Memorial Day

Hello everybody!!


And Happy Memorial Day! Today I'm definitely so grateful for all of the Memorial Day traditions that my family has, and I'm sad that I can't be there this year but I'm grateful that I get to spend Memorial Day in a place where so many lost their lives for the freedom of this country. I'm truly so grateful! And we have some fun plans today too! We're going to go to a cemetery to look at the gravestones that are hundreds of years old and then we have been invited to a barbecue by a  funny old catholic couple in our neighborhood! I still get my burger and it may turn out to be a great finding activity! We're excited!

To answer questions that a few people asked about transfers: Yes, I'm still in my first area. Yes, I realize I'll most likely be transferred. But I still have two weeks left!! I'm not even thinking about it! I have two baptisms that I'm preparing for!! :)

And this week was full of miracles! There were so many stressful moments, but it's incredible to see the way that Heavenly Father makes sure we're where we're needed. Our first major miracle was the lesson that we had with Esther and Madison on Tuesday. We were teaching Esther about the temple because she went to Washington DC with the Ward. She absolutely LOVED it. We've already started preparing her to go to the Manhattan temple for baptisms when the Ward goes in July. She's so excited. She says she wants to see every temple in the world! We're planning in her visiting me in Utah and taking a nice road trip
next summer. :) But anyway, we were teaching her and Madison came halfway through, so we over viewed everything for him and he said "So what are your qualifications for baptism?" We were both a little shocked. But we went through the baptismal interviews questions, he
loved and agreed with all the standards and things he hadn't learned yet and then said "So I was reading the Book of Mormon and a question famed to my mind. Are there any rules about the amount of meat we should eat?" So we taught him the Word of Wisdom! Just by his
questions he's completely being prepared!! And he asked if they had to get married in the temple before baptism and I was able to, in more detail, explain that one year after they're baptized they get to be sealed! And they both just looked so happy! I'm so grateful for the temple and all of the covenants we are able to make and the blessings we are able to receive. :)

We had another lesson with just Esther and as we were leaving there were a ton of African kids outside, and I love African kids, there was the Sumo family from my ward and they have five crazy kids, and then five others who I've met a couple of times. I sat down on the side with them and started teaching them I am a Child of God and they all pretty much just started piling on top of me. Hahahah, and the pictures I'm going to send basically describe it perfectly.

Another miracle came with us making a goal to get solid referrals at meal appointments. And we had two African meal appointments the last week. At the first one, we started talking to this man, George. He asked who we were and we told him and said we were called to share
Christs restored gospel with everyone and he looked at us for a second and said "when will you be back? I want to meet with you" and at another appointment we met this man, Edwin, and he said he also wanted to join our church! Both these men are in the Elders' areas but
miracles came as we set these goals and the elders will hopefully be able to meet with them both soon!

We've also, as a mission, had to cut back on miles. So in my area we got cut back 300 miles, so we've been walking a lot more. And we've definitely been getting creative with getting to all of our appointments in the Elders' areas. Hahahahahah, it's been a blessing
though! We're both getting much better at talking to people and we've really been able to see how beautiful Pennsylvania really is. I am truly so grateful to be here serving my Savior, I cannot imagine doing anything different and I know I'm exactly where I need to be. This gospel is truly the Gospel of Jesus Christ and I testify that by living it is the only way to find true happiness and peace.  I love you all and hope you all have a wonderful holiday!

Sister Rachel Petrick

Sister Shaffer and Sister Petrick

Being attacked by the children