Tuesday we met with our investigator, Cherie who has been meeting with missionaries on and off for a few years. She had been reading the Book of Mormon which was amazing because that is something she hasn't been the greatest at. She read 1 Nephi 3 so we talked about keeping the commandments and how sometimes it's hard to keep the commandments or follow God's will but there will always be a way. For example: Last week Sister Neuffer and I had to make plans for this week to go on exchanges with some of the other sisters in the zone. We felt that both sets of sisters would bennifit from going on exchanges this week but we also knew we wouldn't have the car which isn't a big deal because we can just take the bus. We prayed about it and felt really good about it so we went for it. Over the next couple days, meetings and other appointments kept popping up that would make it extremely hard for us to do everything without a car. We were confused. Didn't Heavenly Father tell us to plan our exchanges then? Why then are these other just as important meetings popping up? We decided to continue to follow the prompting we had received. Today, some of the meetings have rescheduled and now everthing has worked out because it always does according to Heavenly Father's plan.
A few weeks ago Sister Neuffer and I had the prompting to knock this little group of houses near one of our investigator's apartment. One of the last doors we knocked on, a woman answered. We asked if we could share a video but they just had a death in the family. She did say we could come back another time. A few weeks later we felt that we should stop by again. A man named Gene answered the door and said it was a bad time but that we could come back on Saturday. We came back Saturday and shared the video and he really enjoyed it. We were able to have a lesson this week and we have another one next week. To be completely honest, after we walked away after we knocked those houses, I was discouraged. I was confused why we had both been prompted to knock there but there was no immediate miracle. I feel that often, when we receive and prompting and we follow it immediately, we want immediate results. That doesn't always happen. Sometimes, your investigator has an amazing experience at church and the spirit tells you to set them with a baptismal date and you expect everything to go according to plan because the spirit told you so right? It all goes back to trusting the Lord. That investigator might drop that date but it doesn't mean they dropped you. They know that at one point they were able to have a baptismal date. If they could do it once, they can do it again. If we can keep the commandments, we can do it again and maybe that's when the blessings will come. It's not a one and done thing. It's repetition. Don't be afraid of repetition.
None of this email really makes sense. But what does make sense it the Book of Mormon. If you say a prayer before you start, it will all make sense. This morning I was reading Jacob 5 which is a hard chapter because it is an allegory and it talks about vineyards and grafting trees which is something I don't really understand. But I started with a prayer and I was able to pull something out. There is a part that talks about the Lord of the vineyard talking to his right hand man. Basically he tells his right hand man to call more servants to labor diligently in the vineyard. We (us missionaries) are the servants called to labor diligently in the vineyard. We can all learn new things from the Book of Mormon. Even if it is just a small insight like the one I received.
Sorry for this lame email. I promise Sister Neuffer and I did stuff this week.
Lots of Love!
Sister Van Buskirk
Sister Van Buskirk
We find random things in Philly.
More randomness. If you don't want your lantern stolen just attach a bike lock! 
Sometimes I like climbing the walls.
A sneak peak into missionary life.
Fall on Kelly drive.
These last to pictures were not taken in our area. They were taken in the elder's area. It's prettier where they live.
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