The Floridian Adventure of a Lifetime: Week 72

June 19, 2017

"Our Father knew exactly what He was doing when He created us. He made us enough alike to love each other, but enough different that we would need to unite our strengths and stewardships to create a whole." -Sheri Dew

Wow this week was a great one!

Sister Ridenour and I have been finding and teaching and it has been loco but awesome!

So our cute little twins have been really progressing, and they came to church again! They are so awesome and they love the gospel. They have been praying about getting baptized and they love learning more! This week we invited them to ask their mom to meet with missionaries where she lives so that they might get her blessing to be baptized. They haven't asked yet but we will see! :)

Also, our other investigator who we met last week is doing fantastic! She read some of the Book of Mormon and took notes! I have never seen that before but she did it! She wrote down all the questions she had and we were able to explain it and help her see. She is gaining an understanding and she is praying on a date to be baptized! She also wants the blessing of her parents in this and she is getting up the courage to ask them. She loves the gospel and she said something that just struck my heart. We asked her how she felt about all of this and she pondered for a moment and said, "Well, I believe that Moses parted the Red Sea and people walked through, and I believe in Jesus, so why wouldn't I believe in this? I believe it." The spirit just hit me. Wow.

So we have also been teaching this Atheist man and it has been the most interesting experience for me. He is so logical and he approaches the gospel from the strangest place. He was raised in a very religious household and he realized that so much of what he was taught conflicted with itself. He was especially concerned with the teachings of hell, because why would a loving God send his children somewhere they could burn for all eternity in misery? He stopped believing in God and turned to what else he knew. When we went back for our return appointment this past week, it was awesome. We taught about the Restoration of the gospel and he was definitely intrigued, but at the end of the lesson, he says, "Well, if I ever need help reading this I will get in contact with you but I don't need you to come back and see me again." And I said, "Well, we actually teach a set of lessons to people, and the next one is something I really think you'll want to know, it is about Gods plan for us and where we came from, why we're here and where we're going after this life."

He looks stunned and says, "Okay, so you've piqued my interest. What do you believe about that?"

And I said, "We can come back on Saturday and teach it to you."

Haha he agreed. Then Saturday rolled around and we taught him the Plan of Salvation. A special spirit was definitely there and his heart had clearly softened since our last meeting. He tried to act very casual about it all but he had read the first part of the Book of Mormon and the whole pamphlet we left with him!

As we taught him, the truths definitely touched his heart and he said softly, "I like this."

He is starting to understand!

We have another appointment for Wednesday :)

Also this week I had a very neat opportunity. For Father's Day, some of the people in the YSA go to this place called Tacachale and we hold a service there for the people. Tacachale is a mental hospital.

I was so scared to go there! I heard a few scary stories from the members and how weird it is and all that jazz.

On the way there, we got lost and ended up driving through the tent city of Gainesville which is basically a place where homeless people live and it's super sketchy so that was cool!

Then we finally got there and we go in, and it's this giant auditorium that was super echoey and creepy and all the mental patients were booing and making sounds. It was a little weird for sure.

But then we sang some songs and talked and the people were getting up and hugging each other and smiling, and halfway through the first song, a tiny adorable old lady was led in and wanted to come straight to the front. She was making the biggest and cutest smile I have ever seen!

She sat there and just smiled through the whole service. I felt a special feeling like I knew her and she was important to me before this life and I just had to talk to her.

After the service we kind of mingled with the people for a few minutes, and she ran right out the door!

I followed her and saw her standing by one of the vans outside.

She saw me and waved and smiled so big. Then she crooked her finger at me and said,

"Come here!"

I came over and she said, "I like your glasses."

I said thank you and then she hugged me around the waist! She was that short!

I said, "It's so good to see you." And she smiled and then said,

"It's so hot out here!"

Hahaha but it was a special experience. I truly felt like she was someone that I knew and I had to say something to her because I never will see her again in this life. :)

So good week! Miracles!

Also, today is my companion, Sister Ridenours Birthday! So we have lots of fun planned!

Love y'all!

Sister Caton