June 3, 2013

Hi family :)

We're doing well in Bathgate. I told you last week that we cover a little more area than I did in Irvine. Well, that was a lie. Turns out, we cover qutie a bit of area and we are covering the elder's area right now as well because there are some complications going on and they are covering an area in Edinburgh. So basically, we have a HUGE area right now and no car so it's pretty tricky. Usually with this much area, missionaries have a car but there isn't one available for us to use. So we're having to do a lot of bus travel, which is kind of a big pain because it takes a lot of our time. BUT- we have been able to get a couple of new investigators from talking to people on the bus. We met a young couple in their 20's on one of the buses and we were able to go to their home last Thursday and teach them the Restoration and they brought a friend as well to be there for it! So that was good and now we're teaching the three of them! So I guess good things can come from being on buses so much! It's fun teaching these three (Harley, Sharni, and Breanne) because they are pretty close in age to us so I feel like we're just a group of friends that get together and talk about the gospel. When we first met them on the bus, they asked us where we were going next and they offered to take us to the street we were looking for. So they got off at our bus stop and had walked with us to the house we were headed to. Haha. We just get along really well with them. They are fun to teach. I'll let you know how things go with them.

Oh so last Tuesday I left my scriptures on one of the buses!! I didn't realize until we were already at our District Meeting and the bus was long gone. I felt sick to my stomach when I realized what I had done. So I called the bus's lost property line and told them to call me if someone turned them in, and then the missionaries who were around me joined in saying a prayer that my scriptures would be returned to me. Then I got a call on Thursday from the bus station saying that someone had turned in my scriptures!!! I was so so happy. Oh my word. I would've been heart broken if I would've lost my mission scriptures- with all of my markings and cross references, even the crinkled pages from when it has gotten wet from the rain and ash marks from people's cigarettes- my scriptures have character :) Plus, it had a copy of my Patriarchal Blessing in it which is something I really wouldn't want floating around Scotland. So I am one happy, relieved, grateful girl that someone turned them in.

This week we were able to do a lot of service for members in the ward- painting Brother Oliphant's house and helping move a member and we have some things lined up for this week. It has been really good. Last Sunday when we bore our introductory testimonies, I told everyone that they should use us becasue we have 6 helping hands and we are ready to work and serve them. I've been so pleased with how many people have taken the offer! We love to help and serve members! If missionaries around you offer you help, let them help you. They genuinely want to serve you. They're not just saying it. I promise. Haha. I love it when members allow us to help them with their callings or with house projects or whatever it may be. It's the best thing. I'm grateful they are letting us do service for them.

So our area is actually really close to the mission home. So we meet for our district meetings on Tuesdays at the mission home! I've almost been to the mission home more times in the last few weeks than I have in the last 9 months. The office ladies always have food and goodies for us and we get to see President and Sister Brown really often. Yeah, we're pretty spoiled. I didn't realize how exiled I was over in Irvine until I came to Bathgate! It also means that we get to go into Edinburgh every P-Day. There's loads of sites and castles to see in Edinburgh so we are going there again today. I love our area!!

So things are going well. Sister Oliphant, Sister Valadez and I are getting along really well- which is a blessing because I hear of nightmare situations with trios. We laugh a lot together and we're enjoying opening the area. It's tough work...not gonna lie...it's hard having an empty area book to work with and finding our way around and covering so much area and starting fresh with 0 investigators but we're making it work and our teaching pool is starting to grow and it's a fun expereience! I love the Lord and I love sharing what we have with people. It's so rewarding when we are able to get into someone's home and teach them the gospel. It makes me so happy when that can happen. The gospel is true!!

With love,

Sister Knab