tuscALoosa

August 31, 2015

Howdy!!

No one really says that here, but I'm thinking ya'll are probably sick of me saying "Hey ya'll" -oh well. This week was great!! Another grand adventure down here in the deep south! I'm super excited for football season to start, that's going to be a blast! Roll tide is most definitely becoming part of my everyday vocabulary, along with preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
This week was the last week in August! We're already starting another brand new month! Crazy. Sister Young and I had the privilege and opportunity this week to visit the Ensley elders. We went to their district meeting and then went on team ups with the elders to visit some of their investigators. We had a really crazy, but good lesson with a woman named Donna and her daughter, Jessica. Donna's preparing for baptism, and has been overcoming issues with the word of wisdom and is doing a marvelous job at it. Her daughter, Jessica, doesn't know anything about the church or the Book of Mormon, so we taught her the first lesson and were able to invite and commit her to coming to church and accept a Book of Mormon. The Ensley elders are magnificent and really working hard!
The members in our YSA branch were able to have a special booth set up at a convention this week on campus called Get on Board. We were able to make a lot of promising contacts there, and invite several people to come to the fun activities we have every week, as well as church. Every Thursday we have ultimate Frisbee on the quad, on campus. And every Friday we have volleyball at the church. One of our investigators, Shadrach came to Frisbee this week, he said he had fun playing.
Friday and Saturday, one of the recent converts to our church, Maggie, came out tracting with us. She's preparing for a mission and will be leaving in December, so she's really pumped about missionary work, and has a solid testimony.
Another recent convert, Alex, went to the temple on Saturday for the first time! That was such a blessing! I can testify that when you have a recent convert just baptized into this church go to the temple, they are insured for life! The temple is the best place to go to be near to our Heavenly Father and feel the comforting power of the Holy Ghost.
Sunday, Shadrach came to church again! He said he really enjoyed it and asked us more questions about the church, and what we do as missionaries. As we explained that we don't see our families, watch tv, or date, he said "Well if I become a Mormon, I'm not serving a mission, that's for sure." "IF" HE BECOMES A MORMON!! Dad- cue to quote "So you're sayin' I (we've) got a chance!"
AND our other most progressing investigator, Joseph, is going to be baptized this Saturday!!!! He is so solid and ready, this is going to go as smooth as buttermilk on biscuits. People are making mile stones out here, ya'll! One small step at a time.
I'm grateful for all ya'lls support and love. I pray that ya'll will have a great week!
Love, Sister Mason