Hello Family and Friends!

Another great week has passed! Transfers are today so we had zone breakfast at the Stake Center (that's why I'm e-mailing so early). And then afterwards, Sister Lundquist and I are going to downtown Portland with a member of our ward! Busy day! Three members of our district are leaving, including our district leader. Our zone leader is heading home as well as one of the assistants so there will be quite a few changes! Also, last night when we were talking to the assistants (to get permission to go to Portland today) they said that we're going to get a car in the near future! Yay! One is on its way :)

Update on B: We arranged to go with her neighbor (a member who lives down the street) to the appointment on Tuesday. We walked with her to their house and we noticed when we got to the door that the house was dark. We knocked and nobody answered...we tried calling B's cell phone and nobody answered...we walked away dejectedly and had only gone a few steps when a car pulled into the driveway. B got out and introduced her husband J and apologized for being late. We introduced the neighbor, T. As soon as we did, B said, "You're B's wife, right?" It turns out the two of them went to the same schools growing up! They engaged in 'it's a small world' talk and became instant friends! They invited us in and we had our first lesson! They are a newly-wed couple; in fact, it was their two-year anniversary the day we knocked on their door. They are non-denominational Christians (very common around here) who are very curious about our religion. They have had many LDS friends (some who served missions). We asked if we could come back the following week and they said they'd like to study it out a little bit more. They each have a Restoration pamphlet and a Book of Mormon. We contacted them a few days ago but there was no answer. They said they're very busy but we hope to get in contact with them again soon.

On Wednesday we had another lesson with B! Prayer and recognizing the spirit were exactly the things he needed to hear! It's so great to watch the understanding taking place. He's very interactive and asks lots of questions. The members present were able to testify and relate to him as well! We invited him to pray that night and he said that he would! We have another lesson set up for this Wednesday. We invited him to the primary program, expressing that it would be a very good Sunday to attend because there would be a lot of visitors and he wouldn't feel so out of place. However, he didn't come. Hopefully as he gets more friends he'll feel more comfortable.

Update on N: We arranged with Brother P (ward mission leader) to go to the appointment on Thursday. When N answered the door he explained that he had forgotten that we were coming until we rang the doorbell. He apologized and said he was working on a project. We still had a great conversation (Bro. P is phenomenal at talking with people) and set up to come He apologized and said he was working on a project. We still had a great conversation (Bro. Pierce is phenomenal at talking with people) and set up to come back the next Thursday (this week). N is a mid-forties Pentecostal Christian who is open to talking with us.

Since N's appointment fell through, we went and reconnected with C. We knocked on his door and talked with him for a few minutes. He said he's been reading and thinking a lot. We also remembered to ask for his number. And, he said he was going to come to church the previous week but the friend that he was going to take with him bailed last second and he felt weird going alone not knowing anyone. (The L weren't there that Sunday) He said he wanted to come this week though (yesterday) and we told him about the primary program and explained it the same way we did to B. And....he came yesterday!! He really did! Unfortunately he came in a little bit late so we didn't notice him until after sacrament meeting. We went and talked with him and he said he enjoyed it! He said, "So, what's it like normally? Is it just a preacher talking to everyone?" So we explained a little bit more about what goes on. It was pretty chaotic because of the primary program so the next thing we knew, he was out the door. But it's baby steps, right? We texted him yesterday afternoon and we have an appointment set up for this Friday night at the L's home.

Update on S: When we tracted into her, she said to come back on the weekend because she's a student at the art institute (studying interior design). She's mid-twenties and really sweet. She said she has some LDS friends as well but they never really talked too much about Religion. We went back on the weekend and she wasn't home, but we were able to talk to her sister L and she seems interested as well! We have their phone number so we'll call them in the near future to set up an appointment.

On Saturday we went to the Visitors Center with R, J, and N!! I think I forgot to mention in my previous e-mail that we talked with R last week and she really opened up to us! She expressed that she's feeling a lot of social pressure. She feels overwhelmed being around so many people so that's why she hasn't come to church yet. She said she wishes she could just sneak in the back, listen, and then leave unnoticed. She talked about baptism and said she received the answer, "Not yet, but not no." She said they enjoyed conference!! (For some reason they couldn't figure out how to watch it live so they ended up watching an April session) They even re-watched one part because they really liked what the speaker said. R said she wants to look up the current one because she's curious about what they have to say. She loved how it was based on life experiences and we told her that that's what it's like at church. I think that clarified a preconceived notion of hers about what goes on. I wish I could convey our conversation better but it was really neat to have her open up like that! 

Anyway, back to the Visitors Center. We stayed there for two hours! It probably would have been longer but we all got hungry. (We met at their house at 11:30am but didn't end up leaving untilnoon.) We had called the Visitors Center the previous night to tell them a little about our investigators. Many of the videos they showed were about death and how families can be together forever. Afterwards, R started talking about her mother's death and how she just wants to move on from the experience but it just keeps coming back up so she feels like there's still something she needs to learn. She reviewed one of the videos and how it really spoke to her. She mentioned that she wants to let go of all these negative feelings and I testified of the Atonement and how Christ can relieve us of those things. I also brought up baptism and how that's a great way to access the enabling power of the Atonement. R pondered for a minute and then said reflectively, "Yeah, maybe that's [baptism] what I need." We talked about baptism for a little while longer and how it's an outward expression of an inner commitment with God. And Rhonda said, "Yeah, that's a great way to put it! It's kind of like a marriage ceremony." 

After we looked at the neat displays at the Visitors Center, we took a tour of the grounds. I learned many new things about the Portland temple! Many times throughout the tour you could tell that they were picturing themselves at the temple. We stopped at the Bride and Groom exit and one of the sister missionaries talked about how her sister was getting sealed that weekend after being married civilly the previous year. R said, "Oh, so that's how it would be if our family was to get sealed." :) R brought her nice camera and we took a picture of their family in front of the temple. It was a beautiful, sunshine-y day!  We went into the atrium of the temple and saw a couple and a baby that had gotten sealed. We sat on the bench and relished in the peace and quiet. At one point, R turned to us and shared something that had come into her mind as she watched the noise-less hustle and bustle of people going in and out of the temple. She said, "I wonder if that's how it is with our ancestors on the other side; they see us and want to help us but we're distracted with worldly things and pass them right by." It was a neat bit of revelation! As we were getting ready to go, N said "I don't want to leave." They've already decided that they're going to come back and visit again. After we left, we had a picnic at a nearby park! It was so fun :) They said they were going to talk more as a family about the whole temple experience so we're going to go back tonight to talk and set up a teaching appointment for later this week. 

Yesterday we had lunch with some elderly ladies in our ward along with one of their nonmember friends. We had a great meal (including delicious, melt-in-your-mouth homemade rolls) and a great conversation! We also taught E again. We taught the Plan of Salvation and she had a lot of questions about outer darkness and things. We, along with the member family, explained as best as we could and again emphasized faith. She says she feels a lot better now than before. We asked her what she'd like to learn more about next week and she left it up to us. She said she knows that whatever we plan, by the spirit, will be what she needs to hear. We're planning to invite her to be baptized next week.

Well, I think that just about sums up my week..the highlights anyway ;) I know it's opposition that makes these moments so sweet.  I was really focusing on developing the Christ-like attribute of charity and praying fervently for this gift from God. Well, it's kind of like praying for a humbling experience I love you all! The church is true, the book is blue, and Moroni's always 'on the ball'! :)

Love,

Sister King