08_25_13 Letter

Wanna talk about growing pains? - Go on a mission. Period.

God is PUSHING me to the LIMITS here in Slovakia, I'm telling ya. I've
never had to have more Faith in my life. It's super cool :D

So missionary work is actually the coolest thing ever. If you think
about it, we are God's personally appointed teachers teaching private
lessons about the most important topics one could ever learn in life,
and we do it for free! How many people spend TONS of money on piano
lessons? cooking lessons? sports? etc? Or pay for self-help classes,
or therapy, etc.
Really, all they need to do is "ask the missionaries"
We offer a pretty awesome service :)

We did some service this week for our Elder's investigator. Chipping
paint off of walls and organizing toys for a yardsale. She's moving to
America, so we're helping her get ready for that. It was lovely to do
service for her.

I keep talking to people on the bus, in the streets, in the store,
wherever we are. It's amazing once you understand how truly important
this message is, well, you just gotta talk to people. You just gotta.

Met a lady on the bus this week. She set up a meeting with us. Turns
out she brings her boyfriend with her. Boyfriend thinks we're some
aboriginal tribe from Australia?
Well, I have been confused with many things on my mission so far
(amish, polygamists, devil worshippers, etc) but aborigines now
there's a new one :)
We're hoping she'll become an investigator.

We've met a ton of Cool people this week. There was this one boy
sitting on a bench and after about 2-3 hours of contacting I was so
tired of no one listening to us.. hee hee.. that I was like "You know
what! He's on a bench, he can't run away." walked over, sat down next
to him pulled out a book of mormon and asked him if he'd ever heard of
it. Turns out he was actually wikipedia-ing the church just the other
day. Knows all about Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon, and has all
these questions about the atonement. "I just don't understand why it's
important. The atonement. I mean I am Catholic and so I know that it
is, and I believe in Jesus Christ, but why did he die for us?" We
should be meeting with him friday :)
I am so grateful that I have grown up knowing that the Atonement of
Jesus Christ means I can live with God again. I can live with the
people I love, eternally. It's okay I have weaknesses, because Christ
makes up the difference. I can be clean :) I have a friend who
understands me more deeply than anyone else. And, I get to be a part
of His church :)
How cool is that?
It's a blessing to be a teacher. I want to teach all of my life. I
think as missionaries there are more opportunities to teach than we
realize.

Also, taught 2 of our Neighbors this week. GAH! It was SO AWESOME. One
lady is about 70 years old and she is the sweetest lady. Turns out her
mother died when she was young, and she stopped believing in God. Her
husband passed away a few years ago. He would always teach her to pray
anywhere, but she only will pray in Kostels. yet, she claims she's an
atheist :)
We didn't buy that one. Who prays to a God they don't believe in?
Well, more people than you'd think :)
We taught her the first part of the plan of salvation. It was such an
interesting lesson. She wouldn't let us pray with her or accept any of
the commitments we extended, but she kept asking soul-searching
questions :) The coolest part was that the spirit TOUCHED her. At one
point in the lesson she got very quite as we testified of eternal
families and living with God again, life after death. That was when I
KNEW the spirit was in that room. There is something miraculous about
teaching in people's homes. There is no greater spirit than that found
in the temple and in our homes. I want to teach more people in their
homes. How can I do that as a missionary????

Also, we taught our little catholic family again :) (well not really
little. They have 8 kids) I love their family SO SO SO much. We taught
them the first part of the restoration and we were barely getting into
Joseph Smith but we had to leave! :(
sigh. next week! It's such an interesting adventure to be teaching a
VERY catholic family who knows the bible very well, in a language that
I hardly speak and my companion too. Man oh man. The LORD is WITH US
for SURE.
Gotta love Him :)

I love you all.

Think about your prayers this week. What kinds of prayers are you
offering your Father in Heaven?
Prayers of Hope?
Prayers of Love?
Prayers of Desperation?
Prayers of Faith?
Prayers of Despair?
Prayers of Worship?
Prayers of Gratitude?

As you ask the Lord to teach you to pray, you will feel close to Him
and your prayers will become sacred conversations

Love, Sestra Kane