Week 29: Convert over a REAL Idaho potato

8/8/2022

I honestly don’t even know where to start. This week FLEW by! I can’t believe I am already writing to you. This week was a miracle week. There is no doubt in my mind this gospel is true. I’m so greatful I get to share the joy and the peace it brings with others!

FRIENDS! We have been teaching a handful of people who are progressing. We had baptisms for this month but will be pushing them back for another time. We are teaching a lady named Andrea. She loves this gospel and would be baptized except for the fact that she doesn’t understand why we don’t drink coffee. This open and honest conversation really led me to ponder and think because she truly does have a fair point. I testified to her the power the Book of Mormon has. I know that when we have questions if we turn to the Book of Mormon they will be answered. We taught many many nonmembers this week! It was amazing! I felt like a true missionary testifying at every chance I got. Sometimes it doesn’t make sense why people won’t come closer to Christ and it’s frustrating, but it’s our job to give them the chance. FRANZ FAMILY. We found Jackie’s (the mom) 2 daughters and husband. She is soaking up the BOM and we now get to teach a whole family! This is a dream come true. I can see them being baptized together she loves it that much. Heavenly Father is placing some really difficult situations in our path right now. We are teaching 2 other people with complex stories. We honestly don’t know how to help them. I know that we are just the mouthpiece for God and He is helping us as we teach all of these people who investigate the church.

Members! I had some very powerful experiences with members this week. My heart completely broke for a few of them. They turned to us for love and support when their lives are falling apart. Many people experience hard trials. I have seen people endure them with the gospel and many without. There is a difference! If we turn to God He will help us out. I know this and I have seen this! Make sure that you are putting the most important things in life first. I met a member who told us the only thing they do to come closer to God is go to church and that was enough. It’s not enough. It was sad. After an awesome discussion WE TRIED SUSHI( they own a sushi company). I was scared outta my mind! I only had one bite and I can say it was okay lol. I think I was scared so my brain got in the way.

EXCHANGE miracle! I got to go to Eagle with a bran new missionary, Sister Ford. It was awesome to teach, love and support her. We even found a unique connection. She went to Snow college and knew a lot of my friends! Sister Ford was nervous and I got to be there for her. I showed her all I know and have learned in my mission. She opened up to me and expressed how she just wants to teach people, that’s why she is here! I helped her give our her first BOM and I showed her how to make a friend( investigator) and see if they are intrested! On our first door we had a great experience. Daven answered and said he has been looking for a church and that he wants to learn more. I know Heavenly Father gave my that opportunity for Sister Ford. She looked at me with tears in her eyes and said, “Sister Howick this is the most I have seen on my mission, you are in tune with the spirt and you are a bold missionary.” It was a special moment for both of us. It was in that moment I realized that I am able to be the STL that I need to be and that God will help me. Right before we re-exchanged we went to this street market and I was determined to talk to everyone. One had a Idaho potato sign so I went to day hi. She has a cross on her chest and I asked her about it. Long story short she told us that our Savior is a different Savior. She was very kind but not intrested… but I felt obligated to by a Idaho potato. Mostly just so I could say I had a real Idaho potato serving in Idaho.

God LED us! We felt so low at some points this week because we just want to teach people and find the elect. We prayed in every prayer that we would be led. God answered our prayer. We knocked on this house and they were not intrested! But we knew we were there for a reason. So we drove around the corner and saw a dad and his daughter draining a splash pad. Perfect! Long story short he has been looking for this light we share. He gladly accepted the BOM and gave us his number. He even took the scripture we read to him and applied it to his life. His name is John.

The second time we were walking out of a nonmembers lesson and saw a dad sitting on the tailgate watching his daughter ride her bike. We went and talked. Then the mom Ashley, joined us and we had the most amazing discussion about families and the plan of salvation. They gladly accepted our phone number and a pamphlet. Then out of no where a member walked around the corner and introduced himself and also testified of what we were saying. God’s timing is so real!

Some highlights

Bill! Remember ping pong Bill? Well we are teaching him now! We got the Elders involved this week and they love him. We invited him to read the intro to the BOM this week. When we asked about it he opened it up and the whole page was highlighted! We asked him to highlight what he felt was important. He said, ” I felt like it was all important” ahhh!

Are we outta gas!? We have quite a large area and a very big fancy neighborhood on some hills. Well we made our way there when the gaslight came on! We had an important place to be and we were far from town. I know we were unprepared! We had a long ways to go still. Then we felt prompted to go to this house that was even farther out. Why?! We went anyway and prayed so hard we would make it back into town. We had an awesome conversation with this person and we did make it! It was a miracle. I think God wanted us to just trust in him and that’s why we felt we had to stop by this house. Lesson learned though! Make sure we have gas!