I guess you can just call me Hermana Alston now... haha.
So......Apparently the Lord thinks I need to be somewhere else for my last 3 months....honestly, not too sure how I feel about it! I don't want to leave Keokuk! The past 2 weeks have been so amazing, and church yesterday just topped everything off! Sacrament meeting was FULL, EVERYONE bore such wonderful testimonies, the spirit was SO strong...there was never even a break between testimonies...Cody got baptized and confirmed, 3/4 less actives that came even shared their testimonies!!!...and 4 investigators were there! MIRACLES!!!!! It's going to be so hard to leave, but I am so so so happy I have been able to see the drastic changes in the branch, and to be witness of the work truly progressing, and fast. I am so grateful for my 9 months here in Keokuk, 9 months that have changed my life. It has been the hardest, most stressful, most faith building experience I've had in my life...a time that I will never forget. My testimony has been tried, my faith shaken, my heart broken...all of which strengthened me and helped me become more of who Heavenly Father needs me to become. EVERYTHING HAPPENS FOR A REASON. I am grateful that Heavenly Father allowed me to be here so long so I could witness the progress of the area, and now it's time for it to fly... AMAZING things will happen here. It's kind of like Keokuk was my baby, and I carried it for 9 months and now it's time for it to leave the nest. bahahahaha.... Okay I think I'm in denial... I DON'T WANT TO LEAVE!!!! Buuuuut.... "I'll go where you want me to go, dear Lord...." If I could do this for 9 months, I can do anything for 3! ;P
Heavenly Father continues to be so amazing to Sister Pratt and I. This week we were out of our area 3/7 days, yet we still accomplished the majority of our goals!
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK:
Tuesday: Had exchanges with Sister Hunter and Sister Ramsey in Kirksville. It was a great day! Though mostly everything fell through, we were able to see miracles and meet a lot of new people! Tuesday night we drove to Quincy...
Wednesday: Exchanges with Sister Barker and Sister Geiger in Quincy. We spent all day finding and it was awesome!!! We went to a small town outside Quincy and knocked the neighborhood...the last door we knocked was a referral from their neighbor who said they weren't very friendly and rarely go to church...but when we knocked on their door they let us right it! We found out that the woman's sister used to be a member of the church, and had an amazing conversation with them. She was from England, and he has struggled with God his whole life. Even though she is not interested in the church, they welcomed us back...I was able to play the piano for a bit and they didn't want to let us go!
Thursday: District meeting, then the Burlington sisters, Sister Woodbury and Sister Robertson joined us for exchanges in our area. Yep that's right.... 3 exchanges in one week!!! It was insane!!! haha. The funniest thing happened Thursday night... we go and check on Alice, the 15 year old that came to church with her little cousin Phoenix last Sunday, to see how she liked church. Her grandma, also names Alice, showed us around the farm... complete with milk goats, geese, dogs, cats, birds...no ferrets though sadly... haha. When we finally were able to sit down and talk with Alice, when her grandpa comes in and asks who we are. He was quite drunk on his vodka...and kept going off on what he believed and how he grew up Baptist and loves God...but then he asked if we had boyfriends, because his son is getting out of prison in a couple weeks and needs a good wife. hahaha.... Then he wanted to pray for us, so he puts one hand on my head and the other on Sister Robertson's head and proceeds to pray that we will go home and find good husbands to take care of and always know that God loves us and so forth... it was hilarious; one of those things that I guess you just had to be there for to understand. haha. (Times when I wish I had my video camera out.) As we were leaving he said, "get the heck out of my house, but come back in 2 weeks so you can meet my son..." Poor Alice was so embarrassed... we were able to have a wonderful lesson with her in a member's home on Friday afternoon. :)
Friday: Still on exchanges with Burlington, I was with Sister Woodbury. Had plans to see the Walls, but they weren't home so we decided to knock the trailer park. We were able to talk to so many people, and it was cool to see how the Lord placed each person in our path at the right time so we could talk to them. Even though most were not interested, we were still able to share our testimonies and give them the opportunity... We were able to see Mike and Mary Salyers, and read Moroni 10 with them, ran into some more potentials while we were walking and set up appointments with them...then the sisters went back to Burlington! Friday evening we had a lesson with Alice and Phoenix at the Malms home; their daughter Jessica is Alice's friend from school and is such a great little missionary! In fact, her brother just left on his mission to Idaho last month! Their family is great. Had dinner with Mike Inman (baptized last August) and had such an amazing discussion with him about the Priesthood, and the blessings the gospel brings to our lives and how we are all here to learn and grow and become like our Savior. Then we went out to the Cains in Montrose... The Cain family is amazing!!! One of the many reasons why leaving this place will be so hard... Malissa grew up a member of the church, and her husband Richard was baptized about 5 years ago when they lived in Nevada. They moved here 4 years ago, and only came to church 1 time... then Malissa and the 6 kids came last week for the first time since then. Anyways, Friday night we stop by and Richard and him mom were sitting outside and we start talking. Have a great discussion with him, find out more of what is going on with the family and struggles they are having...the spirit was so strong. Halie, the 9 year old who will be baptized in the next couple weeks, told us she had read a chapter in the Book of Mormon everyday since we saw her last, and said a prayer before we left... which really hit Richard. We invited them to church, but wasn't sure they would make it. Come Sunday morning, up walks Malissa to bear her testimony, and said how wonderful it was to have her husband at church with her... and we were shocked! Not having seen them come in, we almost started crying! Man... I love them so much! They have come so far just in the past month!
Saturday: Having been asked to accompany the Hamilton sisters singing a song at their investigator's baptism... we went to Nauvoo to Brians baptism. Holy cow... hardest song I have ever played on the piano, but I am so grateful my prayers were answered to help me get through! haha...It's amazing that Heavenly Father even helps me play music! :) After the baptism, we stop by a less active and her husband and end up teaching them. Jane and Bill McTavish. Bill is not a member, but used to be taught by elders, and is now open to learning again... they both came to church on Sunday as well. :) Saturday night we had a really neat lesson with the Salyers at the Pena's. Being able to share my testimony and love with this family has been one of the best things. Agency, however, is something I wish they didn't have sometimes. haha. I AM GOING TO MISS THEM!!!! Can't wait till the day they choose to be baptized though... They have taught me that everything will happen IN THE LORD'S TIME.
Sunday: Well....I already told you about most of Sunday. Amazing Sacrament meeting, such a wonderful baptismal service for Cody. His parents and a couple other family members came to support him, then most of the branch stayed and the room was full! It was the best baptismal service the branch has had! :) We then went to lunch at the Holkers, and as always, had so much fun with them. Saw the Walls, set some stop smoking goals with Donnie, and the branch president and elders quorum president came to give him a blessing. It was so neat to hear how Donnie has been feeling alone and like God wasn't there this week, but at the end of the lesson he prayed and started crying and said, "it's nice to hear his voice again." Man... I seriously love the people here so much! Great...now I'm going to start crying again... haha. I am SO excited to see how Keokuk continues to grow and become something so strong.
I'm grateful I've been able to see the Lord's hand in every aspect of my life, and to witness so many miracles, especially here in Keokuk. I know the Lord needs me somewhere else now, and look forward to finding out what is to come. I've needed to be here for this long, to meet certain people, to have the companions I've had, to be surrounded by these members and friends, and now it's time to go somewhere else for a time. There's so much more I could write, as always, but I guess I'll finish now... I love you all!!!!!!!!
Love Always,
Sister Natalia Alston
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| Cody's baptism! |
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| Cody's baptism...polaroid! |
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