Tonya, Lucy, and Michael

June 17, 2013

My Dear Family......

     This week has been pretty great! I have learned so much about myself and about this work. These past few weeks have kind of been a struggle and needless to say, I have kind of been freaking out. Things started coming up (like having no solid investigators, no one coming to church, having no members to come out to teach with us) that I hadn't ever experienced before and I just felt like it was all on my shoulders because I'm training, like I should know how to fix it. Let's just say I learned a very very valuable lesson! It isn't up to me! It never was or never will be. My part in this work is to give my all and my heart and trust and turn to Heavenly Father. I feel like I had forgotten that, actually more like I know I had. I was so worried about it, when all I needed to do was humble myself, recognize that I wasn't in control and seek more direction from Him. And so, that is what my companion and I did, and this week went better. I mean, we still didn't have anyone at church, but we did teach more, invited two people for baptism this week, and felt like we were doing our purpose as missionaries more this week. Sometimes in life we think it's up to us, and there is a part that is up to us, we must do our part, but then Heavenly Father is just sitting there waiting for us to involve Him. Anyway, enough of my no-duh epiphanies ( is that even how you spell that word?). Let's talk about this week!

     So, I'm going to start us off with a little laugh. We have this investigator named Tonya (not sure if I've ever told you about her), if not, it's probably because she's a little bit crazy and were always on the brink of dropping her. She is quite a character! The Elder's in our area started teaching her but she told them she wanted Sisters so that is how we got her. We have been teaching her for about two weeks. As we taught her about the Word of Wisdom, she completely understood why we should live it and that it helps us to be healthy but then again, at the same time, she was trying to justify why marijuana should be legal. She said she struggles with cigarettes and also marijuana but knows she needs to quit. She said she use to struggle with drinking but she's been clean of that for a while and doesn't ever have any in the house. So then, we went back for our lesson three days later and she tells us that she bought alcohol to test herself to see how strong she is. WHAT IN THE WORLD TONYA! hahah My companion and I left that appointment just laughing and shaking our heads. How, after we have taught the Word of Wisdom, does she then go out to buy alcohol for the first time in months, to tempt herself.  Oh, she's a character that one!

      Good news! LUCY'S BACK!!!!! We went up and talked to her this week and she said that this past week she hasn't been praying or reading in the Book of Mormon and she's noticed a huge difference. She said she knows there is power in our messages and that she needs to continue on her journey. So, we are teaching her again! We aren't exactly sure how she's going to get baptized, but we know that she will! She's doing really good at the whole smoking thing, now we just gotta figure out the part about being married. Man, I LOVE this woman! Like, it probably isn't healthy! hahah

     We are also teaching this guy named Michael (again, not sure if I've mentioned him before), but he lives at a homeless shelter. We've been teaching him at the library for the last like month and a half. When he first started out learning, he was trying to just learn about the religion. We soon figured out that he really had no concept of God. He said he believes in a higher power but he isn't sure what it is. We've been working with him and meeting with him about once a week but we have just been feeling like lately that maybe we have to let him go. But then, on Thursday, we had the most powerful lesson with him. We thought we were going to be dropping him but the lesson went completely the other way. We felt inspired to talk about faith and repentance. As we were talking about repentance, he stopped us and said that we are saying things that he's been pondering and thinking about for the past few weeks. He said he is really starting to lean more toward that God and Jesus Christ are real. I have seen such a change in him and it's incredible. He has been praying every night now. I'm so grateful for the spirit that helps and leads us to know what to say and how to say it. At this point, Michael is far from baptism, but we are helping him on his path toward Christ, and that is our purpose. It was in this lesson that I realized that sometimes we can't give up on people. That everyone is somewhere different on their spiritual journey and we need to come to where they're at and lift them higher.

     I was thinking for our family scripture this week, we could memorize John 14: 18...." I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.". One, because it's short and I know mama needs to catch up, but also because I have truly felt this the past few weeks. I know that in our deepest moments of despair, when we don't think we can go another day, we can turn to our Savior for peace and comfort. I know that He lives and that He will never leave us. I don't completely or fully understand the depths of the atonement, but I have gained a stronger testimony of the enabling power of the atonement, that through His atonement we can constantly improve, progress, and receive strength. I love my Savior and I will forever be grateful for this opportunity to wear His name over my heart. I love you guys beyond words and can feel your love thousands of miles away! I pray for you individually each night! Have such a wonderful week!

Con Amor,

                 Tu Hermanita Jorgensen (the first!)

Brand new puppies, we saw them at one of the houses we were teaching at.

One of our favorite churches name.

She is in our ward and just got her mission call to Las Vegas, NV mission so be on the look out for her.

The Elder's who are also teaching in our ward.

Me, Lucy, and June.  Lucy is wearing her lovely velvet night gown that she always wears.  I told her next time I was going to come in mine so we could get great pictures together.  Isn't she a doll, I sure love her.