This week was an interesting week in so many ways! So the city of Pittsburgh is split into different ares such as Shadyside, Oakland, Morningside, Southside, Northside, Squirrel Hill, Homestead, and the list could go on for a while. But anyway the Southside elders asked if we could contact a referral for them in Squirrel hill. and we had tried once before but Sister Marshall the wife of our CES missionary couple drove us there. Then the next time we tried to contact it we took the bus... but unfortunately we missed our stop and ended up in Homestead which I have a feeling is a more shady part of town. Luckily we ended up there during the day and we didn't go all the way to McKeesport which is actually pretty bad. The McKeesport elders told us that in their area book there is a list of 10 ways not to die. Comforting huh? Not really. But where I spend most of my time is safe. But some of the Elders areas are not as safe. It's crazy how much different the areas are and they aren't that far away from each other.
So this past weekend they had a YSA conference. And the girl that was in charge of it is in our ward and her name is Lauren. So Lauren asked us if we would teach a couple of classes during the conference and so of course we said yes. It was really great! We were so busy last week and we didn't get around to preparing until Friday night. But we got a really good outline and we were able to teach by the Spirit and have a fun activity at the end. Our topic was building our armor with missionary work. We talked about the armor of God and then about Captain Moroni. It was goooooood! The activity we did is we gave everyone a card with a person from the scriptures who built their armor and had them hold the card to their forehead and try to guess who they had. It was fun!
It was one of the coolest experiences of my mission so far. I love being able to know when the Spirit is truly telling me the things that I need to say and explain and I felt that this weekend. The YSA conference was really good for us because we were able to see a few people we needed to reach out to. We were also able to see a former investigator. We could tell he truly has an interest in the Gospel but I feel like at the moment he is just being stubborn about accepting it. he is so stubborn! It was funny cause at dinner he told us that it was always us reaching out and talking to him first and I thought about it for a second and said wait you texted us first today! and he had to think and then realized he had. It was really funny.
I'm so thankful for the conference because we were running out of food and money. and of course they fed the kids (adults...) that came. (including us!) But then they gave most of the leftovers to us and the elders in our district which I know we are all very grateful for.
We were able to see the progress of so many people here and I just love it!! We have been teaching this one less active guy. He had joined the church when he was 15 years old but hadn't ever really been active. He has been attending another church fairly regularly and it has been somewhat difficult to get him to come to LDS services. But yesterday he came to church. Since it was the YSA conference they allowed time in sacrament meeting for the baring of testimonies. And he got up and shared his testimony and it was really amazing. He also called us last night and told us that he is going to start coming to our ward more often even regularly. It is a huge improvement!! And I'm so excited for him! I know the gospel has helped him through some of his recent challenges and I know he feels that.
We have another less active girl who has not been able to come to church for being hospitalized. She is now on a floor that allows her to go on outings and she was able to come to church this week! It was really exciting and I know she loved being able to be at church.
We are teaching some of the sweetest Chinese people ever. I love them. Their understanding of the Gospel is so childlike but yet so sincere. We were able to teach one of our little Chinese investigators with Sister Topham. It was great!!!
So the Elders make me laugh. We have two elders that are being trained in our district right now. They came out together and it's still both of their first transfers. One Elder Eiwertz is having a lot of success. The other is Elder McDowell and well he and his companion are not having so much success at the moment. There was a little contention between them at district meeting and it ended up with Elder McDowell telling Elder Eiwertz to basically stop talking. It was awkward but it's really funny to me at least to look back on it.
We recite D&C 4 every district meeting and in one of the verses we say attributes in verse 6 that we need to develop. And diligence is the last one and Elder McDowell doesn't have the order memorized so he just saying diligence diligence diligence diligence until we get to diligence. It's so funny and last week he was sitting next to me and I was laughing so hard I couldn't keep going.
The Elders in my district are awesome! We'll be getting a new elder next transfer cause Elder Johnson our district leader is going home. He is the most Christlike person I have ever met... seriously. He is just so good! We may call him one of the three Nephites.
My companions tried calling me one of the 3 Nephites!! They're crazy! Silly companions. They don't realize just how imperfect I am. Ha! I didn't realize how imperfect I was until I got on my mission.
But anyway I love you. I'm going to send you a picture of the view from our dining room window in a couple of minutes.
THANKS FOR EVERYTHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sister Davidson
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