transferred

I had an experience last week that I want to share. 7 1/2 months ago I started to work in Union City. My first appointment there was with a part member/less active/investigator family. The Deleons. The dad served a mission, got married but were separated shortly after. He had three kids with another woman and they have been together for 17 years... but not married. One of their three boys was baptized about a year ago so we worked with this family as much as we could. They wanted to get married and the wife wanted to get baptized but he was still married to another woman.. That kind of creates a problem. So for 7 1/2 months we worked, prayed, fasted, worked some more, prayed some more so that they would be able to get the divorce papers in and that she would actually sign them (he had a huge fear that she would just rip them up and the time and money would just go down the drain).
Well Monday night, my last night in Union City we went over there so that I could say goodbye. As I started to walk out the door the father stopped me and said they had something for me. So the mom started digging through the shelf in the closet. She pulled out a little box out of a plastic bag and when she opened the box it took me a couple seconds to recognize what it was. There were three rings. An engagement ring and their wedding bands... He told me he didn't want me to leave thinking that everything he said was just talk. Then proceeded to tell me that he sent the divorce papers and that even if she denied it that they would be able to investigate and they would be able to obtain the divorce. That is the best gift I could have received on my last night in that area.. Especially when one of the boys added that "...then we will be able to be sealed in the temple!!" 

Well I am now in a new apartment and not feeling like I was on a rrrreeeaaalllyyyy long exchange for two weeks or couch grashing. Well lets be honest... I have a bed now!! So things are looking up! Other than the fact that we are moving apartments in another two weeks.. I have to admit.. I am getting pretty good at moving every three weeks!!

 I know that I am serving in a place called New Brunswick and it's more south of New Jersey (because we are zone 9 out of 12) but after transfer conference my super cool new companion and I jumped in the car and she drove us home. So... I have NO IDEA where I am in New Jersay... Time to pull out a map!

So the new comp. She is from Idaho! Which means... That I have YET to have a companion from "the factory." That's what they call Utah.. Her name is Hermana Haddock and is pretty awesome!! We are going to have the best transfer ever... (she's the first companion that is willing to run with me!!) and I will talk to you all on Monday!! Hope you all know that I know that the church is true, the book is blue.. and IM A MORMON!!

 

Hermana Schwendiman