7/19/16--Hope

So this week started off in adventures. Monday we had a district activity which was a tons of fun! We went to the Martino's house and we had lunch. However there was a catch.  First off we ate with different serving utensils like giants spoons, spatulas, tongs, and so forth. Catch number two was we had to eat tied to the people next to us. So our wrists were tied to the people next to us. It made eating a fun adventure. Then we played get to know you bingo and a paper airplane contest. Sister Martino gave a little lesson on helping us get more investigators to church. Then we just hung around at the Martino's house for he rest of our preparation day and we had a family home evening at the Alamia's house again.  She had her niece and nephew over so it was a little crazy like a normal house. Then we had a quick lesson at a less active's house named Lucerio.

Tuesday we spent a lot of time driving. First in the morning we drove to west Hampton to have a lesson. We had it win Blanca and Eddy. They are both working so hard. We were supposed to have a lesson with Blanca's friend but she never showed up and it was so sad but it was still a good lesson. Then we drove back to Hampton bays which is an hour drive and had district meeting. Hermana Bandeaux and I had to give a mini lesson in the meeting. It went really well! Then we drove back to west Hampton for another lesson but she wasn't home:( Most of the rest of our evening our plans were always changing, but we went out to Sag Harbor and did some knocking and then looked up a
member named Mirian. We had a lesson on the beach it was super fun. It was fun to have a lesson in nature. Then we went to the Martino's house to do a Skype call with Johnny our new investigator.

Wednesday we did some look ups and then spent a good amount of time at the Sullivan's house doing service for them. My mom would be proud I spent the day organizing her kitchen. We spent 4 hours on one cupboard. Yeah fun stuff. But then we made brownies and it made up for it. As well, we had a lesson with her sister-in-law, a nonmember. We have been trying to work with her but she is always busy and it is hard to keep her in one place to have a lesson. Then we had some time to knock. A miracle happened--we were knocking and one older lady opened the door and literally said "I have been looking for someone from your church and I want to know more about your church. But my husband won't let me go anywhere else so this were we have to part ways." Super awesome! Yet super sad. Then we had a lesson with another lady we found. She is super cute. It was a small first lesson. Her name is Deborah. She sweet lady. Then we took the YW president out with us and found a less active YW. She wants to build her relationship up again with Heavenly Father. Super excited to keep working with her more and get her back to church.

Thursday started off so amazing. So you know that lady we knocked into and she had been wanting to talk to someone from the church. Well she called us! We had a nice little conversation. Basically the Holy Ghost testified the truth of the restoration pamphlet. It was awesome. However she still won't get a lesson with us. Uh so close and yet so far. Anyways, then we had a lesson with Jenn. She is a single mom of four children. She is in a huge trial and she is slowly seeing the help the gospel can bring. Then we did service for her and helped her clean her house. Then we had our weekly planning. We basically spent the rest of the night looking people up.

Friday we first had zone training meeting. So fun. I got to see Hermana Gourley and Hermana Spencer! Then we had exchanges with the sister training leaders. I went win Sister Urizar! I love her! We did a look up and then went out to dinner with the other set of sisters.  Then Sister Urizar talked the others to stay the way we were. So I stayed with Sister Urizar for the rest of the day. We did some
knocking and look ups. We ended the night with someone who was half drunk and smoking. His drunk great aunt came out and started basically yelling at us telling us to question our religion and about everything we believed in. I am so glad that I know this church is true and no one can make me change my mind.

Saturday we went with the sister training leaders to do service. We were doing service at the national park where Teddy Roosevelt used to live. We got a tour of his house! We couldn't take any pictures so I don't have any but it was cool. Then we helped pull weeds in a grass but there was a bunch of poison ivy. Hermana Bandeaux and I didn't have pants on so we left early. Then we had some time to study. Then we had a mini lesson with someone else we knocked into. It was good. Then we went out to east Hampton again to have another lesson with Blanca and Eddy. They are progressing so much and Eddy is really trying to come to church.

Sunday we had church. We had some one come to church with a friend. So we talked to her afterwards and she was somewhat interested. She lives in Queens so we sent her information off and hopefully she will start learning and coming. Then we had time a bunch of time to knock and try
to find anyone. Then we had a lesson with a less active.

Monday we had the morning to do laundry and shopping. Then we spent the evening cleaning and had another family home evening at the Alamia's house. She had invited Jenn and her family over for dinner it was so good. We watched he restoration video. It went so well. Then we went to the Martino's so Hermana Bandeaux could get a blessing.

For this week my message comes from the November 1994 Ensign talk by Elder Neal A Maxwell called, Brightness of Hope. He says:

"Significantly, those who look forward to a next and better world are usually “anxiously engaged” in improving this one, for they “always abound in good works”. Thus, real hope is much more than wishful musing. It stiffens, not slackens, the spiritual spine. It is composed, not giddy, eager without being naive, and pleasantly steady without being smug. Hope is realistic anticipation taking the form of determination--a determination not merely to survive but to “endure …well” to the end.  While weak hope leaves us at the mercy of our moods and events, “brightness of hope” produces illuminated individuals. Their luminosity is seen, and things are also seen by it! Such hope permits
us to “press forward” even when dark clouds oppress. Sometimes in the deepest darkness there is no external light--only an inner light to guide and to reassure."