June 16, 2014 -- Happy Father's Day!!

HOLA FAMILIA!!! 

Les extrano tanto.  Thanks for yall's beautiful emails and pictures and kind words and thoughts, they give me energy and excitement for the following week!  

So this week we were thinking about less-actives to visit, and we thought of one I love, Sister Whitehead, she is SUPER funny with a very dry sense of humor.  Sort of like a Lori Whitmore.  Anyways, we wondered if we should visit her because last time she sort of pushed us out the door.  But I remembered that a member had given us a temple puzzle a while ago and knew that she loved puzzles, so we decided to go anyway.  It turned out to be a great, hilarious, wonderful visit.  Compared to last time, when she told us she had no testimony and didnt like us, this time she bore her testimony that the Lord answers prayers and she needs to come back to church! It was quite the contrast.  As we walked out the door she told us she LOVED us!! Sister Malloy and I were just laughing as we drove away, wondering what just happened, but I know it's because the Lord needed us there.

We were also able to teach Nikki, the sweet(60ish or so) lady who's nephew introduced her to the gospel, and she basically wants to get baptized now! So we taught her the Word of Wisdom and she took it very well.  We're planning for the baptism to be next month some time.

Oh my goodness! We got to eat with the Figuora's again, my favorite members from Honduras.  They are such strong believers in the gospel, and faithfully attend church, some of them without understanding hardly a word of what's being said.  After eating, we taught them an English lesson.  They were like, "Why do you say, "I'm hungry? You wouldn t say; "Soy hambre!" valid point!  I just had to apologize and tell them I didn't invent English. 

Just teaching the gospel and stuff. 

At Zone meeting on Thursday we were able to train on the importance of using the Book of Mormon, and it went pretty well!  I had President's last interview! Sister Irion too. OH man, I just love them!  We had a great chit-chat, and at the end they both gave me a great big hug. It was fabulous. That night we got to eat with a sweet young family from Arizona and their little daughter calls Sister Malloy and I "Missionary!"  it's hilarious!

Saturday we had transfer calls, and NONE of our district's changing! That was pretty suprising, but we're all happy!  That means we'll probably become a trio in another 6 weeks, which I'm excited for.

We got to teach Margaret this week, she is pretty hung up on little minute details of the church, so that was just a difficult lesson because we just want to tell people the truth and then have them act for themselves.  WE DONT want to BIBLE BASH!  Oh my goodness If I had a nickel for every time I said that! :)  

Brother Sheets, (ward mission leader) has a touching story - he was converted at 21 and has never looked back, one of the most gun-hoe members in the Sevierville ward.  His children, however, have not all chosen to follow in his footsteps, and out of his large family, about half are active members.  He was able to baptize his first grandson on Saturday - in his home in the pool, because of the condition of the church! But it was beautiful, the Spirit was so strong, and this young man, Ty, is going to be a missionary someday! His parents dont go to church, but he's strong!  I am so impressed by the dedication of Brother Sheets and his wife.  Ty asked me to accompany the songs on the violin, and Bro Sheets other grandchild, Olsen - probably about 3 years old, was mesmorized by it, and ran upstairs and came back with one of the little fake violins, like the one Caleb had when he was that age!  It was the cutest thing!!

Church went well yesterday, I got to play I feel my Savior's Love during sacrament, and our investigator Bernice came for the first time. Also, Nikki's nephew AND niece who travelled from Georgia came with her to church, which she loved! She stayed all three hours and really enjoyed it.  It was crazy seeing Taylor Curtis and his wife who were on vacation!

Other random facts of the week:  when we were weekly planning this week we finally opened this cabinet that we've never been able to open before, and it reminded us of Tangled! That explains the wierd picture.  Oh, we got a CD with Spanish hymns on it, and just listen to it all day every day! It's soooo good!!  Oh. AND I tasted something this week that has changed my life: they are called Oatmeal Carmelitas.  They are AMAZING!

Happy Fathers Day dad.  Let's just think about why dad's so great for a second.  Every morning waking up to , "Israel Israel God is calling" or "There is Sunshine in my soul today" or any other hymn, then doing prayers and scriptures together.  Every day without fail.  Then he's always positive and driven to choose the right.  He is sensitive to other's needs and kind.  What an awesome example he is!  I have learned a lot this week about the great importance of Scripture Study.  It really can change your life, y'all.  Thank you for your prayers again, I love you all!

Love, Hermana Collier