Hattiesburg, MS - Week #8

Hi Mom!  

The sisters have a super small area...the elders on the other hand have a big area.  Last transfer, they closed an area and combined two different areas into one.  So, they have more work than we do, but I love it!  We are retracting the same areas that Sister Kendall tracted when she was being trained.  She told me that we retract them because God has a specific place, specific person that we are to help while we are serving our mission.  She has taught me a lot!  I am lucky to have her as a trainer.  I have just learned that there are "apostate missionaries".  These are missionaries that are disobedient and break the rules.  I have heard many crazy stories about some missionaries, and I just want you to know that I am going to be exactly obedient.  I am going to continue to work hard and be strong.  I love my mission.  As I come to know my investigators I love them.  They all come from many different backgrounds, however God has allowed his missionaries to see them the way God would see them.  It is so cool.  I see many miracles everyday.  I know that God watches over his missionaries and blesses them as we are obedient. That is so crazy you went to a catholic mass!  The people in Mississippi are not catholic.  It is very rare to come across them.  Everyone is baptist here and are strong in their ways.  I had another bible bash just yesterday as we were tracting.  We have to be so careful because a lot of the time when these people open up their doors to you, they just want to fight with you, persecute you.   I have been so frustrated because these people are so RUDE.  The only thing I can think of is bare my testimony.  I know what I believe.  I used to be so passive about my beliefs, but with these people I am strong headed.  I have to stand up for what I believe.  I LOVE MY MISSION.  It is hard but, every time I think it is hard a blessing comes.  I love the gospel!

As companions they seem to be getting along just fine!

McKennah, Sister Kendall and Karen Bach

Hello all!

I can't believe another week has come and gone!  I have great news as of Friday, I can say I have been on my mission for a MONTH!  Time flies by when you are having fun.  Last week I told you all a story about my first Bible bash, and i can tell you that I have been in 2 MORE.  Crazy stuff.  I do not like bashing, and arguing about doctrine, but apparently that is a thing they do in the south.  As a missionary, our purpose is to help invite others to come to Christ, and in Bible bashes we are not really fulfilling our purpose.  I have made it a goal to fulfill that as much as I possible can.  This last week, my companion and I received a referral from headquarters.  On the referral they give us their name and address, so we decided to drive over there and see what was up.  2 weeks prior Brandon Crouse (referral) had been searching for truth.  He was on LDS.org and searched the whole website.  He loved, loved our website.  There was an option on the website to "find missionaries" and that is how we got the referral.  Brandon is an awesome guy, he was super interested and loved the restoration lesson.  He loved it so much, he invited us to come over the next morning.  That morning, we went over and gave him the Plan of Salvation lesson!  He loved it.  I kept getting the prompting to ask if he wanted to be baptized, but I ignored the prompting and thought "why would he do that?  Maybe he isn't really as interested as he seems?  Maybe he was just being nice."  Well the prompting got bigger and bigger, than I finally got the guts to ask him, and he said YES!  He will be baptized on July 17th.  We are so proud of him and his decision to join the church.  He came with us on Sunday to all 3 meetings.  I am so impressed with his testimony.  He has been searching his entire life for this to happen.  I just want to bear my testimony, that I know that miracles are real.  We as Latter Day Saints CAN help our brothers and sisters.  I know that as we put our faith in God that we can really see miracles like this.  BELIEVE in yourself, BELIEVE that your testimony can influence others, and I promise good things will come of it.  Love you all.  Be safe this week! PS-  This is Brandon in this picture.