Everything is Going Well!

Sister Whipple & Sister Call

Everything is going well in Dubuque (pronounced Do- Buke) !  I am really starting to love this area and the people I meet.  Everyone is so nice, even when we are tracting and they are not interested! We didn't have the car this week so we walked a lot, but the weather was great so I didn't mind walking at all, in fact Sister Whipple and I enjoyed it.  But I'm not sure I will be enjoying it come winter time.  So, a little bit about my companion Sister Whipple.  She grew up in San Jose, CA.  She is the middle of 5 siblings.  She attended BYU for three years studying accounting before coming on a mission.  Her family now lives in Mesa, AZ.  Both of her parents served missions.  We are serving in the Dubuque 2nd ward.  The ward was created a little over a year ago.  We have a great ward that is a decent size.  The family we are living with right now are the Beytien’s.  Brother Beytien is in the bishopric and Sister Beytien is the Relief Society President.  They are such an amazing family and I have loved living in their home.  On Thursday we are moving into a Sister's home who is going to be living in California for the next 3 months, but then after that they will have to find another place for us to live.  Dubuque is a great town. John Deere is a huge employer in the area.  The majority of people here are Catholic.  It's very green and has lots of little steep hills. 

 

Figuring out our area.



The Large Dogs

Just a few tidbits of what happened each day.  Monday evening we were tracting and there is this house that has these two huge dogs and the owners were outside enjoying the evening so Sister Whipple commented on their dogs and then I asked if I could get a picture with their dogs.  It was so great, we ended up talking to this couple for like an hour!  Tuesday was Sister Whipple's 21st birthday, and we spent some time looking for volunteer opportunities, which we still haven't been able to set up, but since we have the car this week, it should be a lot easier to solidify service opportunities.  Wednesday was great and we were able to teach a couple from our ward who is preparing for a mission and has the missionaries come teach from Preach My Gospel each week! Thursday we had district meeting and then an appointment with a recently reactivated sister in our ward.  When we got to her apartment she was having a terrible day and thought she was getting evicted in three days and so Sister Whipple and I changed our lesson plans and taught about Alma's people in Mosiah 23 and 24 where they had so many burdens placed on them and yet they still cried to the Lord and their burdens were lifted.  Well get this.  So shortly after we get done reading and talking about Alma's people, the sheriff knocks on the door and what this sister thought was going to be an eviction notice, ended up being a subpoena to act as a witness for a car accident she had seen. It was so perfect because this sister came back to the living room and announced that we needed to say a prayer!  The Lord really does answer our prayers. 

 

The Davenport Stake, which we are a part of, has done a "Called to Serve" program for at least the past 30 years where young men and young women at least 16 years old choose to serve a mini mission.  They get a call letter that tells them which area they will be serving in.  On Thursday evening they go to the "MTC" (aka the stake center) where they received a brief training and then were set apart as missionaries.  They stay with members, but they are with us all day Friday, Saturday, and go home Sunday evening.  So Friday morning Sister Whipple and I got Sister Barton from Genocio, IL as our companion. She is 16 and it was her first time doing the “Called to Serve” program.  It was so neat to participate with this!  It allows young men and young women to see what the life of a missionary is like.  So Friday we went to several members homes and taught them and then went and tried contacting potential and former investigators that lived downtown.  

Sister Call, Sister Barton, Sister Whipple

On Saturday we saw our biggest miracle so far here in Dubuque!  Earlier this week the Elders gave us a list of potential investigators that they had come in contact with in the previous months.  Well we saw one that we wanted to contact.  Her name is Sylvia and so Saturday afternoon we went to stop by her apartment.  We went to knock on the door and then saw Sylvia.  So I asked if she was Sylvia? She said, “yes,” but gave us the look of "who are you?"  We proceeded to tell her who we were and that the Elders had met her back in April.  She remembered meeting the Elders, but then asked if we had a card with our number on it.  We handed her a mormon.org card with our telephone number on it, and then headed out.  I thought for sure I had blown our chance and we wouldn't be hearing from her again.  Well we continue until dinner time and when we got back to our apartment we had a voicemail on our phone from Sylvia!!!!!  She mentioned it was Sylvia and asked that we call her back.  Hallelujah!!!!! Best Voicemail received yet!  Well, we immediately called her back and got to her voicemail, but before I could finish the voicemail she was calling us.  We talked and she mentioned that she was very interested in learning more so we set up an appointment for tonight! She also mentioned that she wants to come to church so hopefully we can get her to church this coming Sunday!!!!!  

 

I was so excited after the phone call I started to jump up and down!  Finally, someone called from a mormon.org card and is actually interested in learning more.  Plus I was so excited that Sister Barton was able to be a part of a miracle that happened!  These little miracles make everything worth it!  

 

Church was great yesterday, but we didn't have any investigators there.  Hopefully next week that will change!  Sister Barton headed home yesterday, so it is back to Sister Whipple and I!   

 

Thanks for all the prayers and support!  I love serving here in Dubuque and am excited for more miracles to come!  

 

Love you all!

Sister Call

 

It’s a Small World:

Hey mom,  Do you know if one of Marion's brothers served a mission in London???  Because a member of our ward has a remembrance journal from an Elder Robinson from Star Valley who was bigger built and was a wrestler.  It would have been about 10 years ago and he hasn't been able to find Elder Robinson. (Hannah)

Yes, I just talked to Marion's Mom and Marion's brother, Robert, served in London, England.  He is currently living Spokane, Washington.  His phone is xxx-xxx-xxxx.  You can also give them DeeAnne and Marions's address and home phone. (Mom)

 

Haha I have to laugh at myself because as I come to different houses I notice their cement or their garage doors, or nice wood front doors,  haha wow you would have thought that I have spent time around a lumber yard or something. J  

Again, Love you all!

Sister Call