we are MEANT to have joy!

I think it's been awhile since I've written a group email.. that's awkward. Sorry!

this week was good... we saw SO many miracles. We picked up 8 new investigators, and are teaching a lot of families!

Our most progressing investigator came to church again, and I truly believe that she'll be baptized on June 4th! She tried to leave after sacrament meeting to go to her own church, and we ran after her and asked her where she was going. We ended up convincing her to say for the other two hours, and I'm so glad she did! We fasted with her this last week that she would get her answers from God, so we'll see what happens! She knows everything is true, she's just waiting for the peace she needs to leave her church that she's been going to for the last 20 years.

Tuesday we picked up two new investigators, who were really Bible bashy, but we felt like we shouldn't give up on them right away. They go to this Jewish messianic church, and the things they believe are kinda strange. We had an appointment with them yesterday, and it was really weird. You could tell that the Spirit wasn't there at all, and they had actually gotten rid of the BOM we left them... we told them that if they weren't willing to read the BOM that we wouldn't be able to visit with them anymore. Really strengthened my testimony that we teach those who will receive us.

 On Wednesday we picked up this really elect family who truly understand the need for a Restoration, because they see the corruption in all the other churches. They have an 8 year old daughter who is so cute, and I'm excited to continue to teach them... just worried that they'll be "too busy."

We have this investigator who's 21 and has three kids. A two year old boy, and 10 mo old twins. We've started teaching her, and she is so sincere. She doesn't lead a very Christlike life, but she has a desire to change, so I'm happy that we have ran into her, and are teaching her about repentance.

We had a family history class on Saturday here at the public library, and it went really well. The Spirit of Elijah is SO STRONG.

The Crosse's are struggling a bit, but I love them so much. We had a really powerful lesson with them, and now we know that we truly need to strengthen their faith in the Savior!! Gotta love the Spirit of Discernment.

We decided to follow up with this old investigator who's info was in our area book. The reason as to why missionaries stopped teaching her in the past is because "The house looks deserted..." well, we felt prompted to go see her anyways, because she seemed really cool, and super interested. We had trouble finding the driveway, because sure enough, it looked deserted. The trees had overgrown on the road, and it looked like you could bail hay in her front yard. Trees were growing over her house, and through windows, and sure looked like no one lived there... well, as we drove up this half a mile long driveway, we see a brand new car, definitely not deserted, in her driveway. We knock on the door, and she actually did live there! It was crazy! This lady needs a new house to live in.. but she's elect. We're excited to start teaching her more often.

Missionary work is the best thing ever, and I'm seriously so happy. The Book of Mormon says that "Adam fell that men might be, and men are that they might have joy." we are MEANT to have joy! In Alma, we're taught how to have joy: "And thus we see, that there was a time granted unto man to repent, yea, a probationary time, a time to repent and serve God." Kind Benjamin said that when we are in the "service of our fellow being, we are only in the service of our God". As we serve God's children, we are truly happy... and daily we need to repent, because we are NOT perfect! How wonderful the Atonement of Christ is! I sure do love Him.

Have a great week!
Love, Sister Kirkby