Jesus Loves Gladys

Okay so I guess I promised yous guys some stories. So last Friday the Benjamin Franklin Parkway turned 100. So all the Mueseums and other things were letting people in for free or doing cool events. Some members opened the church up for people to come learn about family history. They asked for a bunch of sisters to come and help get people in the church and also give them a tour of the building. It was amazing! We had some elders as well talking to people on the street and then we decided to call our elders and see if they could come down and invite people on the street as well. Both of them just had lessons cancel so they were on board to have something to do. It's always just so fun to see other missionaries and work with them! 

So the big news about Tom! WE SET HIM WITH A DATE! He had a great experience at church a few weeks ago. We had a lesson about honesty that really touched him and for a week he was thinking about the lesson. When it was time for our lesson his heart had been softened and he was ready to accept a date. We set it for October 14 but he said we might be able to move it up if he can take care of a few things. So we are pumped! 

Thursday was the big day. It was the day Gladys Knight came to town. For those of you who didn't know this, Sister Knight was baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1997. So she goes on tour with the Saints Unified Voices to have devotionals to help people meet with the missionaries. It was amazing! They sing gospel songs that are not the kind of songs we sing during church but I wish they were! The spirit was so strong. They sang one song about turning yourself over to God that really touched me. We also received a lot of referrals because of it and we are so excited to start teaching these people. 

This week has really been full of miracles. Yesterday, we found 5 new investigators and the past few days have just been full of good things. Sister Neuffer and I were talking about it and we haven't been doing anything extra to receive these blessings but Heavenly Father just loves us enough to give them to us. It reminded me of a quote one of my friends sent me a while back. Elder Bednar said "Ordinary people who faithfully, diligently, and consistently do simple things that are right before God will bring forth extraordinary results." That's all Sister Neuffer and I have been doing. Or at least trying to do. Heavenly Father is just helping us get to those people who are ready for the gospel. 

Last week we met this woman and her son. Charlotte and AJ. We showed them #PRINCEOFPEACE and gave them a Book of Mormon. They seemed interested so we set up a time to some back and asked if she knew anyone that would be interested as well. She told us about her neighbor Carmen. We went and talked to Carmen and it turns out she met with missionaries 12 years ago. Anyway, we went back to teach Charlotte and AJ yesterday and we were also able to teach AJ's older sister, Ronnie. It was probablythe best Restoration lesson I have been apart of. Sometimes when we teach we don't have any faith that these people will progress. For some reason the spirit that was there was different. I can't really explain it. They all seemed engaged and they liked what we were teaching and they wanted us to come back. This family is a blessing from Heavenly Father. 

I hope you all try and do the "simple things" this week. Scripture study is such a key thing. The past few days Sister Neuffer and I have not been able to have personal study and even though we are missionaries and we literally can quote scripture on the spot there is a different feeling when we don't get that time. When we have those days I try and make an effort to read later in the day. I invite you all to make it a goal to read the Book of Mormon everyday this week. Look for the blessings that come. They will be there. Have a fantastic week! I love you all so much! 

Lots of Love!

Sister Van Buskirk

Exchanges with Sister Beukers 

"Our district is so classy" -Sister Neuffer (Front Row: Elders Gabiola, Brown. Sisters Neuffer, Van Buskirk. Back Row: Elders Sowards, Nelson, Vargas, Othero, Ronco, White.)

"Our district is not very classy" -Sister Neuffer

Sister Neuffer and I decided we are moving back to Philadelphia and we are going to have our own neighborhood called Neukirk and then we saw a sign that said Newkirk. We are taking it as a sign. (Pun intended) (Also it was Sister Neuffer's pun. I can't take credit.) (She is my sole source of comedy. Literally the funniest person to walk into the Independece South Apartment.) (Did she make me say these things? Maybe...)