Knocking on Wood

Holla Familia!
It's been an interesting week. Finished Studying Charity and Virtue. Now I just need to apply them into my life! "Charity suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the Truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things" Moroni 7:45. To have Compassion, Patience, and Mercy. recognizing that we are all Children of God. So far... There are a lot of things that I need to work on to be more charitable... Then there is Virtue - "Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above Rubies." Proverbs 3:10. (Phili 4:8) I also thought of the 13th Article of Faith as well, “We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men, indeed we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul - we believe all things we hope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things. if there is anything Virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things.” Cha-chow!! telling you straight up what to be in life! I also learned a lot from PMG about virtue: What you choose to think and do when you are alone and you believe no one is watching is a strong measure of your Virtue. Pray for strength to resist temptations and control your thoughts and do what is right. Quickly repent of any sins or wrong doings. You can Become Pure and Virtuous. There is hope until the end.
Anywho, that is what I learned from Charity and Virtue these past few weeks. I also liked what my mom sent me this last week 'by small things, great things are accomplished. Do your Best.. and the Lord will make up the rest.... You cannot buy Charity. People who serve with Charity give true love and concern, and are then blessed by the Lord.'  Remember that WE are the reason God created the Universe... we are his work and his Glory. Compared to God we are nothing yet we are everything to God.' I also liked something that my cousin Megan said that 'When Obedience ceases to be an irritant and becomes a quest, in that moment, God will endow us with power' (E.T. Benson) I also going over old letters and I liked a quote that my sister Sherie sent me: What if you were to fast from negative or critical or worldly talk? or maybe you could fast from a habit you are trying to change. As you engage in service and the fasting from the behavior that takes you away from the spirit, you will feel a renewal of the Spirit of the Lord - Robert H Daines.
I also read from Stand a Little Taller (I think that is what it is called, by President Hinkley?)
it is inspiration for everyday of the year. So I read my birthday: "Lifted UP at the Last Day - Whosoever shall put their trust in God shall be supported in their trials and their troubles, and their afflictions, and shall be lifted up in the last day (Alma 36:3) We know much of loneliness. We may know discouragement and frustration. we may know adversity and trouble and pain. I would hope not. but you know and I know, that suffering comes to many sometimes it is mental. Sometimes it is physical. Sometimes it may even be Spiritual. Ours is the duty to walk by faith, rising above the evils and trials of the world. we are sons and daughters of God. Ours is a divine birthright. Ours is a divine Destiny."     I thought it was pretty cool, and it went really well with how I was feeling that day, because I wrote it down in my little book and that is why you know about it now :)

I'm just going to share some of what I wrote to my President because it basically goes over what I have been doing all week:
It has been an interesting week. I don't think I have gone Tracting or Harvesting so much in my entire three months of being on a mission. We have done it basically every day because things have been falling through most of our days. I enjoy going Harvesting - at least I think it is Harvesting where you go around praying with people? It's funny to hear some of the people say that they are Christian and say no to a prayer. It makes me laugh. I don't think I have held hands with so many people while saying a prayer either. We have done a lot of walking at night looking for open doors or lights that are on. So far most of the people have told us that it's too late and to go home. It is interesting to walk around at night. tI is cold; no one is outside and most people have their lights on and are asleep - it's strange. So far nothing has happened at night, but we will keep going. I was super frustrated one night after a few days of tracting and harvesting that I was wondering what we could do differently with our tracting approach. So I had a neat experience with PMG. I looked up Effective use of time, because I'm not going to lie; I felt like we were wasting our time going out in the dark and in the cold knocking on doors and asking them if they wanted to learn more about Jesus. Everyone already knows about Jesus (for the most part). So I wanted to know what we could do to better use our time. We haven't been able to receive any referrals to contact, so I was just looking for something! Then I turned to Tracting Skills. I guess this was the time that it really clicked in my head that we can't just go out and ask people if they want to hear another message about Jesus. We need to start sharing with them a part of the message and spark something inside of them. If we just say Jesus, then it will be the same response we get every time - I know Jesus, No thanks. So in PMG it says to share a piece of a message such as ‘God is our Loving Heavenly Father or Families can be together forever because...’ and give them like a two or three sentence of the First Lesson. and then see if they would like to find out more about how Families can be together, or why God loves us, etc. So that was a neat thing to finally click into my head. Now it's just figuring out how to say it (ha,ha.) So far lots of words stumbling on my part.
We haven't been able to talk to Jaylene for about a week or so. The last lesson we taught with her was the Law of Chastity and since then she hasn't talked to us. I mentioned how she wasn't there for the appointment that she promised she would be there for. She has been telling us that this week has been just to busy, and there is a lot going on. We tried talking to her last night, but she texted us saying that she was too busy getting the children bathed and ready for tomorrow. We asked her if we could come and see her today and she said that her daughter had a doctor appt. Wow, That's a really long appt, if she can't meet all day. so we will see how things work out. Hopefully we will be able to catch her soon, and figure out what we did wrong or what is going on in her life. I do not think she will be prepared by Nov. 9th to be baptized, but we will see.
I have had a question that has been running on my mind for a while, and I haven't been able to figure it out. The little bit that I have figured out, I don't know how to say it... “How do you forgive someone you don't want to forgive, or Love someone you don't want to love?” There is the scriptures that we are to forgive everyone, and to love everyone, but I don't know How to do that, Let alone explain to someone how to do it. Maybe I am looking for the wrong answer. Maybe I am looking too much for the answer that addresses my question exactly.

It has been a super rough week of things falling through and Knocking on Wood and trying to find people....Solid investigators! So far no luck, but I know they are somewhere hiding in these Ohio hills. Somewhere... Hiding really well. The thought of people who are looking for something greater, but are falling into despair come to my mind. The Story of the Battered Violin comes to mind:  Twas battered and scarred, and the auctioneer thought it scarcely worth his while to waste much time on the old violin, But held it up with a smile "What am I bidden, good folks" he cried, "Who'll start the bidding for me" "A dollar, a dollar"; then "two!""Only two?" two dollars, and who'll make it three? "Three dollars, once; three dollars twice; going for three --" but no... From the room, far back, a gray-haired man came forward and picked up the bow. Then wiping the dust form the old violin, and tightening the loose strings, he played a melody pure and sweet as a caroling angel sings. The music ceased, and the auctioneer, with a voice that was quiet and low, said, "What am I bid for the old violin?" and he held it up with the bow. "A Thousand dollars and who'll make it two? Two Thousand! and Who'll make it Three? Three Thousand, once, Three Thousand, twice, and going, and gone!" said he. The people cheered, but some of them cried " We do not understand, what changed it's worth" Swift came the reply: "The touch of the Master's Hand" And many a man with life out of tune, and battered and scarred, with sin, is auctioned cheap to the thoughtless crowd, much like the old violin. But the Master comes, and the foolish crowd never can quite understand, the worth of a soul and the change that's wrought by the Touch of the Masters Hand.          There is also a quote by Pres Monson:  At times there appears to be no light at the tunnel's end - no dawn to break the night’s darkness. We feel surrounded by the pain of broken hearts, the disappointment of shattered dreams, and the despair of vanished hopes... if you find yourself in such a situation, I plead with you to turn to our Heavenly Father in Faith. He will lift you and guide you. He will not always take your affliction from you, but He will comfort and lead you with Love through whatever storm you face.     Hope is the anchor for the soul, the sail for our dreams, and the balm for our pains. It is the one-size solution that fits all.

I have learned a lot about continually having hope in all that I do. I do get frustrated easily, but I don't wallow in my anger. I try and find a solution that will work out. Most of the time I end up with a lot of awesome quotes that fill my little book, and most of the time I can't remember what I was feeling when I wrote down half of the things in my little book, but it makes me feel better every time I review them. I may not have taught as many lessons or had a great time. But I did learn a lot about keep moving forward and trying to learn more. Even though I felt like I was Knocking on Wood to keep my luck moving and nothing seemed to be working out. I know that my Savior loves me and is watching out for me and I can do all things in the Masters Hands.      Now that I have drowned you in quotes and in feelings. I feel like I wrote you a poem or something haha. I love you all and I hope everything is going well.
Hope School, Work, and Families are going well. If there is ever anything I can do to help any of you. Let me know and I will do my best :)

Loves Yah!!!

Sister Karen Call