Trouble with Teenagers?

RACHEL - Dear Familia!

How is everyone today? I hope very well because the weather here has been sunny and warm (most of the time). This week was a fairly simple week full of tender mercies and miracles as always :)

On Monday evening was a great miracle. All of our three appointments fell through, but we stuck to our back up plans and went by to call a Potential Investigator on a certain road. As we were walking to the house I stopped a woman in her front yard to share more with her - she wasn't interested but then Sister Bibb asked for a Referral. Every night during Nightly Planning Sister Bibb and I pick a Referral Question to ask to people that day and on Monday it was, "Our message is really all about families, who do you know that may be having trouble with teenagers?" And the woman pointed to a house a further down the street and said, "But don't tell them I sent you." So we knocked and were let into a home with 8 children and a single mother! We have just begun to share more about the Gospel to them this past week and so we are very excited to see where this will take us!

On Tuesday we had our specialized training and Interviews and they have completely made it a focus of no rote presentation of the First Lesson. I have to admit that I then did realize that I caught myself in that trap and so this training was needed! At first when they were presenting this to us the phrase, "You can't teach an old dog new tricks" kept entering into my mind, but as I began to teach more to the "you" this past week, we have seen miracles! Now don't misunderstand me, I always try my very hardest to teach to the individuals needs and to try to resolve them, but I suppose over time you can get into a habit of saying or teaching in one way and therefore making it a rote memorized presentation. 

I’ve met the Prestons already a month ago - right when they arrived at a Zone Conference, but at this training was when we got a one on one personal interview. We sat down and he had me open with prayer and had two of my weekly letters there printed out with him. He mentioned some of the great experiences I had those past weeks and then proceeded to ask me questions. He had me tell him about my family and had no idea that I had a twin sister in Scotland on a mission right now and was so happy to hear it! It was a very pleasant discussion and it was a great way to get to know him more! Sister Preston is lovely as well and I will get a better chance to get to know her at a Sisters Meeting we are have on the 3rd of August! It will be focusing on some of the new dress and grooming guidelines for Sister Missionaries, which is really bright and colorful, and I would recommend taking a look at it on LDS.org under Missionary Service. For me though, I feel it is too late for me! Haha Since this last transfer I am the oldest in the mission and the thought makes my jaw drop. Sister Bibb asked me today how long I feel I have been out for and I said maybe about 7 months haha

I also experienced something wonderful on my mission that I have never experienced before! One of my Recent Converts, Sister H. that I helped teach and see baptize, taught a lesson in Relief Society! It was sooo incredible! She taught the lesson on "Going About Doing Good", I was so proud of her as she stood up there and taught with ease and confidence. It is truly amazing to witness a full complete conversion process of an individual from the beginning to, well not quite the end but almost :)

We were blessed to reach the standard of New Investigators this week, but I have been feeling that there is always room to improve. We now have an investigator with the baptismal date of August the 13th! His name is D.B. Apparently he attended General Conference years ago in London and loved it. And so we taught him on Saturday and then he came to church on Sunday! We are grateful for the opportunity to teach such wonderful people!

Well I hope everyone is well and I love you all! Thank you for all the love and support given to Teresa and I throughout our missions!

Love always, Sister Rachel Kullick

P.S. I sent two packages home today and if you could just let me know when you get them and put them in the closet that would be great! Just planners and letters! Thank you!