Amy in North Carolina : Week #77 - 2016 May 09 - MIRACLES. So. Many. Doggone. Miracles.

Hey y'all!

This week was AWESOMEEEE. Oh my word!!! It was the best.

Monday: We had a nice relaxing preparation day. So that was good! And then we had a really good dinner/lesson with an awesome family. After that, Sis Pete and I had a really good bro chat and we really needed that. So that was good.

Tuesday: We were able to see Ken! It was great! We talked about the Priesthood and it went well.

Wednesday: We had District Meeting! And it was actually SO MUCH FUN. Our district is awesome this time around!! Tender mercies of the Lord :D Anyway, after that we went on exchanges. I went with Sister Peterson (my baby #1) to Falls Lake/Wake Forest 2 and Sister Gill went with my comp, Sister Petersen (notice the "on" and the "en"...it's important haha.) to Raleigh 1/2. It was a REALLY good exchange! It was fun being companions again with Sister Peterson a year later. It was awesome to see the progress and growth in each of us as we taught together again. We still have that comp unity!!! <3 It was a really good day :)

Thursday: We exchanged back and then Sis Pete and I weekly planned. And then we contacted abajillion referrals...none of which were home. #typical.

Friday: We contacted some referrals again (we have so many....and they're never home...) and then we went tracting for a little bit! We placed a Book of Mormon with someone, but everyone else either A) wasn't home B) didn't answer the door C) said they were busy or D) they recognized who we were and shut the door in our face. Ha! So just a typical time tracting!! And then after that we had interviews with President and Sister James! I just love them so much :) So while I was talking to President James, I mentioned how Ken was progressing really well, but I probably won't see him baptized because I go home so soon and how I was okay with that as long as he gets baptized one day! And President laughs and goes, "Sister Blumel..." and then proceeds to challenge me (he said he had already challenged Sis Pete) to tell him to quit everything today cold turkey and commit to be baptized before I go. So that's what we did! President told us to go find Pero, which is a coffee replacement...it takes like coffee, but it doesn't have coffee in it. So right after interviews, we check the phone and our dinner appointment fell through, which ended up being perfect because we spent the remaining time we had before the lesson trying to track down pero. Apparently, it's not that common! We couldn't find it for the longest time! Either that, or Heavenly Father was testing our faith. Probably the latter. We had one more store to try and before we went in, we said a prayer that if it be thy will, pero will be in this store. And lo and behold! We found it! We took that as a sign that that is what we needed to do with Ken that night. President James is an inspired man. So we get to the lesson and it's going great. We read Mosiah 18:8-10 and it went well. We talk about baptism and he said he wanted to get baptized at some point so we're like how bout this. And that's when we showed him the pero and the twizzlers (it helps with the habitual motions of smoking...a member told us that haha) that we got for him and he was excited to try it! And then we told him the challenge of quitting everything right now. And he thought about it and he started to nod and say that he would do it. So then we told him that this was a trade. We gave him stuff to have and now he has to give us all his stuff! We thought it would take a little bit of persuasion but he immediately got up and said, "okay!" like it was no big deal!!! Friday night was the night!!!! I'm so glad we had interviews that day and I'm so grateful that President pushed us to do that! We witnessed miracles that night. He committed to be baptized on May 21st and he's working hard to stay away from smoking/coffee. It's been 3 days and it's been a success so far!!! This will be the biggest miracle of the mission for me I'm sure of it. I needed to come to Raleigh for Ken :) I'm grateful and honored to be a part of his journey. I'll keep you posted on how he's doing!! Prayers for him are always welcome so he can stay strong :) The elders were able to come over and give him a blessing and that was really good. The Priesthood is so real! I love it. But yeah, that was that day!!! :D

Saturday: We had a baptism! One of our little 10 year olds, Abby, was baptized! It was great. Sister Streetman and Sister Kelly taught her when they were in Raleigh, so they got permission and were able to come to the baptism! AND! Baby Scrib (Sister Scribner) is Sister Kelly's companion now, so she was there too!!!! So I got to see her and it was the best!!! So I got to see both of my babies this week! SUCH a tender mercy!!! Made this mission mama's heart full that's for sure!! I just love my trainees. <3

Sunday: Ken came to church with his 16 y/o son Andrew and it was great!! Church was really good. Everything was based around Eternal Marriage...so that was awkward....just cause I'll be home so soon. But it was great! We had a great lunch with a super cute member! (Who tried to set me up with her 23 y/o son....uhm.) And then we went over to the Cox family's home for dinner and then we skyped! It was so good to see the fam jam again! And surprise, Grandmama Irenke was there! Best day ever! I just love that woman so much <3 Anywho, it was a good day.

That was that! Seriously...the best week. I love being a missionary, it's the best!!! :D

The church is true y'all! Read the Book of Mormon daily. It'll bless your life!

Take care and remember to keep smiling! Be safe! And SUCCESS you finished reading the novel. :) Congratulations!

Have a great week y'all! Love and miss you all a ton!

MUCH LOVE,

Sister Blumel

xoxoxo <3