Sister Neel 8/9/21

downtown Raleigh and my district threw a cereal bar for my 6 months bc they know I love it so much!! 

GOOD MORNING!!

What a week it has been! It's amazing to see God shape Wake Forest into the area He needs it to be and me as a missionary right along with it! White washing can be so draining but hard work always pays off and I've seen so many miracles this transfer! It's amazing what being in the right place at the right time looks like and the blessings that come from opening your mouth and trusting God will fill it with what needs to be said. If anything, this transfer is probably the most I've grown on my entire mission and I've had to truly rely on the Lord as I navigate so many new obstacles and experiences. Blind faith has become pretty common on my mission and I've learned God's plan is so much greater and profound. I kept praying to be the kind of missionary I am now and these 6 weeks brought everything I needed. Even when I went to bed so exhausted or frustrated, over time I saw how it all fit into His grand plan and my answered prayers. Wake Forest is just paradise and I am excited to say that we got transfer news yesterday and SISTER STODDARD AND I ARE STAYING HERE IN WAKE FOREST!!!! Couldn't be more excited!! 

Ok now for the update on our peeps (the moment ya'll have been waiting for): Sister Stoddard and I have felt strongly, after many trainings and our own feelings, we need to do a better job at involving members in our lessons. Lee Donaldson came and spoke to our mission a few months ago and promised that our baptisms would increase by 50% as we prayerfully seek revelation on what members would work best with our friends. We sat down one day and prayerfully picked two fellowshippers for all of our people and contacted them with more info on the specific person they would join lessons with. Each member's schedule lined up perfectly with who they would help fellowship and it was proof God needed these people to help our friends progress. Our ward is so missionary minded and will step to the bar even if it means sacrificing their own personal schedule to be a part of the Lord's work. I am in awe at the level of spirituality they are at and learn so much from each and every one of them!

We met with Jeddy and discussed his questions concerning how sin, grace and salvation work together as a whole. He really struggles to believe the Book of Mormon has any part in this but I think we did a pretty good job making things more clear. We also met with Brenda and had Sister Arsenault join in on the lesson! We taught the Restoration out of the pamphlets and had Sister Arsenault bear her testimony on the Book of Mormon. We did a soft baptismal invite for Brenda and she accepted!!!! WAHOO!!! Her and Brenda hit it off and throughout the week they would communicate and get to know one another better! Such cool miracles!! We met with Kelly a few times at the beginning of the week, taught the Word of Wisdom, Law of Chastity and finished up the ten commandments. We were preparing to put her on date when out of the blue one day she texted us saying she got the revelation that she only needed to read the Bible and would like to not meet with us anymore. Wow...was that defeating. I can relate to how Alma, Ammon or even Moroni felt in the Book of Mormon when their hearts would break over their people who rejected the truth. We haven't dropped her quite yet and keep prayerfully discerning how we can help her recognize the truth again. Keep Kelly in your prayers!!

Yesterday Jeddy and Brenda came to church!!!! Sister Arsenault had Brenda sit next to her and her husband and Jeddy sat next to a different family! Our ward mission leader was super excited to finally meet them as well as our ward! We've begun posting the names of our people coming to church on our ward facebook page so everyone can pray for them. You can imagine their excitement when they saw them walk through the door!! Sister Arsenault took Brenda to Relief Society while we did a Facebook training in Elders Quorum and then were able to meet up with Jeddy and Brenda afterwards only to hear they LOVED IT!!! Jeddy hit it off with a lot of YSA (Young Single Adult) dudes in our ward and Brenda is in love with the Relief Society women. Sister Arsenault baked Brenda a plate of cookies and Brother and Sister Bunker invited Jeddy over for dinner and possibly a lesson. We seriously have the best member fellowshippers! Jeddy and Brenda grew so much today and Brenda expressed how this is the church she's been praying for. Tooooo cool!!

We had zone council this week and the training consisted of putting people on baptismal date. We talked about how we as missionaries are the only people stopping who we teach from baptism. They focused on getting over our fears and extending the invitation when spirit inspired. A lot of people wait until all the lessons have been taught but the Zone Leaders hit on the importance of spirit directed lessons and extending an invite when told too. It hit me that Sister Stoddard and I are the two most important people in our area at this time and the Lord saw our talents and efforts fit to bless Wake Forest. It helped enlighten the mantle of serving here even more! God is asking us for an inch and is promising a mile in return and I am a witness of that as I've seen so many beautiful changes occur! Missionary work is called work for a reason. It's anything but easy but the rewards are endless and profound. I've truly never been happier :))

I love yall!! Stay safe everyone!!

♡♡♡

Sister Neel

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