Email No. 19

Hey family!!!!

Guess what?????? I got my ipad!!!!!!!!!!! Woot woot!!!!!!!!!! So much has happened this week so I pray for speedy fingers :)

So one of the less actives that we teach is progressing just amazingly. Last time we visited (last Monday) we asked her how her reading was going and she said, "I read two chapters and I took notes!" She then proceeded to give us a full account of everything he learned. It was so cool. When we told President Sternal about it, he said, "how would you feel if she was your meal coordinator?" We were absolutely ecstatic about it. He told us yesterday that when he asked her to accept that calling, she was beyond excited. And tonight we will be going to have dinner with her, her husband, her less active daughter and her husband and their kids, and with President Sternal. Ahhhh so many miracles!!! It is so amazing to see the light of Christ grow within these people. 

Tuesday morning we left early to go to Newport for Zone Interviews/ Zone Meeting. It was so awesome. I love leaving meetings and being pumped up for the work. And I always love interviews with President Stoker. He is such an amazing mission president. 

After interviews, we left to stay down in New Hampshire since the mission conference was going to be the next day. We rode down with the Skowhegan sisters. We stayed in Brentwood, NH. with the cutest members. Sister Bailey and Sister Souice. It was a tiny little cottage and Sister Duncan and I slept on the covered porch. The whole thing was windows and so when we woke up in the morning there was woods all around and a little pond/river/ stream. Ah! It was gorgeous! We got ready pretty quick so we had about 30 minutes to sing/play the piano. I played the (absolutely gorgeous) grand piano and sang while everyone else sang. Oh man it was a blast. Then we went to the conference. I will tell you all more about it later. 

One fun thing that I learned is how to say "I am number one," in Japanese. I don't know how to spell it, but this what it looks like based on what it sounds like: "watashiwa ichi ban!" So whenever I look in the mirror, say that, while simultaneously winking and finger snap pointing at myself. It really pumps me up in the morning. :)

We also went on exchanges this past week. And I found out that the Bangor Sisters apartment is on an island in Old Town. SO BASICALLY I TOTALLY SLEPT ON AN ISLAND. No biggie. 

Ok. Miracle story/stories time:

1. Every Thursday we volunteer at the food cupboard at the Methodist church in Milo. It is set up basically the same as the Bishop's storehouse. So I was helping a younger man (late 20s), Michael and he said "Oh! You are a Mormon Missionary! I just came from Salt Lake City and was once a Mormon myself. I was even going to go on a mission, but I didn't end up going." Throughout the period of helping him, I found he had just recently moved to Maine. He loves the Mormons and misses going to church. So I told him where it was. When I said goodbye to him, I invited him to go to church and he said, "yes ma'am!" We didn't see him there, but we hope to run into him again to find out more about him. 

2. Another miracle from the food cupboard. We were helping set up, and we were double bagging some grocery bags with an older woman named Darlene. We had such a great discussion of turning our will over to God's. She is so in tune with the Spirit and we hope to be able to start teaching her. 

3.  We contacted a member referral, Cathy and Greg. They are an older couple (60s probably). When we were on the way to contact them, I had a negative attitude about it. Thinking that it was just going to be another referral where the people tell us that they are "all set" and don't need religion. I realized that it was a pretty terrible attitude to have and a HUGE lack of faith so I have since repented. Anyways, we got up to their door and said that the person they knew said that she (Cathy) might be interested in talking with us. She said "Sure! Come on in!" We were kind of shocked. We then went I and had one of the best lessons on my mission. We were able to bear solemn testimony of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. She was (and so was her husband) that they to,d us that they really want us to come back and teach them more. So we will be visiting them this upcoming Saturday. 

4. On exchanges I was tracting with Sister Blume and we ran into this Russian guy who didn't speak a lick of English. He was struggling so hard to communicate with us. I then prayed for the gift of discernment and, I joke you not, I started understanding what he was saying. He told us about how he believes in evolution of the earth and he then showed us his whole life's research on geography. He doesn't know if he believes in God or not, but isn't against the idea. We talked for a good 20 minutes and I understood basically everything he said. But he didn't say a single English word. Holy cow it was cool. 

5. We also got to see a less active's grand son. He is pretty much celestial. He is 9 and has wanted to get baptized since he was 6, but his parents won't let him. Every time we see him he always tells us as we leave, "God bless you in everything you do!" Ah he is awesome.

6. We also were able to have the elders come give a less active a blessing. After the blessing, she was sobbing and said how much she wants to go to the temple and help her family get there. It was the sweetest thing. We were, with the elders able to bear testimony of the Atonement and she was so touched. She told us that when we visit her, it is the highlight of her week. It will be hard to leave her.

7. We were also able to start teaching a family! Reba and Nick. They are a young couple with a small daughter and a baby boy on the way. Reba really wants to stay on the path and learn more about how she can raise her family. It was an awesome lesson and I am so excited to start teaching her. 

8. We started teaching some 7th Day Adventist. They like to Bible Bash. But they are children of God! I like talking with them. 

So. When we got to the "iPad training" the mission department representative told us a story of how when they presented it to one of the Twelve, Elder Nelson asked what the training will be called. They responded, "iPad Training." Elder Nelson responded, "If that is what it is called I won't be going to it." His point was, that we aren't supposed to be trained on how to use the iPad. We are to be taught doctrine. So. That was cool. So the name of the training was "Disciples of the Lord in the Digital Age." They really focused on how we need to be protected against technology in the world and how we can apply it back home. Oh man. It was amazing. They said that their focus is to "immunize a whole generation". They really focused on how to make us better agents unto ourselves. It was super cool.

Well. This week was pretty amazing. As you can see. 

I love you all! 

Love, 

Sistah Sewell

Eddie and Susie selfie