Hi Family and friends!
Thanks for your emails and prayers- now that I am on a bike I most
definitely need those prayers! First exciting news of the week... We have
elders at LSU now! We have the zone leaders working the area as well and I am
really excited to see how much work we can do with two sets of missionaries.
It was difficult the first part of the week because we had to divide up our area
with them and give them half the less actives we have been working with. That
was hard because you build up a relationship with these members and it is hard
to hand them off to someone else. It will make it easier for a lot of those we
passed off though because they are guys and we have to have a member if we are
to go visit them while the elders can stop by anytime to visit them. Elder Ageda
and Elder Knowlton are the two elders. Elder Ageda is from Guyana and he served
at LSU for about four months at the beginning of the year. He knows a lot of
nonmembers around the area from when he was in the area previously and so he is
excited to get in contact with them. Also, a lot of people from free speech
alley knew him so that will help having him there again!
This past weekend there was a YSA conference in Hattiesburg,
Mississippi so pretty much everyone we get rides from and a lot of those we
wanted to visit were gone. It was a very slow weekend! We had about seven of
us at church yesterday and that was very entertaining. Sister Tuft and I spoke
with the high councilman and the elders gave both the prayers. I was also the
pianist for all three meetings. We had to laugh too because our topic was
helping less actives and about half the congregation was less actives.
Therefore, we were talking to them about rescuing themselves :) The elders
ended up teaching sunday school and then we taught combined priesthood relief
society. I think everyone who came was sick of the missionaries by the end
because we literally ran the entire meeting! I guess all those experiences in
previous wards of speaking and teaching on the same day were preparing me for
this! All the other missionaries were making a big deal out of it and all I
could think was- "uh... I'm use to it!"
We haven't been able to get in contact with Lily which is quite the
bummer! We keep trying to contact her but she's not responding. She has a
friend named Jazmin who is in our ward but as been out of state all summer. She
just got back into town yesterday so we are hoping she can get in contact with
her! We did meet a new possible investigator on Friday! Sister Tuft and I
decided to ride the bus to campus that day, instead of biking, but unfortunately
we missed the last bus home. We didn't realize the last bus had already left
though so we were waiting at the bus stop along with another guy named Perry who
was in the same situation as us. I had recently made a goal to talk to one new
person per day so I sat there for about ten minutes trying to convince myself to
have the courage and talk to him. Finally I built up the courage and I honestly
have no clue what I even asked him. We started talking though and it was a
great conversation. It obviously came up that we were missionaries and then he
started telling us about his beliefs. He had a lot of beliefs that were similar
to ours in the church, which made me really excited. We listened to him talk
for about an hour and then we realized we needed to get going because we were
going to have to walk home and it was a long walk (all our member rides were at
the YSA conference). We got his number and asked if we could visit him and tell
him about our beliefs. He said yes and then asked which direction we were
walking. We told him the area we lived and it turned out that was were he was
heading so he actually walked the first mile and a half with us. It was really
fun to talk to him and he was super nice! We have an appointment set up with
him for today, right before FHE. He sent us a text yesterday saying he just
wants it to be understood that he doesn't want to join our church but he really
likes talking with us :) We figured we would take what we can get! Maybe he
just doesn't know he wants to join the church :)
That was pretty much our most exciting story of the week. Biking
continues to be an adventure! I'm hungry ALL THE TIME!!! and that's kind of
frustrating! It does allow us to spend more time on campus though and that is
where we find most of our people who we talk to! I'm so grateful to be here at
LSU for another transfer. I have grown to love this ward so much it is going to
be hard when I get transferred to a different area. We have so many wonderful
returned sister missionaries and they are so great to give us rides and go to
lessons with us! Everyone keeps telling me that we are spoiled at LSU because
the bishopric is so amazing in working with us too! It really is a great ward
and the members teach me so much about how to love others and see them as they
can become! I never have to worry about a less active or non member not
feeling welcomed at church or activities because our ward is so good at
fellow-shipping!
I hope ya'll have a wonderful week and mom, I'm glad you had such a
wonderful birthday!!! And Kristen, I hope you are enjoying your new pet :) I
love you all so much and I am so grateful for all of your prayers! I love this
gospel and that love grows more and more everyday! This is Christ's church upon
the Earth and there is no doubt in my mind about that! Thank you for all you
have taught me and the love you have shown for me through the past 23 1/2 years
:) I love ya'll!!!
Love,
Sister Ogden
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