3 Months Folks

Nobody like to watch Mormon messages with me. I know someone in
probably 89% of all the movies, videos, magazines, clips, ads ect.
that the Church produces, and when I see a familiar face I like to
point it out.

It was a solid week I'm tellin ya. Hello loved ones! Hey family, I got
your package! Gracias. That was so fun to get! Thank you for the
pictures, notes, letters, art, and the darling bracelets! I jumped for
joy and then quickly hung it all up on my wall that I stare at during
studies. ;)

Heavenly Father blessed me so much this week. I have watched him
answer prayer after prayer. I want to share a few examples of this.
Número one.... I was having a hard time last week, I was struggling
having the confidence I needed to go into our lessons with so I could
teach clearly and simply. It was extremely frustrating for both me and
Sister Astle. I prayed with all my might that The Lord would help keep
my mind clear and I could teach with power and simplicity. One morning
as I was preparing to go to a lesson with an investigator I prayed
specifically for these blessings in this lesson. We taught the
restoration. I was able to teach Tracy clearly and simple doctrine and
as I recited the first vision to her from memory the spirit was able
to bare strong witness to her. I was so relieved and soon as we walked
out of Tracy's home I knelt and thanked my Father in Heaven for
keeping his promises, and loosened my tongue.

Número two.... I told you all that I missed the temple. Well I missed
it so bad I asked my father in Heaven to help me some how get down to
the city so I could go. Miracles do happen folks. Right now I am on my
way to the temple [well by the time you get this I will have already
gone] Sister Davis offered to take Sister Astle and I. I know this is
my Father answering my plea.

Número three..... We have been meeting with a less active named Helen.
She is absolutely wonderful. Her husband, Rudy, isn't a member and is
pretty disgusted with the whole "Mormon deal". He wouldn't ever talk
to us when we would showed up. He is a pretty small, old, stubborn,
Italian man.  Recently we have been doing some family history work
with Helen and yesterday when we went over The Lord decided it was
time to soften Rudy's heart, he wants to do family history with
Helen!! Bahhh! We were dumbstruck. Even Helen was shocked. This was an
answer to our prayers.

Número four.... We got to call Marietta! She is doing so well. She is
definitely bringing some New Yorker umph to her new ward. :) It was
the biggest comfort talking to Marietta and to know that she is still
cleaving to the tools that will help her endure to the end.

Número five..... Danielle. 19 year old girl who was inspired to wake
up last Sunday and walk into the closest church she could find. That
was the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saint. We got her number
and since this past Sunday we have been able to meet with her twice
and yesterday we were able to set a baptismal date! She has had a hard
life and to see the hope the Savior brings to her and her life is the
most divine thing I've ever witnessed. I am so proud of her. She is
working really hard to quit smoking so the date is set for September
21.
"The feeling of love from our Heavenly Father is like a gravitational
pull from heaven. As we remove the distractions that pull us toward
the world and exercise our agency to seek Him, we open our hearts to a
celestial force which draws us toward Him. Nephi described its impact
as “even unto the consuming of [his] flesh” (2 Nephi 4:21). -Elder
Paul E. Koelliker
[He Truly Loves Us]
http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2012/04/he-truly-loves-us?lang=eng

Okay now I'm ready to share my nightmare for the week. In all
seriousness, it was a nightmare. First off I must specify that I
strongly dislike ground beef. There is something about it that freaks
me out and it doesn't even taste good [sorry if that hurt]. Now try to
picture this. Sister Astle and I just left a lunch appointment with a
less active member. She had boughten us two huge pizzas after working
in her yard. The pizza was so yummy and our bellies were poppin, and a
little uncomfortably so. We got in our car to head to our next
appointment at our dear Mildred's home. We got there and the almost
the exact moment we sat down Milly started to tell us about the
spaghetti she has just made to last her for the month.... "No. No. No.
No." That's what was going through my head. It wasn't to much longer
after when she offered us some. At first we kinda just tried to ignore
the question, then we pretended we couldn't understand what she was
asking... That didn't work... So then suddenly we "lost" our hearing.
She wasn't giving up. The longest three minutes of my life passed and
then Sister Astle caved. She replied with a solemn "sure Milly, we
would love some." I started to cry as Milly shuffled past me into the
kitchen. She plopped a ladle full of saucy noodles and then came the
soggy ball of the meat that makes my skin crawl. She threw it into the
microwave and then tossed it onto the table in front of us. We started
to eat. I tried to just spread it out on my plate but Milly noticed
and yelled "you chose to eat, now eat!!"  She then proceeded to open
her 1900 fridge and show us the pan full of uncovered spaghetti. I
won't go into to much more detail but I don't think I will ever
willing choose to have spaghetti and meatballs ever again. It was a
nightmare and my tummy hated me for the few days that followed.

I love New York. I feel so blessed to be out here around these people.
Glory be to God, for this is his work. Thank you for your prayers, I
know the things I see and am able to do is not only Heavenly Father
answering my prayers but yours as well. I love you. I will talk to you
next week. XO
Love, Sister Checketts


PRAYER ROLL:
Zuley- She will find a place to live.
Tracy & Daughter- Read the Book of Mormon. Come to Church. Return to health.
Danielle- Strength to quit smoking. Peace to prepare for baptism.
Dulce- Wont be scared to go into the waters of baptism.
Rudy- We will be able to do family history work with him.
Shenickqua- She will feel the truthfulness of this Gospel