Letters from Teach

I got to email with Teach this morning. When we talked with her on Christmas she was so upset and teary even though her mouth said all the right words, her emotion was evident. Today she was full of new hope and resolutions for the new year. Much more like the Teach we all know and love.

This year will be a great year. I can feel it. I am not sure exactly how we will make it through January, but the Lord ALWAYS pulls through for us. Trust in the Lord. It will be alright in the end. This year will be a great year, because we will make it great. 

She is even trying some new things in the new year.


Wanna hear the grossest thing ever? I had to eat shrimp. BLEH. And I had to pretend that I liked it. 

 After pressing her for details, I got this.

Because a member fed it to us. They brought it out in a lovely cocktail cup with the tails hanging off the side and everything! It was... pretty. yet totes bugs. Yuck! I ate all 4 pieces though. Sister Rhoades was so worried, but I totally kept my cool! (: 

Speaking of "cool," that sounds like a big problem for her. I had no idea Texas was so cold!

It is freezing here! Our cold front just moved in. Sister Rhoades and I were so cold yesterday we did an oompa loompa dance on the porch! Luckily nobody was home because we looked ridiculous. (: January is hard because it's a little slow. But it'll be ok. I've got goals to get me through! ... The thermostat said 32 degrees when we got in the car today. That is def freezing. We have that awful humid wind though that slices right through you. But alas, there ain't no snow. 

 

I just don't know about all this crazy vocabulary she is picking up in TX. But the work is going well and we are so proud of her!

We had Xavier at church yesterday. He is really soaking up everything with a fine tooth comb. He had a spiritual experience as he was reading 3 Nephi 27. Xavier was at work in the lunchroom while he was reading and he said it was going in one ear and then out the other but then very 28-29 hit him. He said he could feel the presence - a light- with him there in the room. He recognized that it was an answer but it's interesting that he was still hesitant to tell us. I think I often take it for granted that the feelings of the Spirit aren't weird. We probably should explain that more clearly to our investigators. He is progressing very well though and is set to be baptized on Feb 5th. 

We also had Sister Barnes a less-active lady come to church yesterday. It is amazing to see these clear and simple signs of repentance. She made her own new year's resolution to be at church every Sunday this year. We invited her to expand her vision a little farther and imagine herself back in the temple this year. She said, "Yes, that's where I need to be." This is the reason we work so hard. For moments like that when they feel the truth and the power of the Atonement working in their life. 

 

Keep working hard, Teach! 2014 is your year! (And send me some new pics, our readers are getting tired of the same old ones.)