November 18

Dear Family,

Well this is going to be a long email! Wow what an amazing week I have had!! Honestly this probably is one of the best weeks I have had my entire mission! I have a lot of stories to share with you this week, and hopefully time permits. Lots of amazing tender mercies. I just feel so grateful to be a missionary at this time!

We often go to these apartment complexes and for the past couple weeks whether showing up or leaving there is this particular car that always parks right next to us! We see it all the time! Its a very distinct car and so we can't miss it. So the other day we had an appointment with a women at these apartments, and right then this car pulls up right next to us yet again!!! I turn to my companions and I say.. ok this is a sign! We were late for the appointment though, and so I thought ok next time we HAVE to talk to her. So we run upstairs to this appointment and no on answered... then someone comes running up the stairs, and its this girl (the girl who pulled up in the mysterious car) and she yells are ya'll hear for me? She sees we are actually knocking on her neighbors door, but we get talking and turns out she is a less active that just moved here 2 weeks ago. She is actually YSA (young single adult) age and so she isn't in our ward, but it was a  tender mercy indeed. She let us right in, and we got talking. She lives with her alcoholic uncle, and is really struggling, and I know Heavenly Father needed us to help her out. She went to church for the first time yesterday in a while. We told her how we always noticed her car, and knew it was a sign from God! She realized it, and knows she needs to get back. So cool!

Now the story with her neighbor J... we met her a week ago, and we just met in passing. We gave her a card and she told us we could come back. She just moved here 2 weeks ago with her 3 kids from Virginia! She is struggling financially right now. Well the reason she didn't answer is she said she is embarrassed of her living situation, and doesn't even think to let anyone in.  She texted us and said she appreciated our time though. But I felt we couldn't give up on her! I felt so good about her! Well last Sunday a women in our ward came to us and told us she has a nice child's coat that her daughter has outgrown and she thought perhaps the sisters knew someone in need of it. Well as J was texting us apologizing for not answering and how she is trying to just get food on the table for her children, I thought of this coat!! I knew she could use it and so I simply told her that we have a childrens coat a women in our church was giving away and if she would accept it. I wasn't sure if she would, so i thought if she didn't reply we would just show up anyway to give it to her. But surprisingly she texted back and said she would really appreciate it!! We went to her home and there tears in her eyes. She couldn't believe that someone would do this for her. We told her it wasn't coincidence that we met her and we knew the message that we share could bless her life. She informed us her 11 year old daughter wants to go to church, and she didn't realize our church is literally up  the road from her apartment. So we have an appointment with her this week at the church! I am so grateful for the member who was prompted to tell us about the coat, because that my friends OPENED doors! :) I love the tender mercies. They are what keep me going. She has so much potential and I am excited to see where it all goes with her and her family!

C I have been teaching for over 3 months now! He moves slow but he is progressing!! We have tried to commit him to baptism time and time again. But he would never commit to a date. We felt like the next best step would be a church tour. He has had bad experiences with churches, and so we think that has been a big part of whats holding him back. So we had the tour, and man biggest miracle of the week!! When we went into the chapel the spirit hit us like a bus. It was so strong. We sang to him "I Know that my Redeemer Lives" He is a musician so he loves when we sing. ha ha. Tears filled his eyes. He couldn't deny what he felt. He said it felt so amazing, so nice, we committed him to baptism on Dec. 7th and he accepted!! I couldn't help but cry. Gosh it was incredible. The spirit bore witness that this was Christs one true church on the earth. We still have a lot to work on, but he's already come so far! He has had quite the past. Its so amazing being a part of his whole progression though. I may be transferred before his baptism, but I will just be so happy the day that he finally makes that step to enter the gate to eternal life!

We are working with 9 less active families, many who are making great progress! One woman in particular in the past 2 months has made a complete 180! She now says she fell away for a time but now that she knows it takes sacrifice to get blessings she will never leave again! We do FHE with her family every Monday, and she told us she loves the scriptures now. The stories are coming alive for her! Two months ago she had the "why me" attitude. Why do we have trials? And now she knows its because they make her stronger, which it truly has done!
We had 2 less active families come to church yesterday. That was a miracle. It was the primary program as well, wow there is such a special spirit about the little children!

Zone Conference was this week! I learned SO much. I love seeing President and Sister Augustin. I really have come to love them like parents out here in the mission field. They are so supportive and back me up 100 percent. I know that's trust I had to gain though, and I'm glad I've gained it. 

I know this gospel is true 100%. I get tested, tried, and ridiculed everyday, but it only strengthens my testimony. I know this church is true. It is the same church as the primitive church that Christ established centuries ago. We have the same authority, the priesthood on the Earth today to perform saving ordinances such as baptism. I have grown to love the Book of Mormon more than ever before. That book has POWER. And really is our tool for conversion. Lastly I know my Savior lives.

Love and miss all of you! As they would say in west Texas "Have a Blessed week!"

Sister Turner