Sunday, September 8, 2013

8/05/13

Hi Family!
A new transfer has started and Sister malloy and I get to stay here in Knoxville! We're pretty excited. The work is going really well. We were actually gone a few days this past week due to meetings and splits that we were on, but the Lord still helped us to teach in our area during the times that we were here. 
 
Michael is super sick, so he wasn't able to come to church and he didn't get baptized. We invited him to pray over the month of August to set a new date with the Lord. He really liked that idea and said it felt right to do it that way. So hopefully we will be hearing his new date soon!
Kenneth is doing great! He was sustained on Sunday as one worthy to receive the Aaronic Priesthood. He either received it after church or he will be receiving it next Sunday. We are excited for him to keep progressing! The ward or at least a few of the men are planning a Temple trip and invited him to go. THAT is awesome. I hope he can go! The Temple is wonderful!! I definitely miss going there. 
Which by the way, I was so happy to hear about your temple experiences this past week! I am so glad that you all were able to have your own experiences there. The temple is the goal! There is so much to learn there and i feel it is the closest we can get to Heaven while we are here on earth. Our investigator, Michael really wants to go there so bad. He's been letting one little cigarette keep him from baptism; but when we gave him a picture of the Nashville Temple, tears came to his eyes and he told us of his re-dedication to stop smoking so he can make it there one day. 

Kandi is also doing really well. She came to church on Sunday which was a big step for her. She has her "church family" that has been difficult for her to break away from. But she came and she enjoyed it. Kandi has really surprised us. We taught her the Word of Wisdom and she had boxes of cigarettes on her right and a jug of sweet tea on her left (EVERYONE loves sweet tea down here). Anyway, we taught her the Word of Wisdom and asked her if she would be willing to start living it and she responded, "Girl, I need to! it's for my benefit!" We asked her if there would be one thing she would like to work on at a time and she just told us that she would just cold turkey quit everything. We came back the next day and she was serious! She wasn't drinking tea and hadn't smoked. It was incredible. Then when she came to church, she was asking about where she would be baptized. Kandi has been just soaking everything in that we have taught her, and now she is taking action and really showing her desire. I remember when we first taught her and she wouldn't pray. Now she prays at every lesson. It's been so great. She's committed for baptism and working towards it!

This next week is going to be full! Sister Malloy and I are still Sister Trainer Leaders, so we still go on exchanges and power-ups with the sisters in our zone. This transfer we have two more companionships added to our zone, so we have more to do this transfer. It makes for a very full and busy transfer, but we love it. We have 7 companionships that we work with and 6 weeks to get it done, so it makes for very full schedules! 
Also, we get the opportunity to meet with Elder Kopischke of the seventies this Friday. he spoke in this most recent General Conference. We're excited for that! 

Well Family I love you!!!
Have a great week! Stay safe, happy, and healthy!
Tenga un buena dia!

Love, Sister Preston!