Savior who succors, understands, and refines me.

I hope you all have another wonderful week!

Love,

Sister Greenall


The North Zone!  In the middle is President Slaughter with his daughter.

 

Jul 14: Milagres Cada Dia!

Oi Familia!

Have you seen the new scriptures video? I was so surprised when it was shown in gospel principles! I didn't even know this video was being made or anything! https://www.lds.org/scriptures/heritage?lang=eng#video

This week was another great one! Last Monday evening we met a man named Au! We were trying to visit a less active member, but it turns out we met his brother instead! The original person we were trying to meet and his brother had moved in. He is a nice man who is on house arrest, so he cannot leave his house to come to church or anything! A neat experience was that as we were testifying of the Book of Mormon and were trying to give it to him, he was open, but would sway between being open and interested, to being doubtful and bringing up arguments. I had the impression, "Put the Book of Mormon away, and if he asks for it, give it to him."

We finished up our doorstep lesson and were going to leave with a prayer, when he said, "I will take that book" and pointed to my purse. So we gave it to him and set a return appointment to follow up on his reading.

We went back on Saturday with two members from our ward, a recent convert named J and Sister G from the Relief Society Presidency. It went well. He had read the Intro and the testimonies and accepted another return appointment. "I'll be here. I can't leave, so I will definitely be here!"

We met a nice couple after that on the same street or a street nearby. They were sitting in their front yard and we asked if we could share a message about Christ. They listened to the Restoration and they already had very strong faith and belief in Christ. When we got to the apostasy, the man got a bit argumentative and started quoting bible scriptures. I felt prompted to just skip to the First Vision. We shared that which brought the Spirit back. We testified of the Book of Mormon, and they accepted a copy and the invitation to read. It seems like suddenly the husband realized he was starting to believe what we were saying, so he kind of snapped himself out of it and said, "Well if I were to read it, it would just be to argue. So I don't want to waste your time." He handed it back to us and then his wife gently took it back out of my hand, saying to him, "Well, at least let me read it!" We could tell during the lesson that she had been very touched by the Spirit.

That was a neat experience to me, as well as the one with Au, of the power of the Book of Mormon. When people are in tune and open to the spirit, they can begin to feel that the Book of Mormon is true before even opening it!

We have been meeting with a less active member, P. It seems like she was just waiting to have someone reach out! She loves the gospel and knows it is true! She and her husband were both converted, baptized, and then sealed in the temple. After that they had some questions and weren't quite sure where to turn for answers. The ward they were in also got split into two wards, and they eventually became less active. It reminds me how important it is to focus on the daily simple things- scripture study, prayer, asking questions and seeking answers, talking to church leaders. She loves the gospel and still has a testimony. I'm inspired by her determination to make things right with the Lord and become active again. A miracle is that her husband said to her (seemingly out of the blue) that he wants to come back to church. She had wanted to, but he hadn't shown any desire to. Before he always said he knew it was true, but that he didn't want any contact at all from the Church.

We received a referral from a member in another ward this week. We met with her on Saturday. Her name is Ju and she is great!! We are so excited to keep teaching her. She has wonderful questions and a very open mind. Member missionary work is so powerful!

Our investigator, Ra, came to a baptism for another ward on Saturday night. That was great! He is catholic and when he noticed that the baptism was done by complete immersion in the water he said he liked it and that it was "old fashion". I liked that! It is definitely old fashion - so old fashion that it is the exact way God intended for us to be baptized since before Adam even came to earth!

We saw so many miracles yesterday. Church was wonderful!

We had made plans to spend a lot of time on Blanco street. It is very long and has lots of apartment complexes. We made a list of potential investigators and less active members to visit. Before we could even knock the first two doors we were looking for at the first complex, we met a young man named Jo. We asked if we could share a message about Christ (he had a huge smile on when we met him) and he said, "That's actually what we were just doing! I just met Tim and he is sharing all sorts of things that he learned with me!! He is blowing my mind! You're going to love this! Let me ask them." So we went upstairs with him to Tim and Ginger's house! They were very nice and welcomed us in! They had been having a huge discussion about the gospel. Tim and Ginger had found many questions and inconsistencies with different churches and even their own previous beliefs. So, having faith in the promise that if we seek we will find, Tim started studying - a lot! As they began to tell us about what they were learning, they mentioned little tidbits about the apostasy and the need for restoration, and how we need to use the Spirit to discern from right and wrong, etc, etc. It was unreal! They were talking about all of these things and the Light of Christ, but just without putting the exact names to all of them. We started with a prayer and shared the message of the Restoration. Jo was practically jumping up and down saying, "it all fits together!!!!" Tim was also very open, although we could tell he is one who needs to study more for himself and seriously ponder and pray before getting too excited. Tim had met with Elders before and read some of the Book of Mormon (he still had his and knew exactly where it was), but the elders had stopped meeting with him because of all his questions. (It seems a lot of his questions were about archeaelogical evidence and about how there weren't cows in the ancient Americas, etc). But by the end of the lesson, they all committed to read from the Book of Mormon and we set up return appointments and they gave us their phone numbers.

Angels are literally preparing the hearts of God's children to receive the message of the Restoration!

After that we went down stairs to try the door of the less active members we were originally looking for. She was sitting outside smoking and before we even realized she was the person we were looking for, she looked up and said, "oh! oh! You caught me!"

They invited us inside and really opened up to us about how they were going through hard times. A scripture came to mind and we were able to share a message with them that addressed their needs.

I am learning on my mission what it means for our faith and our diligence to be constant. While we are being blessed with so many miracles, I know that my faith and diligence should not be dependent on miracles. I am grateful for the opportunity to be refined and taught and to serve the wonderful people here in Texas.

Oh! At church on Sunday I got to meet the Brazilian converts! They are moving back to Brazil in 2 weeks! I walked up and got to speak Portuguese to them! They were surprised and were so excited to find out I am going to Brazil! They said we can come visit them this coming week to practice Portuguese. I've only met about 6 Brazilians, but I feel connected to them. Texans and Brazilians are special people! I love being here and serving. The gospel of Jesus Christ is true and has been Restored!

Love,

Sister Greenall

Jul 7: Castle Hills

Hi Family!

Remember when I sent out an email last week with my new address? Please disregard that one!

I was emergency transferred and have a new address! (Don't worry if you sent something to the other address. Sister M said she would forward whatever came)

My new area is Castle Hills B and my address is

 

(Email me if you want Erica's direct address - Christine.greenall@gmail.com)

you can also always use the mission office address:

Sister Erica Greenall

Texas San Antonio Mission
404 E. Ramsey Road #105
San Antonio, TX 78216

It has been an exciting week!

On Tuesday we had an exchange with the Sisters in Castle Hills (San Antonio). It was my first exchange as a Sister Training Leader. I got to work with Sister S (turns out we have the same first name!). She is on her second transfer in the mission field and in Castle Hills!

On Wednesday we met up with the other sisters to switch back and then Sister M and I headed to our district meeting.

After district meeting, Sister M discussed the exchange as we were driving. While talking to Sister M, I found out the sister that she had been with (Sister S's companion) was going through an extremely difficult time. Part of what was adding to that was the extra stress of training a new missionary and leading out an area.

Sister M and I both became extremely concerned about the situation and felt impressed to call President. Interestingly enough, while talking we both had the strong impression that there needed to be a switch.

We called President Slaughter and that day we had an emergency transfer. I went to Castle Hills to be with Sister S, and Sister S's companion went to Leon Springs to be with Sister M there. I think it has been very good for all of us.

The next day, Thursday, I was able to attend my first MLC (Mission Leadership Council) meeting. It was a really wonderful experience. I admire so much President and Sister Slaughter and the incredible missionaries in this mission. I learned a lot at the meeting and hope to be a better example of the principles we discussed.

We have been meeting a lot of people here and the members are wonderful!

On Saturday night we had a lesson with an investigator named Ra. Brother and Sister T from the ward were going to accompany us to a different lesson before Ra's, but the man we had an appointment with was not there, so they came with us to Ra's lesson instead.

When we got there, Ra introduced us to his family that was visiting. He introduced us to his sister in law, and she said to me, "I know you!" ...I recognized her but was confused with the recent switches. I asked her, "Did we meet in Austin?" She said, "Leon Springs!" Then I remembered walking down the streets with Sister M and meeting her in the garage! She was a nice woman who only spoke Spanish so we shared a pass a long card with her and spoke some spanish with her.

She joined us for the lesson and it turns out that Brother T who came with us served in Mexico, so when my spanish was turning into Portuguese, he was able to translate for us! Ra's first language is Spanish, but he is trying to learn English, so he only reads in English and tries to only speak English.

We taught the Plan of Salvation. It was a special lesson. By the end, we asked D if she would like us to pass her contact info to the sisters in Leon Springs (both of them speak spanish!). At first she said no, but then we asked if she would like a Spanish Book of Mormon. We thought we had one in our car, but it turns out we had brought it into our apartment earlier. So we asked if the other sister missionaries could bring one to her and she happily agreed.

It was so nice to meet the members on Sunday! It was kind of a long week with a lot of changes and different things going on...so Sister S had to ask me during Sacrament meeting, "Are you awake?" I was trying really hard.

When we had dinner with the T Family that night, we shared the new ward mission plan with them. (We have been doing a lot of member visits to implement the new ward mission plan!) They told us about several of their friends that they would like to invite to hear from the missionaries. After we prayed and were walking out the door, Brother T said he had a friend from Brazil that lived down the street! So we will be visiting him soon! Hooray! We've been searching for the Brazilians in Texas!

Also, Sunday night we met with Ad and Ha. They are newly married. Ha is a recent convert and Ad is a returned missionary from Brazil! So we got to share the ward mission plan with them. Ha feels like she really wants help with the basics so we are going to re-teach the lessons to her. Ad helped me with my Portuguese. I prayed in Portuguese to open the meeting and he closed by praying in Portuguese. He also talked to me in Portuguese a bit and told me about his mission in Brazil.

All is well here in Texas! The work is so good!

In my studies I have started Preach My Gospel over from the beginning and am studying it through in Portuguese this time. I've also started the Book of Mormon again, with the same focus of the Atonement, but adding the Fall also.

Also, on Tuesday morning I kept thinking about an Elder Bednar talk I heard in the MTC. The one where he asks, "Do you have faith not to be healed?" I have quoted that over and over again while teaching. On Tuesday morning the question finally came to my mind in a new light. The question came, "Do you have the faith not to receive your visa?" It really changed my perspective. I started talking to Sisters M and Sister F about it during our lunch time, and they both said, "I have a copy of that talk!" So Sister M read it to me as we drove to do our exchanges. Wow! That talk speaks directly to me! ...Funny how Heavenly Father so often answers our questions before we even know we have them. The talk is called, "That we might 'Not Shrink'."

It is more important to not shrink than it is to survive. I was so inspired by the example of Elder Maxwell as well as the young couple mentioned in the talk.

Thank you for your love and support! I hope y'all have another great week!

Love,

Sister E Greenall