Hot and Beautiful

Now you guys know what it feel like for me out here in the rain all the time! It makes me feel closer to you knowing you got so much rain in bear lake! It has been so hot and muggy this week! Wow! This is what a real Wisconsin summer apparently feels like. We have just been lucky up to this point! I'd wish for the cold but I might regret that!

Tuesday we finally got to teach a sit down lesson! We have been itching for one of those. It has been a while. No one likes to keep commitments. Sister Weaver may or may not have gotten chastised by the mission office for her driving...again... I do feel safer now, she has gotten better! Oh man I love her, it is good she can put up with my teasing. Tuesday was a food day. We stopped by the Stolls to invite them to a ward members potluck and we ended up eating pie with the Stolls. Then we went to the Sellars for dinner and ate dessert there too. Then we took the Madison sisters to the Fullmers to show off Brother Fullmer's BOM knowledge and art skills and we ended up having cake there. My tummy was not too thrilled with me by the end of the night. 

Wednesday we did exchanges with the Sister Training Leaders so I spent the day in Madison with Sister Martin. It was so good! It was eye opening to see a different area. We taught a family of theirs that is now living out of their van. It was so heart wrenching to not be able to do more for them. Oh boy were they so sweet. We taught them in the chapel while their 12 year old daughter was at mutual. Wow! They want the best for their daughter and they are trying so hard to get out of the cycle of past generations. They have made so much progress! It was impressive and humbling! We had a ton of appointments! I didn't know that was possible. They do so much good work in Madison! We also volunteered at Bethesda's which is basically the Lutheran version of D.I. It was fun! 

Thursday we visited a lot of ward members. We are trying to work smartly and get investigators into members home. We have yet for it to happen. I think once we can finally get it to happen it will be a domino effect. It will lessen the fear of everyone else and hopefully we will get more referrals. Everything works out so much better when you have a strong fellowshipper, I can testify to that after seeing the recent converts in Madison. We are trying. 

Friday the Stolls took us out for a delicious lunch and then we went to the church and I did a little recital for them. I played some songs from the books they gave me then some of my own and played the piece I played on Sunday. Then Brother Stoll requested I played "I Need Thee Every Hour" and oh boy! The spirit was so strong! We talked about receiving answers from the Book of Mormon. We talked about the story of the Brother Of Jared again but with another amazing insight we found this week. Brother Stoll asked last week as we taught the Brother of Jared why in the world did he choose stones and take all that work to molten them. We came up with some good answers and analogies. Then lo and behold! During studies we found a gem! In Genesis 6:16 it is talking about Noah's ark and how he had windows. In the footnote for window is the Hebrew word tsohar which can actually be interpreted as a shining stone! This means that Ether found his answer through reading his scriptures! Isn't that awesome! He didn't just come up with some random idea. He was reading his scriptures and knew what Noah did. I love it. It changes the whole story for me! 

Saturday was another food day. I think half of missionary work in Wisconsin revolves around food. There is just no way around it! We went to Harriet's and made manicotti so we can eat this week. Then after that we went to a potluck at the Millers. That was a lot of fun! The Stolls came and one of the Elders investigator and the Miller's non-member daughter and son-in-law. We ate a ton and threw around a football which was fun! We also haven't seen Alex in a while. Afterward's we went to her house with a plate of brownies. Their family ended up having us stay over and eat with them! Steak, shrimp fettuccine and tons of fresh produce! Wow! So nice! It was a feast! Food all day! 

Sunday was great! We were so close to having our investigator Gina at church! Oh boy! We got a last minute text saying she got called into work. At least she contacted us! That is a good sign! In Relief Society one of the sisters was complaining about how she couldn't keep doing her family history because she can't find her great-grandma anywhere. Luckily we were going to her house after and helped her out. We were able to find the great grandma PLUS four more generations back. I LOVE family history! It is SO important and there is ALWAYS more to be done. If you are ever stuck I will help you find something. The work is never done. Not until the great Jehovah says it is! 

It has been a great week! We definitely are seeing miracles come to pass! This area is getting ready for a harvest! We are doing our best to help God in this great and marvelous work! Again, there is always more to be done!

I love you more than I sweat in the humidity this week!
Anne!