Week 3 in Gaffney

Hey y'all!

Mom, I loved your email. That is so awesome about the general authorities. That would be a crazy and powerful experience! I hope Dad wasn't too overwhelmed by their gracing of his ward ;).

And to Jesse...keep showing that map, because it is sooo awesome that I'm so close to Charlotte. I know several people in the Gaffney ward who commute every day to Charlotte to work. Often it feels weird to hear that it's so close and knowing I can't go there to see where my brother served. I get to see a lot of kudzu (the vines and vines of stuff). I'll be sure to send a couple pictures soon...once I get some taken.

The leaves have started changing colors and mornings have gotten cooler. The weather has been surprisingly clear during my stay here, but this last week we finally got a day of misty rain, which means I got to use my rain coat! Ah, the simple pleasures in life. In about a week it will be prime picture taking season with all the trees in full fall colors. I'm excited.

This last Wednesday my companion and I had two shoulder angles all day (i.e. the Zone Leaders followed us around and taught with us). It was a crazy and amazing day! I hope one day I can be as a good of missionaries as those two. They've got the whole routine down pat: talk to everyone, breaking down barriers, teaching by the Spirit, etc. With their help we got 7 new investigators...all of them on bapismal dates! The day started off amazingly with a lesson with Ashley, her mom Sandra, and Sandra's sister Debbie. They live in a trailer park near Brandy (the one we found last week). They were all freewill baptists (or something like that) and were baptized in the river, but they hadn't been in a while. We started off with just talking to Ashley (her mom was out somewhere) who has a 2 year old boy. We chatted for a few minutes and she completely opened up. It was amazing to see the Spirit work on her and help her feel comfortable and open with us. After 15 minutes, her mom and aunt came in and joined the discussion. We relayed how the proper authority to baptize was on earth again and how it got here: through Joseph Smith. They felt the Spirit so strong as I shared the first vision and all of them accepted to be baptized. I love the way Ashley described how she felt: "I feel like there's more to learn about Jesus Christ then I've ever dreamed of."  They committed to come to church, but Ashley's step-dad came into town this weekend....Satan is so good at throwing things into investigators' way to trip them up when they are so close. We have faith we'll be able to get in contact again and help them work towards baptism. They are so ready, especially Ashley.

I can't give all the details of that day, but I wanted to quickly tell of one other miracle: With the zone leaders' help, we got Bessie on date! She's the daughter of a recent convert Sister Pridmore. She was taking the lessons and almost got baptized, but she is sleeping with her boyfriend Ricardo who is very possessive. She is scared that she won't be able to stay away when she did leave him...he comes and finds her and begs her to come back...and of other things like slipping up after baptism. We're trying to see her every day to strengthen her faith and help her get that confidence to take a leap of faith. When she takes that step...it will be the most amazing thing in the whole world, but it's going to take a lot of smaller miracles to get there.

I know that even through our trials and tough days, there is light at the end of the tunnel as long as we have the hope and faith and humility to let the Lord handle the situation and to grab our hand when we take that leap. God's power is amazing! He loves His children sooo much. In His time and with His help, everything is possible!

Have a great week! May the Lord be with all y'all!

Love,

Sister Cottam