Greenville

The members are very nice here! And they love to talk! My companion always asks them how they met as a conversation starter. Last night at our dinner appointment the couple talked for the whole time we were there about how they met and how much they love each other.

 

It's a little different than Utah though. There are a lot of members, but very few are active. That is what we are working on right now, visiting all the less-active members in our ward. And there are a lot. But everyone is very kind and genuine usually.

Want to hear something cool? the elder sister ratio in my mission is crazy. There are 100 English speaking elders and 102 English speaking sisters. How crazy is that? If you count the Spanish elders it's not the same, but there are more English speaking sisters than English speaking elders.

The members are also very excited to go out on splits with us. Since we are opening a new area for sisters we don't really have anyone to teach, so we knock a lot. We aren't supposed to take members knocking with us. I wouldn't want to take members knocking. I'm a missionary and I struggle with knocking doors. I'm trying to learn to love it because we do it a lot. But we are going to take them to visit less-actives. So that will be good.

We taught the lesson in Relief Society yesterday. That was cool. They called us on Thursday to ask us. It was awesome because we had hardly any time to plan so we had to wing it. We took up 40 minutes and could have gone longer. So many sisters were crying. The spirit was so strong. There were times when I was talking and had no idea how I knew to say what I was saying. I just opened my mouth and words came out. The even cooler thing was that I wasn't nervous at all. Like if that would have happened before I came out here I would have been so scared and nervous that it was going to suck. But that didn't happen at all. And they asked us like three days before. I was completely calm the whole time.

I know that we are not alone in this work of bringing souls to Christ. There are so many people rooting for us on both sides of the veil. They are there to pull us through the hard times and to rejoice in the good times. When you feel all alone open your heart to the Holy Ghost and I promise you, you will be filled with love, and peace, and joy, and courage, and strength. There are so many people rooting for you. They are there for you. We are promised in the scriptures that there will be angels sent to bear us up. Don't you ever forget that. Because it is so true. I have felt it more than ever out here. When it's dark and I'm tired and my shoes are full of unidentifiable plants and we still have another street of houses to knock- many of which won't answer the door, but will stare at us through their window until we leave- and I ask myself what am I doing. Why am I trying so hard when I know that no one wants to listen because they already go to a church? It is in those moments of self-doubt and feelings of giving up that I suddenly have the motivation and energy to continue with a joyful heart. It is then that I feel the strength of Jesus Christ and his angels pushing me up, and telling me to keep going. I know that we are not alone. I know that nothing can stop this work from progressing. I know that even though it is so hard, it is all worth it in the end. Never give up on something you know is true. Fight for it and keep doing your best. I testify that you will not be alone in your journey for righteousness.

I need to take a picture of the sunset because they are so gorgeous every night. You know the really good, rare ones in Utah? ya, times those by 7 and a half in beauty and have them every night. That's Greenville, South Carolina. I'll try my best to get a good picture this week.

Love y'all!

PS I'm starting to talk like I'm from the South. I said yall three times last Saturday at the ward's halloween party and didn't even mean to. I also leave the ends off words and have slight drawl. It's embarrassing that it took such a short amount of time. :D