Wednesday, July 27, 2016

The Promised Land

We had another 2 baptisms and confirmations!!! Congratulations to F and O!!! Their baptismal service and confirmation blessings were both beautiful!
After church on Sunday, Sister Bell and I went to untouched territory, meaning that Mormon Missionaries haven't ever been there, or at least in the past few decades, but probably not, to a small town called Killona, which is on the edge of our area boundaries. We went there originally because someone went on Mormon.org and requested missionaries, and even though we were not able to teach those who requested us, we were able to get 14 new investigators within a few short hours. I am still shocked and in the 'what just happened' zone, so I would like to thank the Spirit for helping prepare the many people we have been teaching and have just recently found. I am still convinced that this is the promised land.
I went on splits with one of the Spanish sister training leaders in Kenner, and I ate so. much. Hispanic. food. I thought my stomach was going to explode quite literally and from deliciousness while we were on our 2nd lunch.

I have decided to dedicate Sundays /or/ P-days to studying Isaiah, and I feel like really studying it, and applying it to my life is enriching it, even if you are not a missionary, you can still apply these principle to your life.  

I lauve y'all!

Sister Toomey

2016Jul23- Luling Baptism



Wednesday, July 20, 2016

The Harvest

Hey-O! It's Sister Toomey-O! This week has been pretty exciting, we have had to our senses, and have had to drop some people because they have not been progressing. At all. And because our time is limited and precious, we are suppose to find those who are ready to be taught. We are not suppose to make people ready, the Lord does that through the Holy Ghost in His own time.  So, we have had to move on, and try to find people who are ready. This week alone, we have found 9 new investigators, and we will see where everyone goes, and if they really are ready to change their life to become closer to God. It's not easy, and it's not always fun, but it sure is worth every moment of it. I know that the Lord, is the Lord of the Harvest, and the only people that He has to work with, is us. That also brings me to another thought, if you see a need, or if you feel prompted to do something, do it as soon as you possibly can. If you put it off, then you could miss the boat, and once it sails away, it may not ever return, or at least for a very long time. Catching the spiritual boat, is like eating, you don't want to put it off, and if you do put it off, then you may be hungry for a very long time before the boat comes back, if it does. Who would want to be hungry, or why would anyone want to be spiritually hungry?

Remember the Pagan I was talking about last week, for this email/blog post I will call him D, and D came to church yesterday, which is a totally Hallelujah moment. We have taught him the Plan of Salvation, and the restoration, over the course of multiple lessons of course. I think that he will keep progressing, and I am really excited to see where He goes.

For the most beautiful crepes I've ever had, just make the crepe (1 c flour, 1 c milk, 2 eggs, 2tbs melted butter, whisked together, then spray a pan with cooking spray, and cook for 1 minute, then flip it over and cook it for 10 seconds or whatever recipe you want), then flip it over again and half-way melt shredded mozzarella cheese on it, then sprinkle on some pesto with a spoon, then let it melt a little more more, then put on baby spinach, then fold it in half, and eat it like an ice cream cone, or it it's too messy, then with a fork on a plate. I almost live for these things.

I hope y'all have a blessed week!

Sister Toomey

The Refiner's Fire

sent 11 July 2016.

I have now realized that the mission, now refines you in ways that you didn't even know that you needed to be helped with, or were even a thing, or even possible. I have found that sometimes, the only way to do things, is to turn to the Lord, because He is the only one who can fully help you. The atonement makes that possible for not only me, but everyone else. 

Sister Bell and I are still working on our many investigators, including Recent Converts and Less Actives to build up this small and strong branch of Zion. Note that I am matching one of the members, who is about to move to Utah, so if you see her, know that I know her and she is pretty awesome! 

I have never had so many appointments in my life, especially in the past few weeks. I have been trying to meet with our investigators more frequently through out the week, and we have had almost no time to tract. i absolutely love tracting. i think that it is so much fun!! Anyone who knows me know that I love to meet new people, even if they do not accept the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, I still love them. 

We started to teach a Pagan who we found on an inspired street. Paganism is especially different in the south, because it seems like everyone here strongly believed in Jesus Christ. 

I have also learned, that I actually do like shrimp, which I did not like before, at least if it was cooked in yellow eggplant, then it is actually quite delicious, thank you to Sister LH! 

With all of the crazinness going around Lousisana, we have to in our appartments by dark, unless we are in a safe area..., which luckily we have a car, so we can be out a little later than the biking elders. 

Hope y'all are having a blessed day!
Sister Toomey



2016Jul10  

Wednesday, July 6, 2016

Jesus: 1; Satan: 0



in case you were wondering what the score board was looking like big :) A, who I have been teaching for 3 months, was baptized, with the proper priesthood authority of God, on Saturday. It was AWESOME, but I have to got to say, it was really, really awesome how she was baptized, but the coolest part was watching her learn, and grow, and make changes to her life, and let the Spirit come into action. There is not better sight than to have front-row seats of someone who is allowing Christ to guide their life. I can't even type the words of how exciting it is to be one of the Lord's missionaries.  

I got a new companion, Sister Bell, who is from Alaska and pretty cool. I was really nervous to be taking over the area because of how large it is, and how many cities it covers, but I knew that the Lord qualifies those who he calls, and now I firmly believe that, because he qualified me to do this calling, and take over this part of the New Orleans area, which I am still convinced is still the promised land :)

Love y'all!

Sister Toomey
2016Jul2- baptism!!!




2016Jul2- waffles
2016Jun21- Alligator Alley

Agency

sent on 28 June 2016.


I have officially finished training and will be taking over the Luling area tomorrow. Also, our investigator A, will be baptized and official member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints then receive the gift of the Holy Ghost to help her through out her entire life. You have no idea of how excited I am! I have loved having the front-row seat of watching people make huge changes into their life and come closer to Jesus Christ, because he is everything. I was reading in the book of Mosiah (in the Book of Mormon) this morning, and I have loved how King Benjamin talked about how everything is about serving the very God that created us, and how we need to dedicate everything to Him because He has given us literally everything that we have including, "by lending you breath, that ye may live and move and do according to your own will, and even supporting you from one moment to another-I say, if ye should serve him with all your whole souls yet ye would be unprofitable servants" (Mosiah 2:21). I just love that scripture!!!!! God has given us everything, including our agency (the gift from God to choose between good and evil, between right and wrong) and He wants us to choose Him because He knows that we will find true happiness.

I will have pictures of Alligator Alley next week.

Sister Toomey

2016Jun22

2016Jun22- tracting

2016Jun24