First, I have to start with the amazing news from last week. We went to visit Sheryl for sister Matthews first time. I was really nervous because we had taken a member of the ward over and Sheryl didn't get a good vibe from her... And then sister Checketts left! When we went to say goodbye Sheryl was SO upset she told us she wasn't going to tell us her new address when she moved :/
So we sit down and we are reading from the Book of Mormon. Halfway through, Sheryl looks at sister Matthews and says "I know you aren't going to understand this, but thank you" I almost cried. Sheryl looked at me and asked if I knew what she was talking about. I said yes, and that I had been praying so hard for that. She opened up and told us that she was really nervous about the change and she thought about asking us to not come back :( she thanked s. Matthews for being lovable like s. Checketts and I :)
Kyla wants to get baptized and she got her answer while she was reading the Book of Mormon. I swear miracles are real and that the Book of Mormon is FULL of them! Please pray for her. And Sheryl. They both have some big obstacles in front of them keeping them from church. Thanks in advance. ;) I'm trying to be humble, but it would be really awesome to have a baptism the week before I go home. Just saying. :)
Okay. Now on to this week. The statue was so fun. We were SO tired. The ride home took us FOREVER and we ended up missing correlation :/ not the best thing but we got stuck in a super bad rain storm so I figured safety was more important.
On our way to the statue we stopped to see Karen. :) she cried. She is smoking again :( but I think it was good for her soul to see us. I know it was good for mine to see her.
Thursday we met with an amazing recent convert. She is trying everything she can to be good and to do good. :) we were blessed with a busy & full day, which I love. I have been praying to be able to follow the spirit more and His will more than mine. Usually that means our whole schedule falls apart but we end up teaching the people He intended us to teach. It's keeping me on my toes, that's for sure. :)
Friday morning we woke up to exercise. Wait, did I tell you what we have been doing? Every morning we either run or jump rope or both, and at least three times a week we do Jillian Michaels 30 day shred at night. I'm exhausted all of the time, but it's good. Okay, back to Friday. So... We grab our jump ropes and as I'm pulling the door shut it dawned on me that the keys were on the kitchen table. And I had locked the door. And we didn't have a spare. And the door clicked shut...And it was 630 in the morning. So, of course, we go to the elders. I don't know why sisters have it ingrained in our brains that elders can fix everything. Usually, they can do less than we can. Anyways, to make a long story short, we had to wait for the office to open at the apartment complex. It opens at 9. So we walked and jumped rope and ran for approximately 2.5 hours. There is nothing I hate more than sitting and wasting time. I almost went crazy just sitting outside.
By the time we got ready and did our studies, it was time for lunch... Which was good because all of our appointments had cancelled by then. We went to lunch with the relief society president. It was good to take some time and talk about all of the sisters in the ward and how we can help. She is recently an empty nester, so I think she needed someone to fill her void. ;) she spoiled us.
We took some time to help a less active in our Ward who has recently developed some health problems. We have been helping her with household duties. It's nice to take a break from the mundane every once in a while. And it filled our Friday with good things :)
Saturday morning we were having our companionship study and we were looking at the schedule for interviews with President Morgan this coming weekend. Our whole district is at the very beginning, at 8 am (we are interviewed by zones) and sister Matthews and I are at the very end at 11:30 am, right before the zone leaders. I thought that it that might be because mine should be longer for my exit interview, but mine was only scheduled for the same 12 minutes as everyone else's. We couldn't figure it out!
Then I asked sister Matthews if she got released as a Sister Training Leader. She said no, but she just assumed she was! I told her president never called me, but they released me in the transfer meeting. She said that no one said anything to her about being released, but they never told her she was still an STL, either! I started laughing and told her that she was probably still an STL, and that's why the sister we thought was our STL hadn't called us yet! It's been a week and a half of the new cycle by now, mind you. I told her she had better call the APs to find out. This whole time I am laughing at HER because I know I was released.
She calls the AP's and says "Hey Elder Coleman... Quick question for you... Am I still a Sister Training Leader?"
"Uh, yeah. Didn't you know? You and Sister Toone both are!"
What. The.
But I got released!! Apparently they forgot to call me and sustain me again.. Oh, that awkward moment when you are a STL again and you had no idea. We are only over three companionships this time, which is really nice. The APs apologized for not telling us and we just laughed and laughed. Needless to say we had some phone calls to make after that. Our zone leaders didn't know, the sisters didn't know... And of course we had no idea!
So I get to go to MLC again!! And I don't get to die as a regular missionary. :) it's bittersweet but mostly just sweet. I can't wait for MLC! I was pretty sad because I wouldn't get to see sister smith before I went home, but I'll see her and a few others that I really love at MLC :)
The rest of this week has been pretty ordinary. But wait! I have wonderful news! Sister Walker is going to the temple!!! And to get her patriarchal blessing!! I love the gospel. I've watched her life completely turn around. Sister Chen and I were the first ones to invite her back to church. Now she has a calling in primary and a temple recommend! And Helen, who I love so so so so so much, is just one step behind her. She was sick on Sunday so she wasn't able to get her recommend.
Yesterday we had an AMAZING online lesson with an investigator. I've never met her in person, but I've taught her online twice. We started talking about studying the scriptures (because she had asked about that) and by the end we had taught her the whole restoration and she committed to praying about it and meeting with us again. Halfway through our original lesson plan she said she had a question about religion so we asked her what it was and she said why are there so many?? Shouldn't there be just one? AAH! YESS!!! And the best part is.... I will be able to remember that lesson forever because it is in my Facebook chat :) I love the hastening of the work!!
This week I have been focusing on listening to the spirit, and learning how the spirit speaks to me. I am not 100% sure that anyone has it down to a science, except maybe the prophet. I started writing down the times during the day that I felt the spirit and it has been really amazing to see just how often I do feel it, prompting me in even the smallest things. That's something I would really love to get good at... Especially because I have some pretty big decisions to make coming up!
I also started on my mission experience... For those of you who have written one, how long is it? And how long did it take you? I am on page three and barely made it through my first week in the Bronx. It has been amazing to see how far I have come since then! And how much hasn't changed at the same time. I definitely have grown a little since the MTC.
Well ladies and gents...
The gospel's true... The book is blue.
What was y'alls favorite conference talk??
And how is the BOM challenge going?? I am in the thick of King Lamoni's conversion. Does anyone know where Abish came from? I know someone told me once but I can't remember.
I think that's all for today.
Xoxo
Sister Toone
Pictures from lunch and Les Misérables
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