The Floodgates Have Opened!

Everyone!

The floodgates have opened! School is back...which means the work is taking off! This week was a blur. We never had a slow moment. Three new and so so so prepared people ready to be baptized! Sister Shumate and I are staying together this up coming transfer and will be able to be here for the 7 people that have baptism dates! I was just talking to my old district leader and he said that our area has never had this much work in the history of the area. I truly believe this is because of the members. Almost all of the people we are teaching, we found through members bringing them to activities or church. It's amazing what happens when the members fulfill their responsibility in sharing what they believe with others. You have no idea how happy it makes us as missionaries!

The email below explains the new people we found this week, but I just want to update you on how blessed I feel. This week was a blur, like I said earlier, but in all the commotion, the spirit still remains. In each lesson we taught this week, I was able to feel edified and uplifted as we taught. Not a single morning were we able to wake up at the normal time, we had to wake up earlier, just to get to meeting and different events. I literally was running on nothing. Nothing at all, but...there was something. There was something always there, telling me to keep going, there are good things ahead. I had no energy, but I felt so much drive within me. This Sunday, as I fasted, I could more fully feel the spirit. I think I more fully grasped the concept that I am nothing. My physical-ness is nothing. The light of Christ within me is what matters most. I have to feed that more than my natural man. I was purely running on the spirit!

LOOOOVE YOUUUU!
Sister Fredrick


President,

I want to mention some miracles, or perhaps signs of the messiah's presence among us, as you mentioned in zone conference. This week we were able to meet with three new investigators and set dates with all three of them. First, Joe Smith. He is an 18-year-old student at ISU. He has had a rough past but is excited for the future. He said he loves what we teach him because it gives him an eternal perspective and adds meaning to this life. He is set to be baptized on October 3rd. Second, Marisa. She was brought to church three weeks ago by a friend. She stayed all three hours and has since come to every ward activity. We were able to teach her the first lesson and plan a day to be baptized on the 11th of October. She is excited and is so into learning that she's enrolled in an institute class! Third, Ernie. We met Ernie when he came to church two Sundays ago with his good friend. We asked him if he would like to learn more and he said he wanted to just enjoy church and activities for the time being. We contacted his friend this week to see if we could try and schedule a time to meet with them and she responded with joy, telling us that he really wants to learn more. We had a lesson with him last night and he told us how when he reads the Book of Mormon he feels peace and joy and he believes those feelings have to be from the Holy Ghost. He expressed to us how he grew up around so many LDS people and he loved their values, he just never took the time to learn more. Now, he sees this is the path God wants him to take and he knows it is true. Ernie's goal is to baptized on October 10th!

The Messiah is truly in the midst of ISU. Fast and testimony meeting yesterday was beautiful in each ward. Every meeting seemed to have an underlying theme of missionary work. Anyssa, who is getting baptized on Wednesday, nudged Sister Shumate and asked if she could get up and say something. We said "Of course you can!" Anyssa proceeds to bare her testimony of the Book of Mormon and Jesus Christ. She then thanks us for teaching her and pulls out all the stops when she invited everyone to her baptism and winks with two hand gun gestures. TO top it off, she closed in the name of Jesus Christ! 

I felt like a mother whose child just won their first race. Man, how the spirit touched the hearts of all those in the room and mine especially.

I am grateful for the things that are happening and for the amazing opportunity I have been given to teach such inspiring and courageous children of God. Sometimes I can't believe what is happening. The boom of people who are desiring to follow Jesus Christ! I know it's because Heavenly Father trusts the wards, especially the 7th ward. They are one big happy family and they have taken in our 5 investigators in that ward so happily.

I love this work and I love my companion Sister Shumate. She's helped me see so many things within myself. We really are companions for a reason! We're excited for the changes in the sisters we serve. We will miss Sister's Prince and Leasi, but are excited for the new sisters coming in! We can't wait to greet them with smiles and warm hugs! Thanks for all you do and the love you have for us.


Love,

Sister Fredrick

Cool leaf bug!