Sister Nicky Jamison: Conference miracles!

Monday April 3, 2017

After district meeting on Tuesday, we went to Pounders to see if Rebekah was at work. The owner Brother Peters had told us about her, that she had been asking him lots of questions about the church and wanted to meet with us. Unfortunately she wasn't there, but Brother Peters paid for our lunch since we had come. Free food is the best!

On Wednesday we had an exchange with the Niceville 2 sisters. Sister Stapley and I saw Quan- we talked with him about our purpose as missionaries, and how as he continues to come to church, study the Book of Mormon, and pray, he will know when he is ready to be baptized. He agreed that would be best, as he does not feel ready yet and has not been keeping his commitments. It was a sad but needed thing to "define the relationship" and express our desire for him to have the blessings of the gospel in his life. Thankfully, though, the Tews invited him over to watch general conference with them, and he ended up watching a session with them at their home. He's a good kid, and he'll be ready some day.

We went tracting for a minute between appointments in the neighborhood where we had received a referral from church headquarters that ended up turning us down. We are encouraged to tract those neighborhoods because often there are prepared people, even if the person with the referral isn't quite yet ready. The lady behind the first door tried to intimidate us with her dogs... the second door was a dad and his two kids- he said their family is looking for a church! We have an appointment tomorrow!

We were talking with some people on their porch when some door-to-door cleaning supplies salesmen interrupted our conversation and attempted to flirt with us.... that awkward moment!! One of them said to Sister Stapley, "Do you use Colgate or Crest? 'Cause your smile is Aquafresh!" Yikes!! It was pretty funny though, once they were gone. :)

Thursdsay was our leadership conference where Sister Crosby and I trained on having the courage to stand alone. I also had the chance to sing in a quartet with some other sisters singing, "Lead Kindly Light." Afterwards, President Smith got up and said that he had sung that very song in a quartet at one of his own zone conferences!

On Friday , we received a text from Jorden Kelly-Vest, a less active sister in her late 20s who was baptized just a few years ago. Sister Saunders and I had visited with her a couple times, but then hadn't seen her in a while. But she texted us to tell us she was moving out of her boyfriend's house- that she had received many signs pointing her to come back to church- and that she was coming to general conference! She, her daughter, and her non member friend came to three sessions!! They both took notes and were moved to tears at times. We had lunch with them in between two sessions, did some how-to-begin-teaching with her friend, showed the Easter video, and invited her friend (who is unfortunately moving to California this week) to meet with the missionaries once she moves there. She agreed!!

ALSO, Angelica texted us and she is alive and well in Fort Lauderdale!!

Conference was wonderful!! The talks were so powerful! I am always so amazed at how every question that I have prayerfully pondered and written down (or at least the ones that end up actually being important) are answered by the speakers' specific words and/or by promptings from the Spirit. I had questions about having confidence, being more in tune with the Spirit, better understanding the Godhead to better understand myself, and more, and all were spoken on! I found themes of being centered on Christ, living the Gospel with all I have and am, and having the courage to follow Christ, not the crowd. I especially love that last theme. When we stand up and speak out to defend the truth, we are not alone- Christ is with us. I invite you all to ponder and decide what you can do to apply what you learned at general conference. As we all do so, we will become more Christlike and be more dedicated in our discipleship. I love you all!