Happy Monday! :)

This week has been completely amazing... one of those weeks where you can see the Lord’s hand in your life e.v.e.r.y.w.h.e.r.e! It all started with a hole in the tire of our car (we ran over a screw....) We were stressing because we needed to go get it fixed, but we didn’t have the miles to do it (the closest tire repair place is Augusta, a good 100 miles away.) we decided to just do a lot of walking until the month was up, but we were going from house to house and appointment after appointment was falling through, and we felt kinda stuck. We ended up deciding to call Elder Decker (the guy in charge of the cars) and ask him what to do. He surprised us by saying a companionship hadn't used all their miles that month, and we could take their extras to go get our car fixed. So, we drove to Augusta, and not only were able to get our tire replaced, but were in the right place for another miracle to occur... We got a call from our Investigator, Tasha, who was in the Augusta hospital with her 5 month old, just needing support. We talked to our zone leaders, and got permission to go visit her because we were already in the area.( something that would have never happened unless we had gone to fix our tire... Permission to leave our area is hard to come by.) We went by the hospital, and got to meet Derricka's daddy, Derrick, for the first time. We took Tasha and Derrick down into the hospital chapel, and read with them the book of Enos. Tasha was in tears, and Derrick wanted a Book of Mormon for himself. Now, the only copy I had on me was the copy I use whenever we go walking (a missionary copy that I've marked up, and written my name on the bottom, because it’s lighter than my quad). I fought with myself for a second, and then gave him my copy... and his eyes lit up. "It’s got my name on the bottom! Ya'll must have known I'd need it!" (He never said anything about the 'sister' that came before 'his name' on the bottom.... ha-ha) It was a really cool experience, and I know that the Lord knows where we need to be much better than I do... and I am so grateful for his help!

 

Funny story: remember Sister Story? That sweet old grandma lady we'd been visiting? Well, we went to go visit her this week, and the first thing she said was that she'd been bad this week. We were all worried that she had relapsed on her coffee or cigarettes or something of the sort; but that was not the case. She told us about her daughter in law, who had a drug problem and was constantly making family drama and driving Sis. Story’s son and grandchildren out of the house and putting holes in the walls and such, and finally, one day, Sister Story got so fed up with her that she punched her in the face! Ha-ha it was the funniest moment of my whole mission, listening to that sweet old grandma talk about how she gave her daughter in law a black eye.... :) I stinkin' love the Storys!

 So, at transfers, I not only got a new sister, but I got called to be a Sister Trainer Leader (a new calling for sisters... basically, I am the Augusta zone sister zone leader.) this means I get to do all kinds of scary things, like lead exchanges and teach at zone conferences (I have to teach at a zone training meeting tomorrow.... scary as heck!) The lord seems to be able to see something in me that I can't quite see in myself yet, but I’m thankful for the opportunity. I'm so excited to be able to serve these sisters.

 Speaking of sisters, my new companion's name is Sister Houston. She is great! She's from Peachtree, Georgia, which is not common..., she's only an hour and a half away from home! She’s super sweet though, and I’m excited to be able to serve with her. Language study is also going pretty well... I can say Love, Toothbrush, Peace, Book of Mormon, and Spirit in another language now :)

 

Yesterday, we got the opportunity to teach Relief Society. Holy Dang. Put me in front of an investigator, and I can teach just fine, no problem.... but put me in front of sixty women, to tell them how to visit teach (something I've never really done as a 19 year old) and basically call them to repentance (it’s a huge problem in our ward, because 69%of our ward is inactive, and these sisters aren’t getting visited...) and I'll freeze up like a clam. It was really, really hard for me, and I don’t think I’ve ever prayed so hard for a lesson. once again I am so glad that this is the Lord's work, and not mine, because if it were up to me, I would have never stood up there and opened my mouth... but because I did, the spirit was able to work through me, and teach those ladies what they needed to do. I’ve never been in a lesson where the spirit was so strong, and it had nothing to do with me. The Lord cares about those who don't get visited, who don’t feel like part of the fold. He knows their names. And he's given us, as the members, the stewardship to take care of them. I know that the Lord loves them, and he loves me, and he loves you. I can testify of that.

 SO DO YOUR VISITING TEACHING!!! Your local missionaries will love you forever if you do!

*gets off of soapbox* :)

 Well, Time's about up for the week... I love you all!

 Have a blessed day!

 Sister Derrick

 

Look who Bryndee is teaching...Doesn't he look excited?  She is too cute!

 



 

The new threesome...Bryndee, Sister Houston (from Peachtree, GA) and Sister Gardner.

Leadership Training Council...The first one in South Carolina, Columbia Mission!  Look at all those sisters!  Exciting times!!

 



All the zone leaders and Sister Houston.

 



This cracked me up...Bryndee said she had no idea who these 2 missionaries are but they asked if they could get their picture with Bryndee and Sister Gardner.  They know 2 beauties when they see them!



 

Bryndee, Tausha, and Sister Gardner in the chapel at the Augusta Hospital.