Hey Everybody! Long time, no email haha. Sorry about not writing for a few weeks, it's been so crazy busy with the holidays and everything else that's been happening that I've hardly had time!!
The holidays were so awesome, just being with members and missionaries all the time has kept my spirits pretty high :)
Lately we've been having tremendous success in finding people to teach and even setting some baptismal dates for some of our investigators!! Lisa is one investigator who came to church a few weeks ago with a friend, and has had Mormon friends her whole life. This was my first Sunday, so everything was kind of overwhelming with meeting new people and stuff, but she walks up to me and my companion and asks if we could teach her the lessons so that she could be baptized!! I was a little speechless, so I'm grateful that my companion had enough sense to answer back that yes, we would love to teach her haha. After I picked my jaw up off the floor, we taught her the first lesson about the restoration of the gospel and she just soaked up everything we had to say. I think God has been preparing her her whole life, and now she feels like she is ready to take that next step and be baptized. I love seeing how Jesus Christ personally impacts people's lives, because I know how much he's impacted mine. I don't hold any shame or guilt for the mistakes I've made, because I've changed my heart and turned my back on those mistakes. I've asked for forgiveness, and received it even when I didn't think I could. When people know what being baptized actually means to them, it's awesome to see the change that comes over them and how much happier they are. We also have an investigator named Paula, who is a foreign exchange student from Spain, being baptized on the 3rd of February and she is the sweetest person ever. She loves going to church, even though it's three hours haha, and she loves reading the Book of Mormon and the Bible. It's taken her a few months of investigating the church to set a date for baptism, but just yesterday we asked her and she gave us one! We have so much work to do in this area with finding people to teach, and doing lessons, working with the ward members. It's crazy and it's awesome, and there's nowhere else that I'd rather be :) I love being a missionary and I love you, my friends! Don't forget that God knows you personally, knows your wants and needs and is ready to bless you, but you have to ask first. Don't ever be afraid to rely on Him for help and comfort. Have a great week, and happy new year!
Love,
Sister Torkildson ( or as people here like to call me, Sister T. ;)
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My Dear Sister T;
Your email absolutely resonates with a happy and adventurous spirit. I’m so glad you are enjoying yourself and finding a sacred purpose in your life. You are gathering a wonderful treasure in heaven, and will reap fine blessings here as well!
Now . . . let us continue with your writing lessons . . .
Please, when you talk about your investigators, try for more descriptive detail. What do they wear? Shoes. Hats. blouses. Skirts. Hairstyle. Nail color. Etc.
You gave us some information on Paula, namely that she is an exchange student from Spain. Well and good -- now, we want to know, we need to know, we deserve to know does she have an accent; what does she think of American food; where in Spain is she from (the Spanish are extremely territorial about their cities and provinces); how does she think her family will react to her interest in the Church; where is she going to school and what is she studying; when does she go back to Spain.
Knowing all this, and repeating it in an email, will help fix the details in your mind for a long time to come. And that’s important. Sadly, I cannot remember much of anything about the investigators I taught in Thailand, because I did not bother to record their specific details anywhere. Always avoid generalities when writing, my dear -- they are literary kapok. (a fine, fibrous cotton like substance that grows around the seeds of the ceiba tree, used as stuffing for cushions, soft toys, etc.)
That is all for now, my little begonia. I have been feeling good about 40% of each day -- the rest of the time I often take to my bed to rest and read. I’ve got several conditions that continue to chip away at my strength and health, and hopefully when I finally get on Medicare this fall on my 65th birthday I will be able to have some medical procedures done to reverse my slow decline. Take care, and God bless. The pater.
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