Sister Mandy Welker

This email was sent by Sister Welker on June 26th. We received it on June 25th.

Week 46: New Kind of Tracting, Dinner Almost To-Go, and Visit Lacey Again?

Last week was pretty slow. However, towards the end of the week we started to see HEAPS of miracles!!!

We went tracting last week, hoping to find new investigators. Tracting is not my personal favorite, I actually have to kind of bribe myself in order to "desire" to go tracting, but instead of knocking and telling others about the Restored gospel, we tried asking if they wanted to learn more about their ancestors. I was amazed at how much easier it was to talk with people about their ancestors than the restored gospel. People were either polite and said "no thanks," or their eyes grew wider and they wanted to learn more. At the end of the day, we got one new investigator but he wasn't keen like we thought. When we went back for the return appointment, he told us he was busy. However, I felt that it was a cool experience for me and helped me to have a more genuine desire to go tract again.

While we were tracting, the Brown family (name changed) texted us asking if they could drop our meal off tonight. In the past, I would have agreed, but I felt I should try to find a different option. So instead, we offered to come to their place and pick up the food. Sister Brown agreed as long as we came before 5pm. We arrived at the members home at about 4:30 pm. She told us the food wasn't quiet ready and invited us in to sit while we waited for her to finish the meal. As we watched her cook, we asked Sister Brown about her 1st impressions of missionaries. She explained to us how at first she wanted nothing to do with missionaries, and would tell them to leave. At the time she was living with a less-active member, and the LA member wanted the missionaries to come inside. Rather than argue she let the missionaries in, and went to the kitchen so she wouldn't have to be in the same room as the missionaries. Over time she realized how she would subconsciously listen to the discussions happening in the other room. One day the missionaries came to visit and she asked them if she could get baptized. A couple weeks later she was baptized, and is now married in the temple with two children.

By the time Sister Brown had finished telling us her story, the dinner was ready. I thought she would pack it up in ice cream containers and invite us to leave, but to my surprise she looked at her clock, realized she had more time than she thought and invited us to stay and eat the dinner there. Once we finished the dinner, I thought again we would be asked to leave, but we were invited to stay again to share a quick message. We asked everyone in the home to share their favorite Jesus Christ story. We then discovered that Sister Brown's darkest time in her life was when she found out she couldn't have kids of her own, and during that time her life she learned how to rely on the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

This last Sunday, Sister Brown had been assigned to speak in church and she was so touched by our visit that she mentioned our visit during her talk in church!! Hopefully that helped the members gain trust in us!! Now we plan to see her family again tonight for FHE, and we plan to share the Restoration, and maybe get referrals as well!!

I received a written letter from one of my companions earlier this week, and I now have a testimony of how companions are inspired of God. I don't think either one of us had any idea why we were meant to be companions until now. I guess we may not always see ALL the good we do, but GOD DOES!! And it matters in his eyes.

Another miracle had to be when we went to visit a LA sister, Lacey (name changed). I had visited this sister before and would only talk with her behind the gate. Usually she would tell us that she was busy, but we had members in the ward refer us to her, so we felt more responsibility to go and visit her. This week as we went to visit Lacey and to our surprise she said "You know there's a reason why I don't come to church." My ears grew hoping to finally learn of her concern. We inched our way closer, and could barley see her in face from the reflection of the dim street light. She wasn't very specific, but buy the end of our visit we had spent 20-30 mins talking (which is the longest I've ever talked with her), and we got a return appointment!!

When we went back for the return appointment, we were invited into her house!!! I had never been past her gate before, and was completely shocked when we were invited in. Turns out her whole family is LA, and she had a child who needs to get baptized!!! :D

Then just as we were walking to come and email today, we meet someone who wanted to study more about the Mormon faith along with his 3 others sisters back home!!!

So basically God really does love me, and is helping me to see so many miracles. :D

Thanks again for all your love and support. I hope you all have a great week!!

Sister Mandy Welker

Sorry the pictures have nothing to do with anything I emailed haha