Hello y'all!!

 I hope you are all doing well and that everything is going good for you. This week has been one of the hardest and best weeks of my mission. Within this past week I ran into 2 Bible bashers. Those encounters were the hardest things I have ever experienced. Being from Utah you never experience that type of thing. All I have to say is that I am glad that it isn't like that in Utah. Through those experiences though, my testimony grew. They couldn't tell me that what I believed was false. We just politely sat through what they were saying, and didn't tried to bash with them at all. My hope is that they realized how we acted (with dignity and respect), and that a seed was planted in them.

With lots of Hard Work and Perseverance the area is starting to grow here. It has been a little slow, but is now rapidly moving. We have been talking with everyone we see, and we have been able to get many New Investigators. We met a girl Friday, named Danielle. She is 18 years old, and we ran into her by the park on our bikes. This was no coincidence because we were trying to find a Less-Actives apartment that ended up being the opposite way of where we were going. We talked to her, and gave her a Book of Mormon and set a return appointment up for the next day. We taught her Lesson 1 (The Restoration) on Saturday, and invited her to be Baptized November 9 which she said YES to. We asked her to pray to know if the things we had taught her were true, and she said, "I already believe they are." We invited her to attend a Baptism Saturday night but she was unable to attend. However, she did come to church yesterday, and loved it. The members were so welcoming and loving and she really appreciated their friendship. She told us that she can really see herself loving going to our church. What is even more exciting is that several members have invited Danielle to come with us at our Dinner appointments. It is great to see how much the ward here is embracing member missionary work! While Spiritual Harvesting we ran into a lady by the name of Dana. Dana just moved here, and is looking for a church to go to. She doesn't have a set religion although her husband is Baptist. We taught her about The Restoration on Saturday, and she said that everything makes sense. Her husband has told her some anti-mormon literature but she asked us about it, and we were able to overcome those concerns. We invited her to church and to the Baptism but she was unable to attend both because of becoming sick. She is really into reading The Book of Mormon, and I am excited to be able to teach her more this week.

My companion and I are doing great, and are working well together. This week was pretty rough until things got moving this weekend. But through it all Sister Olsen was upbeat, and positive. This really helped me since I am easily stressed. She has helped me to believe that I can do it, and to remain optimistic even though things have been hard. We are still trying to get used to how each other teaches but I know that with more practice, and teaching more investigators our Unity will increase. 

Last Monday, I was able to give a Book of Mormon and a pass-along card to the cashier at Old Navy. It was the neatest experience because I normally would not have the courage to do such a thing. As the cashier was scanning my clothes she was reading my badge. I then asked her if she had ever heard of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints before. To which she replied, No. I then asked if she had ever heard of Mormons. To which she said, Yes. She then asked me what the difference is between what we believe and the Baptists. I told her (as I was scanning my card to pay) that we believe the Bible to be the word of God, as well as The Book of Mormon. I then gave her a pass-along card and told her to go to www.mormon.org, and she asked if it would talk about "the book" on there .So then I handed her The Book of Mormon, and as I was in the process of saying that she could call us if she had any questions she finished my sentence for me. I am so glad I was able to have this experience because it build up confidence in me. 

This week in studies I have focused on The Book of Mormon and reading Preach My Gospel Chapter 3 everyday for 30 minutes. I was able to finish The Book of Mormon challenge (read it in 30 days), and was able to once again feel the truthfulness of the message it contains by doing Moroni's promise. I prayed to know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God, and felt a tingling sensation in my arms and legs. It was strange but I know that it was the Holy Ghost manifesting the truth of The Book of Mormon unto me. I have also noticed that as I read Chapter 3 in PMG everyday I become more confident in teaching, and I feel better equipped to teach.

Love you all!! Go and find people you can share this wonderful gospel with!!

-Sister W. Williams