I am loving Montelimar. The members are great and I love my new companion. We laugh a lot together! She has only been a member for 1 year and 8 months! But, she knows the gospel very well! We're in a great district as well. It's strange being the only sisters (we're with 6 elders), but it's fun.
But, I will be honest, this week was one of the hardest weeks of my mission. It was difficult finding new investigators (especially for me because I don't know the area very well) and my poor companion just got done with her training so she was feeling a little bit of pressure.
But fasting, prayer, and obedience makes a real difference.
Yesterday we had a miracle! It was so beautiful. A member accompanied us to a lesson and was teaching us things about our area. At this point in the week, we had only found 1 new investigator: M. We asked the member what helped him on his mission to find new investigators. He (re)taught us what Preach My Gospel teaches us in chapter 9: find as you teach, teach as you find. Generally, when we talk with someone on the street or knock on someone's door for the first time, we introduce ourselves and ask first if we can share a message of Jesus Christ (that will literally change their lives) with them and their family. The general answer to this is: NO. The member taught us to just start teaching a gospel principle, specifically that families can be forever.
He soon had to leave us and we set off on our own, knocking, knocking, and more knocking. And nobody wanted anything. Honestly, door knocking is a very ineffective way to work but most (OK, all) of our plans and back-up plans had fallen through or changed and we were in an area where we had only 1 investigator. After leaving yet another rejection, my companion looked at me and joked, "I think I'm going to cry." We both started chuckling and stood on the sidewalk, wondering where we should go. Before I knew it, I saw tears in her eyes. As the older companion, I couldn't let her see me cry so I just hugged her and told her that this is what Satan wants. He wants to see us discouraged but we can't let him see that because there was a family waiting for the restored gospel.
She agreed and dried her tears. And without thinking (in the sense of not giving time to doubt because when we feel an impression and wait to give heed, doubt settles in and we generally let the opportunity pass), I pointed to a house and said, "Come on, we're going to knock here." We knocked on the gate and 2 women and a handful of young children poked their heads out of the door. We started a conversation with them and ended up teaching one of the women that was there, M. At first, she was very short with us and wasn't quite interested. We started talking about the family. She has 2 daughters and when we asked how long she'd been married, her face changed. She told us that her husband had just passed away a month and a half ago. We testified of the eternal family and she asked us a lot of questions about that and the Plan of Salvation. It was a short, powerful lesson and we will be seeing her tomorrow! She even told us that we can talk with her brother that lives next door.
When we apply what we can learn from the gospel resources, miracles can occur. I love this gospel!
V and C (the family that will be baptized on the 9th), are doing so well! I met them on Monday with the bishop and his wife and they made us dinner. V is really excited to be able to get the priesthood and about the fact that he they can be an eternal family. I almost started crying when I heard him talk about how much he loves his family. FAMILIES ARE FOREVER!
I love you all so much!
Hermana Whitman