Macon, Georgia: Georgia grown watermelon is SO delicious!

Hey Family and Friends!

Happy belated 4th of July!!! I hope y'all had a great time celebrating our nation’s independence! Cause we sure did! :) Since the southerners take any excuse to drink all of us missionaries were required to be inside our apartments at 6pm. But the day was still grand! Many members invited us to join their families to celebrate, which was nice since people are not that friendly when you knock on their door on a holiday. I tried boiled peanuts for the true first time and I like them! (Or at least how this member makes them.) Also we may have schooled the Elders in a water balloon fight. ;)

A week or so ago an Elder came home to the Cochran ward, so this past week he has been going out with us and it has been very successful! All of our investigators and new converts love him! lol... we may or may not be using "flirt to convert" with him... :) jk! But it sure did help with getting Tariaya and Keikei to church yesterday! (the first time they came in a month!) Also Glen (Brittney's husband) came to church yesterday! woot woot! :)

We had a mini miracle! Sister Abad and I were on our way to visit some peeps and then see Miss. Doris. We were almost to their apartment when I felt like we need to go see Miss. Doris now! SO we went, not thinking too much of it. When we got there she let us in and told us that family was coming over real soon for a party, but she want to talk to us about the spirit world. So for 5 minutes we were able to share and testify to her and answer some of her questions. Right when I had finished and no other thoughts were coming, someone knocked on her door, it was her family and they were there to party! Perfect timing! And as we were saying goodbye she told us that she was going to be out of town for about two weeks! :( We promised her that she if she reads and ponders the BOM she will receive an answer to her questions and know for herself of the truthfulness of Joseph Smith. She promised us she will and to come back in two weeks. Wow the Lord is so mindful of all of us and knows what we need and where we should be!

We had two lessons with Nikki this week! The first lesson we just answered her questions and talked about her reading in the BOM. We didn't feel the need to go over the lesson we had planned, but the next time we went over she was asking questions that lead right into the Law of Chasity. It was an amazing lesson! She testified herself how she knows from personal experience that it is true, she even got emotional and told us how much she want to do the Father's will. She is so ready to be baptized and continue on this path, but her life is so busy, she just needs to realize this is the most important thing to schedule! She is getting more and more excited about reading the BOM, but has this fear that when she reads it she is replacing the Bible. We addressed her fears and helped her to realize that the BOM is truly a companion to the Bible. Then we gave her ideas on how she can study them both. She will be gone for two weeks as well. :( But she said that she will try to come to our BOM class this Tuesday night! Now we just need her to come to church! :)

Also every week we visit a less active lady. She hasn't been to church in over 30 years but she knows it to be true. We had invited her to prepare to go to the temple and she said she will think about it, so last week we followed up and she said she wants to go but she doesn't want to be sealed her deceased husband. We have talked to the Bishop about it and he is excited for us to help her receive her own endowments! yippie! :)

I hope you all are doing great! Keep smiling and being positive! Much love!

~ Sister Tara Willie