Banana Bread and love

This week I realized something. Sis Hakes and I are like an instant meal that you buy at the store. You don't have to do anything to it all you have to do is open it and eat it. Sis Hakes and I are instant best friends with everyone. No matter who we talk to we love them and wish the best for them. We are the kind of friends that don't judge if you say something mean to us or tell us not to call back. Usually we will just show up at your house the next day with banana bread or a Liahona and tell you we love you. Or we call you everyday until you promise you will show up to your meeting with us, and then we still forgive even if you don't show up for the second or third time. If everyone in the church had friends like this I think more people would still be active. Our area is still in the growing phase. We have found people who are interested, but as of yet are not progressing. Several people have told us they like talking to us, but aren't necessarily interested in our message. So that is a start. We keep trying and working. We have been trying to reactivate some young single adults and we have been thinking about doing a 'FHE' like activity for them to replace the Nehring's (the senior couple that went home) fireside. We hope that this will help them make friendships and support each other and hopefully come back to church. This week our miracle find happened on Sunday. We had a list of apartments without phone numbers that missionaries had contacted in 06 or 07 so we decided to drop by and see if anyone was interested now. The second door we knocked on the sweetest babushka opened it. We told her why we were there and we asked if we could come back when it was convenient for her and talk to her. She invited us in right then. Her husband died in December so I think that she is lonely. She was very nice to us and was so happy to have someone to talk to. I could tell because when I would smiled at her she would smile back and she gave us both a big hug when we left. She invited us to come back this week! It is so fun to find these Gems. These people that even though their culture tells them to be defensive and private open their doors to us. People don't tend to smile here. In fact they think it is really weird when you smile at them. They can tell we are American really easy because we smile and we show our nice teeth when we smile. They also tend to be able to tell that I don't speak Russian. Probably because I don't say anything. Sis Hakes is still doing well. This transfer we are trying to focus on following the spirit. If I have learned anything this transfer it is that every person we find that is prepared to receive the gospel is a miracle. There is no way we would be able to do anything here if the Lord wasn't behind us. I have also come to a greater realization of the Holy Ghost in conversion. We really can't say anything in particular that will convert a person if we have not invited the Holy Ghost to be with us. Words are just words. I love you all! Don't give up on church just because you don't understand one little thing in the scriptures or someone offends you! Because that is seriously just lame. :D If you do sooner or later two very nice Sister missionaries will show up on your doorstep with banana bread and try to remind you that God does love you, and then you will feel guilty.

Love,

Sis Harrison