Thank you for your last email mom, it was really good.
The week went well, to let you know we weren't in Tulsa the day
the big storm hit, we were in Saint Robert, Mo and Springfield, Mo. We had
some phone calls from some elders who had been in it though. We had one of
the Spanish set of missionaries here in Tulsa call us and tell us that their
apartment had been hit by a tornado, and that they were alright. We didn't
even know about the storm until they called us.
So there are two experiences that I want to talk about today.
The first happened on Tuesday afternoon. We had a few short hours on Tuesday
to do some work in our own area, so we decided to pull out the ward roster
and visit those who are part member families. We had two solid contacts; one
was with an older lady who has her 14 year old grandson living with her, who
isn't a member; and the other contact was with Sister P. After contacting
the first Sister we went to the address of a Laura M. We knocked on the door
and someone came to it and peeked through the window and told us to hold on.
After waiting a few minutes she came out and we began to talk to her. We
told her that we were looking for a "Sister M." she corrected us and told us
that she now goes by Sister P. The name P. is familiar to us because there
is a Brother P. that we know who goes to the Riverside ward. So we talk to
her some more and get to building a relationship and we find out that she is
the sister to this Brother P. that we know. She tells us some about her
conversion and explains how she got to Tulsa. She said that She used to work
on Sundays and had a boyfriend living with her that stopped her from coming
to church, but that last week she got a new job schedule and had her
boyfriend moved out and that she is now ready to come back to church. We
committed her to come to church and set up an appointment for eleven on
Sunday, just before church, so that we could make sure she would come. After
that we left, but before she let us leave she gave us three boxes of food to
take home. She is such a good lady, bless her heart. Well, today we went
over at eleven with Sam and got to know her some more and taught her about
scripture study. It was a really good lesson, we kind of stumbled our way
through the lesson at first because our original lesson plan was voided out
by the way the conversation went, but we finally found what it was that we
were supposed to teach. She ended up needing a ride to church today because
her car broke down, so we called the office Sisters who are my two favorite
people in the world, and they came over to pick her up. Sister Nokes and
Sister Mills did a wonderful job fellowshipping Sister P. I'm going to keep
in contact with them after my mission. I really like Sister P. She is an
amazing lady. I have only really talked to her for a total of an hour and a
half, but I really respect her. She fit in perfectly at church and felt very
welcomed. She said that she felt cleaner and that a weight had been lifted
off her shoulders. I have no idea how it is that strong friendships and
relationships can be made so fast between people.
I had another experience where I got to perform an emergency baptism
interview while on exchanges with Elder Goodale in St. Robert, Mo. His name
was Michael W. I only talked to him for about an hour but I felt so much
love for that man. I was told several hours in advance that I was going to
be doing the baptism interview; when I was told I started to think about
what was going to take place and what it meant to be interviewing someone
for baptism. I did all that I could to prepare myself for it. I have gained
greater understanding about baptism and the interview for baptism since my
last time performing one, so I did all that I could to be ready. As we
talked the Spirit was there, and I could tell by looking into Michael's eyes
that he had a broken heart and contrite spirit and that he had received the
Spirit of Christ and was forgiven of his sins and was worthy to be baptized.
It was such a fruitful experience. I have really gained a greater love and
compassion while serving here.
I guess I can understand why it is that relationships are gained
so fast, because sometimes they need to, and also because when you are doing
the Lords work you feel the love that the Lord has for these people, and you
love them the same way the Lord loves them. Some of my most meaningful
relationships have been with those who are not investigators but rather the
members and less-active members. I have found that most of the less-active
and in-active people that I have taught have been the most faithful people.
Seeing how they grow as they exercise their faith to work through hard times
inspires me to work through my own hard times.
Today we went around to some hospitals and put our names on the
clergy lists in hopes that we can get to know more people and do more good
while we are here in Tulsa. We have already had two positive experiences
with some people as we went out and put our name on these lists.
I love you and thank you for all that you are doing for me.
Love
Elder Kelly Conrad
PS; the picture attached is what the sky looked like after that big storm
passed over us while in Branson, Mo. The storm that hit Tulsa and Oklahoma
City went acrossd our whole mission so a few hour after it went over Tulsa
we saw it in Branson. It was intense but it wasn't as bad as it was here in
Tulsa.
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