Amite

In case you were wondering, it is pronounced [a-MEET] and it is in the Denham Springs zone and my area is about 40x40 miles. Luckily, most of this area was not badly affected. Doubling in is super weird. The previous elders did not keep the best of records, so we are nearly starting from the ground up. So, we have been tracting a lot. Usually I do not tract for more than an hour a day, but we have no choice, but luckily it's a lot easier to tell whether or not they actually are interested, so spend our time with those who are ready. I love how straight forward the people are here. Since the culture is so different from Luling, I feel like I am in another mission, but with the same mission president. 

Training a new missionary is pretty fun! Sister Scott is pretty cool, she is from California. Everyone was surprised when we, the sisters took over the area. To quote a member, "you don't sounds like the elders." I can't help but laugh, because I find these members it to be absolutely hilarious. One of the very first people who we called was the branch president, and he said that the Relief Society would be very happy to hear that we were here, and it's true, everyone one of them was thrilled! 

This weekend on Saturday and Sunday will be General Conference, which is where the Prophet and his Apostles talk to everyone of us here on this earth. I have found a lot of answers to my questions during these conferences, and I can promise you that if you have a noteworthy question, that it will be answered if you really listen, especially to the Spirit. 

Pictured below:

Sister Scott's first day in the field. Notice in the background, is a gigantic map, printed out on small pieces of paper and then tacked to a wall, made by a previous elder in our living room. Our apartment has a lot of random fun things in it :) 
Sister Toomey

Sister Scott's first day in the field.

Take Me To Church!

So, I just found out that I am going to be transferred after nearly 6 months in Luling. Where I am going, to quote Moroni, "I know not," but I do know that I am going to be training a new missionary, and I am going to an area, that has only had Elders in the past, and the Branch President has been asking for Sisters, so we will be "doubling in" and opening up the sisters area. Idk how much this will be from scratch, but I am absolutely thrilled and I feel honored to do this!! and tomorrow, I will be going to Baton Rouge to get my new companion!! Now I can finally see what all the Baton Rouge chaos has been about. 

I seriously love these people, and I am going to miss them, but the Lord wants me in other places, sobeit. 

This week, we gave out a lot more Book of Mormons than usual. We took out out Branch Missionary, but the appointment fell through, so we went tracting at this apartment complex in Bridge City, because it was the only thing that popped into my head of where to go with Branch Missionary, and I knew that we would for sure have at least one or more lessons. We ended up teaching 3 lessons within the hour we had with Him, and these people seem rather promising. I'm glad that he now likes tracting :) (he is planning on serving a mission in the near future). One of the people that we taught was from Porto Rico, and luckily he knew English, and I happened to know the details of the nearby spanish ward. Many of the people that we talk to, just go the the local church, and they just go to which ever preacher they like the most. 

Here is an awesome video, especially loved by recent convert, A:

https://www.mormonchannel.org/watch/series/mormon-messages/shower-of-heavenly-blessings

Also, something I just remembered: Sister Bell and I were teaching at the English and Spanish zone conference in New Orleans, and we talked about inviting people to church. I have come to the conclusion, that people are mostly like to come to church, if a member extends the commitment, because they are always going to be there, and will have that automatic friendship. So what you can do, is invite all of your friends to church. You will never know if they are interested unless you ask them. I can't tell you how many people who I have run into, and they are surrounded by members of other various churches, and they are looking for a new church, but no one ever invites them. Feel free to email me how it goes :) 

I love y'all and take care! 

Sister Toomey

CPR

Sister Bell taught me this new saying that she had learned in the MTC:

Church

Pray

Read the Scriptures

and these are the key ways to not only save your life, but to save your soul. SOS! I have noticed that the moment that anyone stops doing any one of these things, is the very moment that they go inactive =>never stop! 

Life is exciting, and our investigators thrill me to the very being of my soul. I love these people! 

We have been continuing 'to weed out' our "Potential Investigators" and I have been praying that it will be very easy for me to tell whether or not so and so is ready and interested; and it really has been working. 

Also, something just popped into my head concerning goals: "I am so thoroughly convinced that if we don't set goals in our life and learn how to master the techniques of living to reach our goals, we can reach a ripe old age and look back on our life only to see that we reached but a small part of our full potential. When one learns to master the principles of setting a goal, he will then be able to make a great difference in the results he attains in this life." -Elder M. Russell Ballard 1981 (or PMG pg. 146). I know that if we make goals that can be measured, then these goals can achieved, especially if we allow the Lord to head it, and make the Holy Ghost the "senior companion."  There is literally no one else who I would rather have to head it. 

I hope that y'all have had just as awesome of a week!

Love ya!

Sister Toomey 

The District. Being an English-speaking Sister Missionary is very rare in New Orleans.

The District after playing "Signs" and each missionary signaling their 'sign'

 

Alma 34

So, a few weeks ago, I was a little sad because we had absolutely no one with a baptismal date. So, in week and a half, Sister Bell and I committed 7 people to be baptized with a date. We have also been better at extending the baptismal commitment on the 1st or 2nd lesson, which we haven't been very persistent in the past. We have also been sorting through the 30-40 potential investigators that we found about 3 weeks ago. 

Also, I drank soda for the first time in nearly 6 monthes (before the MTC). I introduced Sister Bell to the World Market store across the Mississippi river, and she stocked up on Japanese soda (the kind with the marble) and she gave me a sip, and it hit me that it was soda (it looked like juice). 

The 3 people who were baptized in July, are still active in the church. ST, who hit her baptism year mark about a week ago, has been preparing to go to the temple, and luckily the temple is open again.

update on flood clean up:

http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/mormon-helping-hands-flooded-homes-louisiana?cid=HP_MO_29-8-2016_dPAD_fCNWS_xLIDyC-2_

Alma 34. Learn it. Love it. Pray about it. Apply it to your life. It hits on a lot of gospel principles. 

https://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/alma/34?lang=eng

Love ya'll!
Sister Toomey