Monday, November 2, 2009

Happy November!

Hello Family,

Thanks for the email. I especially liked the picture of Sis and Clark in their costumes. I had a pretty good Halloween as well. On Friday night we went to the ward Halloween party and got to visit with a few recent converts. And on Halloween we did have to be in by 5pm. We were going to go to the Trail Center to make Christmas cards and spend the night with the other sisters but that didn't happen because Sister Gingrich is sick. She started noticing on Thursday so we went to see Karla (a nurse practitioner in the ward) that night. Sure enough Sister Gingrich has a sinus infection and the flu. She's taking antibiotics for the sinus infection and that is clearing up, but she still has the flu. So, we have been staying in the apartment for the last few days. We didn't even go to church. All this staying inside is killing Sister Gingrich. She would work herself until she died, so it's my job to make sure she doesn't. Sister Kunz calls every day to check on us and to tell Sister Gingrich to stay inside, not only for her own good, but so that no one else gets sick. That means that today all we get to do is go grocery shopping and email. So far, I'm not getting sick so I guess I'm kinda like you mom, holding down the fort and having plenty of vitamin C until everyone gets better. It's been pretty relaxing to stay in, plus it gives me the opportunity to serve Sister Gingrich. She is pretty fun when she's sick. She tells lots of funny stories that help me get to know her better. We also pass the time by watching church movies on the portable DVD player that a ward member lent us. Sister Gingrich knows sign language and wants to become a teacher of deaf kids so she practiced signing to "The Restoration" DVD. Afterward, she even taught me a little bit. I just love learning new things! I was so happy that I couldn't even make the right facial expressions to go along with the things I was signing. I'll have to work on that. Tomorrow I will probably go on exchanges with Sister Maxfield and her companion, Sister Worthen (who came out with me) will hang out with Sister Gingrich for a while.

Right now we have six investigators set for baptism on Nov. 21st. Sister Gingrich wants to fill her birthday with baptisms. Every time we get a "set" we call President Kunz and sing him a song. He doesn't even ask what day anymore. He just knows they are set for her birthday.

One of the people we set this week is a miracle! Her name is Stephanie and she has a six month old baby named Blake. We were tracting and decided to knock on one last door: hers. She was very open so we gave her a Book of Mormon and invited her to read it. She grew up Methodist and has never looked at going to other churches but likes that we encourage her to find out the truth for herself. Then she said that her roommate was mormon. That surprised us so we asked who and she said Crystal. You should have seen Sister Gingrich's face of happiness and surprise at that. She taught Crystal when she served in Papillion! Crystal is also a single mom with a six month old named Joseyln. So, we are excited to get all four of them to come to church! A miracle, I think yes!

In answer to your questions I'd say that people are either really receptive, polite but not interested, or neither. We mostly get the middle one with the occasional extreme. We spend a lot of time in the more humble apartment complexes because people there are prepared to hear the gospel. We don't tract a whole lot cause we run into people outside, but that might change once people stay inside during the winter. We do spend a good portion of our time tracking down less actives. A couple times now we have discovered that the less active members have moved, but the new resident is interested in learning more. So it's pretty cool to see how the Lord works.

This week was also my first ever Zone Conference! We drove out to Lincoln and met in a Stake Center for pretty much the whole day. I loved getting words of love and encouragement and advice from President and Sister Kunz! They are so great! They really love us and want to help us. The focus was on improving our teaching (PMG Ch. 10). I'm excited to apply the things we learned there.

By the way, Dallin H. Oaks is coming to our Stake Conference on Nov. 14-15. I'm way excited and will be sure to tell you about it.

I love you all!
-Sister Bailey Mortensen

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