So many conversations, too much exercise
Hi everybody! I hope you all had a lovely, wonderful week!
We had a pretty awesome week! We've met so many cool people and have had SO MANY AWESOME CONVERSATIONS. The people here in Derry are so amazing. Most had no interest, but I've loved talking with them. There was a guy named Tony, who has no belief in God or life after death etc, and my desire to help him and teach him filled me. I gave him our number and a card, and told him to text or call if he had any questions (he knew a bit about our religion before talking with me and asked a couple of questions). He said he would, then went to work at a museum. So. One of these p-days, we're prolly gonna raid that museum and get talking to him again. Really though. One of the best GQs I've had. I don't know if he's ready yet. I want him to be, but he seems pretty closed off.
Another person I met. She's from Scotland, and boy howdy, I forgot how much I miss that place and the accent. I MISS IT SO MUCH. She was very nice and gave me a Catholic pendant thing that was blessed to protect the holder. So don't worry Mom! Nothing can touch me now! :) just kidding just kidding.
We also made with some guys from a little island by Madagascar. They're here for a program to get work experience before heading back home in a few months, and we helped them out with a scavenger hunt that they were doing around the city. They won because of us! Woot! They also don't believe in God, and aren't really open, but we got their number and see them around town every now and then:)
We were able to mow a member's lawn with the Elders this week, which was wonderful. I feel like I haven't had many opportunities to serve, so it was so nice to finally have someone say yes to our request!! It was so fun. Then earlier today Sister Cox and I went to lunch with a couple of ladies in our ward, Heather and Maureen. Heather's husband was the one that passed away a few weeks ago (we attended his funeral). And Maureen is his half sister (and also our landlady:) Heather and Robert and their family actually used to live in the house we're living in!). Heather is almost completely deaf, and we haven't really had much opportunity to talk with her. I've always given her hugs whenever I see her in church, but yesterday she signed up on our meal calendar! She's so sweet, and her trust in the Lord and her faith is so incredible.
Last night, we had another lesson with Joel! Hannah Ramraj was able to teach with us, and afterward she started raving about how amazing the lesson was. She said that he was the best "investigator" she had known in this ward. It really was an awesome lesson. He wants us to send him scriptures to read throughout the week since his work won't allow him to meet with us more than once a week at the moment. He has a really large desire to find out if this is true and right for him. I'm hoping and praying all goes well, and that he'll be able to come to church on Sunday!!
We had a couple of bus mess-ups/confusions this week, and that led to some long spans of time being lost and walking uphill. Haha. Still getting the hang of public transportation, and not having technology handy to navigate! I'm getting there :)
For District Council this week, we talked about being instruments in God's hands. I love thinking about that, and I'm trying to be better at it each day. It reminded me of a poem a mission friend shared with me.
The Touch of the Master's Hand
'Twas battered and scarred,
And the auctioneer thought it
hardly worth his while
To waste his time on the old violin,
but he held it up with a smile.
"What am I bid, good people", he cried,
"Who starts the bidding for me?"
"One dollar, one dollar, Do I hear two?"
"Two dollars, who makes it three?"
"Three dollars once, three dollars twice, going for three,"
But, No,
From the room far back a gray bearded man
Came forward and picked up the bow,
Then wiping the dust from the old violin
And tightening up the strings,
He played a melody, pure and sweet
As sweet as the angel sings.
The music ceased and the auctioneer
With a voice that was quiet and low,
Said "What now am I bid for this old violin?"
As he held it aloft with its' bow.
"One thousand, one thousand, Do I hear two?"
"Two thousand, Who makes it three?"
"Three thousand once, three thousand twice,
Going and gone", said he.
The audience cheered,
But some of them cried,
"We just don't understand."
"What changed its' worth?"
Swift came the reply.
"The Touch of the Master's Hand."
"And many a man with life out of tune
All battered and bruised with hardship
Is auctioned cheap to a thoughtless crowd
Much like that old violin
A mess of pottage, a glass of wine,
A game and he travels on.
He is going once, he is going twice,
He is going and almost gone.
But the Master comes,
And the foolish crowd never can quite understand,
The worth of a soul and the change that is wrought
By the Touch of the Master's' Hand.
Myra Brooks Welch
Let us let Him make us into something more. :)
I love you all, and miss you! Stay safe!
Love, Sister Syphus
Pics
We had a pretty awesome week! We've met so many cool people and have had SO MANY AWESOME CONVERSATIONS. The people here in Derry are so amazing. Most had no interest, but I've loved talking with them. There was a guy named Tony, who has no belief in God or life after death etc, and my desire to help him and teach him filled me. I gave him our number and a card, and told him to text or call if he had any questions (he knew a bit about our religion before talking with me and asked a couple of questions). He said he would, then went to work at a museum. So. One of these p-days, we're prolly gonna raid that museum and get talking to him again. Really though. One of the best GQs I've had. I don't know if he's ready yet. I want him to be, but he seems pretty closed off.
Another person I met. She's from Scotland, and boy howdy, I forgot how much I miss that place and the accent. I MISS IT SO MUCH. She was very nice and gave me a Catholic pendant thing that was blessed to protect the holder. So don't worry Mom! Nothing can touch me now! :) just kidding just kidding.
We also made with some guys from a little island by Madagascar. They're here for a program to get work experience before heading back home in a few months, and we helped them out with a scavenger hunt that they were doing around the city. They won because of us! Woot! They also don't believe in God, and aren't really open, but we got their number and see them around town every now and then:)
We were able to mow a member's lawn with the Elders this week, which was wonderful. I feel like I haven't had many opportunities to serve, so it was so nice to finally have someone say yes to our request!! It was so fun. Then earlier today Sister Cox and I went to lunch with a couple of ladies in our ward, Heather and Maureen. Heather's husband was the one that passed away a few weeks ago (we attended his funeral). And Maureen is his half sister (and also our landlady:) Heather and Robert and their family actually used to live in the house we're living in!). Heather is almost completely deaf, and we haven't really had much opportunity to talk with her. I've always given her hugs whenever I see her in church, but yesterday she signed up on our meal calendar! She's so sweet, and her trust in the Lord and her faith is so incredible.
Last night, we had another lesson with Joel! Hannah Ramraj was able to teach with us, and afterward she started raving about how amazing the lesson was. She said that he was the best "investigator" she had known in this ward. It really was an awesome lesson. He wants us to send him scriptures to read throughout the week since his work won't allow him to meet with us more than once a week at the moment. He has a really large desire to find out if this is true and right for him. I'm hoping and praying all goes well, and that he'll be able to come to church on Sunday!!
We had a couple of bus mess-ups/confusions this week, and that led to some long spans of time being lost and walking uphill. Haha. Still getting the hang of public transportation, and not having technology handy to navigate! I'm getting there :)
For District Council this week, we talked about being instruments in God's hands. I love thinking about that, and I'm trying to be better at it each day. It reminded me of a poem a mission friend shared with me.
The Touch of the Master's Hand
'Twas battered and scarred,
And the auctioneer thought it
hardly worth his while
To waste his time on the old violin,
but he held it up with a smile.
"What am I bid, good people", he cried,
"Who starts the bidding for me?"
"One dollar, one dollar, Do I hear two?"
"Two dollars, who makes it three?"
"Three dollars once, three dollars twice, going for three,"
But, No,
From the room far back a gray bearded man
Came forward and picked up the bow,
Then wiping the dust from the old violin
And tightening up the strings,
He played a melody, pure and sweet
As sweet as the angel sings.
The music ceased and the auctioneer
With a voice that was quiet and low,
Said "What now am I bid for this old violin?"
As he held it aloft with its' bow.
"One thousand, one thousand, Do I hear two?"
"Two thousand, Who makes it three?"
"Three thousand once, three thousand twice,
Going and gone", said he.
The audience cheered,
But some of them cried,
"We just don't understand."
"What changed its' worth?"
Swift came the reply.
"The Touch of the Master's Hand."
"And many a man with life out of tune
All battered and bruised with hardship
Is auctioned cheap to a thoughtless crowd
Much like that old violin
A mess of pottage, a glass of wine,
A game and he travels on.
He is going once, he is going twice,
He is going and almost gone.
But the Master comes,
And the foolish crowd never can quite understand,
The worth of a soul and the change that is wrought
By the Touch of the Master's' Hand.
Myra Brooks Welch
Let us let Him make us into something more. :)
I love you all, and miss you! Stay safe!
Love, Sister Syphus
Pics
Halfway up a LONG, STEEP hill. Turns out that the bus we took to get to the other side of the river would've taken us up that long, steep hill had we stayed on a few more minutes. Ah well, I needed the exercise.
Lunch at Boojum with the Elders during their exchanges
Just a cute thing in Derry. The message is really nice.
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