Jun 30: Leon Springs!

Hi Family!

It was another great week in the TSAM!

Here is my new address:

(Please email Erica's Mom if you would like her direct address: christine.greenall@gmail.com
Or you can use the San Antonio Texas Mission address on the right of the blog page)

I'm going to do this in Dad's weekly email format!

Monday:

We had p-day at the Y Family's property which was fun! I got to play tennis with my companions and Sister W and Sister R!
We taught a first lesson to a lady named L who was very nice! We also were on a street knocking and Sister T said, "Hey...that looks like JJ and K..." I told her she was hallucinating because it was too hot (because JJ and K didn't live on that street!)... Sister T was right! We realized they were going into the C Family's home (a family from the ward) for the singles FHE! We dropped in to fill up our water bottles and use the rest room and were amazed to see all of the singles there! Members and Non-members alike all gathered and starting with an opening hymn! It really touched us. Ever since Sister C was called as the ward 45+ singles coordinator I have been touched by her example of "magnifying" her calling!

Tuesday:

We met with Sister M. I love her! She is humble and desiring to learn. We taught about the Plan of Salvation and addressed questions she had.
We taught L and C (a teenager who lives in the same house) joined the lesson! He was excited about learning and wanted to come to church. Agreed to join us for our next appointment.
We met Brother K! (We had been trying to meet him since Sister Salisbury and I were first in Merrilltown together!) He is amazing! A convert with an incredible testimony! He works at night which has interfered with coming to church.
Dinner with the K Family!! They fed us lobster tails! Yum!! They are the greatest! (it's true, Sister K!! ;) )
We met with Sister H! She amazes me. She has such a strong testimony. As we met with her for the last time, I reflected on the first time I had met her back in... November? She has made incredible changes in her life and is truly an example to her family.
On Tuesday night we were worried about Brother M. He hadn't replied to our text messages, and when we drove by his house, his truck was gone. We talked to the land lord and she said he was usually home by then.
We stopped by later that night and he had arrived home. Patricia welcomed us in and called up to him to come down stairs. What happened next was one of the most humbling experiences of my life. We heard him come running down the stairs to come see us. But when we saw him, it scared us. He was so shaky. He could not walk in a straight line and could hardly stand. When he tried to speak to us, it came out shakily and he could not stop stuttering over every word. He calmly said something like, "I-i-i-it ha-ha-ha-happens s-sometimes. I h-ha-hate it wh-en-en I-I can't t-talk." That's when it truly sunk in how bad is condition is. He goes through ups and downs but usually doesn't let anyone see the downs. Sister T and Sister J both burst into tears right there. We put our hands on his shoulders to keep him balanced, and offered a prayer with him. I said a simple prayer, and then we asked Brother M to go lay down.

In Preach My Gospel it promises over and over again that the Lord is preparing people to "receive" his missionaries. Brother M truly "receives" us.

That was an emotional night.

Wednesday: We were preparing to go out for the day, and decided to text M, one of our recent converts, to see if we could go by. We had found out that she had texted a member in the ward asking for no more contact. She hadn't been responding to our texts or calls. I texted her and told her I would be leaving the next day and asked if I could drop by to give them a big hug. She replied saying that she was truly sorry, but that she and her family were no longer part of the church. She said that they were eternally gratefully for what Sister Salisbury and I did for them emotionally, but that they didn't want contact from anyone. I later texted to ask if I could write to them, and they said they would love that.

But when we got that text we just sat in our room, quiet. After a moment I asked, "Do you mind if I go to the closet for a while?" I couldn't hold anything in anymore. I kneeled in prayer and sobbed like a baby. Sisters T and J soon joined me and we all prayed together. The Holy Ghost and prayer truly bring peace.

While it has been hard to see Brother M suffer physically, or to see other families struggling with personal challenges, or financial challenges, or sickness, nothing compared to the pain of seeing someone I love turning away from the church.
I got to talk to Brother M on the phone with my companions on Wednesday. He sounded a bit better, but was still stuttering. but he was laughing and positive as always. He loves the gospel!
I remembered Brother Porter (my MTC teacher) describing that in order to bring others to where we are in the gospel, we need to go where they are, and feel a little of what they feel. I've learned on my mission that in order to feel the greatest of joys, we also must feel the deepest of sorrows. The greater our capacity to feel sorrow grows, the greater capacity we gain to feel joy, and visa versa I think.

We had a good rest of Wednesday evening, having dinner with the J Family and hearing about their awesome missionary work, meeting some of Sister J's neighbors, contacting, etc.

Thursday: Transfer meeting! I said goodbye to my wonderful companions, Sister T and Sister J! I love them so much.

Sister R (from the other sister companionship that shares our apartment) and I hopped on the bus to San Antonio!
I met my new companion Sister M who is finishing her mission this transfer! ( ie: her last 6 weeks) She is incredible and we already love each other.

I'm about out of time! But I love my new area and companion. Leon Springs is much different than Merrilltown! There are a lot of big huge gated communities. It is a very wealthy area. It is a different culture. But the people here are so kind and family oriented. The ward members were so welcoming on Sunday and I enjoyed meeting a lot of them. The work is good and the gospel is true. I am blessed!!

I am so excited to hear about Sister Danica Greenall's first week in the MTC!

Love yall!!

Sister Erica Greenall