Johnny, our WML, labels me as a fairy.... how embarrassing.. hah he ran around the church yesterday acting like a fairy ... yikes.
There are literally MIRACLES every day.
First off, last Tuesday was fun! We had like 6 families call us before 9am to make sure that we had a safe place to be that night. There were tornado warnings all over the news. It got pretty windy throughout the day, but by 10:00... not even a single rain drop had landed in Kearney.. LAME. We were super disappointed.. haha the tornados went right around us:) Father totally did that cause we wanted one.. but that was a huge testimony builder for our lovely dear friend Shai!!! She was praying so hard for the storm to go around, and it did! So We'll give up seeing storms if it means that it strengthens the faith of people we love:) Shai is incredible.... look up her band!! She's going to be famous one day! Her band is called Scouting for Alex! She also is an amazing artist. She owns IODA DESIGNS and painted me some pretty AWESOME shoes:) Anyway... we love her:)
We went out to sushi with her and one of our NOW investigators named Kendyl and our Relief Society president- Andee. It was so fun:) Kendyl is AWESOME! Her mom is being taught by the family ward sisters. Kendyl is recovering from drinking alcohol and is totally trying to turn her life around. She's gotten a lot closer to God as she has attended her AA meetings and has seen her moms testimony grow and has become interested in learning more. So we're going to be teaching her this week! We've been friends with her for quite some time now, so teacher her will be like teaching a best friend:) The only issue really holding her back now, is that she plays for the other team. But we love her soooooo much!!!! And she's willing to give learning a try!! :) She's being fellowshipped very well too!!
We have another less-active member named Lane. HE CAME TO GAMENIGHT!! This kid, I just love him so much.... he went on his mission to Seattle WA!! He loved it more than anything in the world!! That is ALL he ever talks about with us!! He goes on teamups and practically teaches our investigators for us... hah. He has the greatest knowledge and such a strong testimony! Since he has come home though, he has labeling himself as gay and he has gotten into drinking. We are truly trying to focus on him though because with every investigator we meet, everyone connects to him somehow. He is soooooo friendly and is constantly telling his friends about us! But he isn't living the gospel.... he never comes to church because he is son confused with everything in his own life. Anyway, we love him so much.....
A few weeks ago in zone conference, we felt that we really needed to focus on strengthening the members in the branch, and that is what we have been working our hardest to do! It's been rough, cause we aren't teaching as much as we would like, but this last week, we have seen the fruit come of our branches! We found 7 new SOLID investigators that are either referrals from members or people we found through our own efforts that are NOT coincidentally already connected with members of the branch. It's a miracle!!! It's the coolest thing! So we'll be doing lots of teaching now!!
We have a few members that are leaving us though:( OUT OF NOWHERE, Our dear friend Kent called. He went out on his mission, ended up coming home, and then ever since I have been here he has been working his hardest to get back out there. He is such an inspiration to me!! Well, he called us out of the blue this last Tuesday and said that he was leaving back to his mission the next day, Wednesday. He had less than 24 hour notice from Salt Lake that he was leaving, so that took us all by surprise! We didn't even get to say goodbye:( But we are so excited for him!! San Antonio is going to have one amazing Spanish speaking missionary:):) GO KENT!!!
Johnny, our AWESOME Ward Mission Leader, triple checked his plane ticket to move to Utah. And instead of leaving on Saturday, he leaves on Thursday morning. So we're losing Johnny and we are HEARTBROKEN!!! This kid was the most amazing Elder that Japan ever saw!! (Besides Jarom of course;)) And he's leaving us! He isn't even enrolled in BYU yet, but the Lord told him to go to Utah, so without a car, without a set job, and without even knowing if he is in BYU yet, he's leaving. Such faith.. I love this kid!! So yesterday was his last Sunday and we were sad :(
And then this last week, we got to help April, another member in the branch, put her WEDDING BOUQUET together!!! She gets married in a week and then she is outta here! We're excited to help with her reception when they get back from Kansas. So people are leaving! But for fast sunday last week, we fasted to get more people in, and this last week we have had the biggest turn out at game-night and FHE than we have since I've been here! FASTING WORKS!!!! We are stoked to work with our investigators because we already know them quite well!!
At game-night Saturday night, we had 6 nonmembers there, and we gave away 2 BofM's:) YEAH!!!
Anna, our investigator that was set for baptism, we are probably going to end up handing her back to the Grand Island Sisters, she found it best if she went to a family ward first, so they will most likely be teaching her.
We are now on a weekly basis of volunteering at Goodwill every Wednesday! It's the best:) Like thrift shopping all the time! But not.... cause we just straighten things, but it's fun! It sometimes actually makes me miss work at Maurices!! But nah...... ;)
So yesterday at church was exciting! Our Branch President Crocket recently moved to San Diego. Everyone thought that he would still be our Branch President because he has a private jet and fly's back out here to Kearney for work all the time, but yesterday, we ended up getting a new branch presidency! The branch members had been anticipating it all week. YA!!!! Our new leaders are incredible! Our new branch president is President Cammack! The family ward sisters actually live in their home and we love them so much! They used to bring us donuts every Saturday morning and Sister Cammack is the institute teacher, so Sister Muasau and I know them VERY well!!! He is going to be AMAZING!!! And he will truly be the one to bring unity to the branch:)
It's been a great week!! EVERY NIGHT as I go to pray at night, I realize at least one thing that I improved on each day. The atonement is REAL. And the only reason that we are able to improve our lives day by day, hour by hour, is because of what our Savior, Jesus Christ has done for us. The priesthood is real!! Our Father in Heaven talks directly to us and is so aware of everyone's needs. More aware than we are of our own needs. He knows best. Never forget WHOSE you are and ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS remember how important you are to Him-- the one that TRULY matters. Don't let yourself get down and worried about what others think of you. Our lives don't depend on their simple opinions. Pray to Heavenly Father and ask Him to see your potential and NEVER let go of that potential.
Don't make the gospel a QUIET priority either. MAKE SURE your family and friends KNOW your sincere testimony of our Savior and His Atonement. And if you don't have one, pray to find it! Pray to receive one. Pray to feel Him. Spiritual knowledge, which is the most important knowledge we will EVER gain, ONLY comes through prayer and pondering. Coupled with fasting and scripture study (Boyd K. Packer). PRAY! WILL YOU sincerely pray to discover your testimony, and then SHARE it with me, with your family, with your friends?? I promise you that your testimony will solidify as you put it into words. I promise that your family will become stronger and friendships will become closer as you CONNECT WITH EACH OTHER SPIRITUALLY. It is one thing to love someone on the surface, but the only love and the only satisfaction you will get from love, is If the love comes from a deeper source. Connect with people spiritually, open your hearts, humble yourselves to receive help, because we are all in this together and our Father works through the spirit, through the lives of those we love. SHARE YOUR TESTIMONIES!!!
I love you all:) Pray for you in my heart always and I especially pray that your faith continues to strengthen. Always remember that if you aren't moving forward, you're moving backwards. You're never standing still. Take His hand.
Have a GREAT week!!!!
-Sister Checketts
GAMENIGHT picture:):)
from left to right:
Back Row: Johnny, Me, Miquelle, Corey, Lane, Carson, Shelby, and Dylan
Middle: Marleyna, Jackie, Emily, and Joe
Front: Mikayla, and S. Muasau:)
I LOVE THEM!!!
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