Sister Jennifer Bradley, Indianapolis Indiana Mission : Count Your Blessings

Hello! This was a very interesting week with a lot of peaks and valleys.

To start it off, we had Specialized Training for new missionaries. They give suggestions on ways to overcome fear, how to effectively contact people, those sorts of things. Soooo, I thought I'd be funny, and the day before the training, I told Sister Degener that we were going to have to do a role play with our mission president in front of everyone. She started freaking out like crazy! Seriously, I've never seen her act this way the whole time I've known her (a whole 5 weeks haha). So, me being the person I am, I kept going and told her she'd have to recite the first vision in front of everyone and that we'd have microphones too. She was so stressed, she looked ready to quit. So, after this went on for a good 20 minutes, I told her I was joking and that she wouldn't have to do any of those things and then she didn't believe that I was joking! So I told her what we were actually going to do, and she calmed down a little bit. :) Flash forward to the next day, we walk in and I told the Assistants to the President about the joke, but then during their training that day they totally called her out!!! They said, "We will now have Sister Degener role play to President Carlson." The room was silent. And Sister Degener had a deer in the headlights look on her face. It was probably only 30 seconds, but it felt like an hour of silence. They then said they were joking and then said that I told them to do it! I guess I deserved that haha at least she was able to be waaay more open with me about her fears and now I know what she needs help with! :) blessings in disguise?

We were able to deliver some items to the lady named Janelle that we helped a couple of weeks ago. Ward members donated items that she was in need of and it was such a privilege to be able to deliver them!

We taught a Part member family's son named Ryland. He is 11 and has not been baptized yet, hopefully we can start teaching him and help him on his way to becoming a member of the Church!!!

We met a less active family from India, who were actually converts from Hinduism and we are hoping to do some family history work with them to make their way back into activity and to the temple!!

We met some interesting people, this boy who is a senior in high school told us he was athiest, so we kept talking to him and this kid was seriously convinced that the world was flat. He said the government doesn't want us to know it's flat and are conspiring with NASA to deceive us lolololol We also met this lady who we talked to for quite a while, she said I reminded her of this guy (she said his name but I can't remember it) I asked who he was and she looked shocked I didn't know him, after checking several times to make sure I really didn't know who he was, she told me he was a tv preacher!!!! LOL I asked if that was a good thing and she said she really liked him soooo, I guess that is a compliment? haha

Brad dropped us the day before we were supposed to meet with him. He just isn't ready yet, he looked up things online... Someday he will be ready though. :)

Thanksgiving was our Pday, so we ate lots of food and got to do our shopping :) We ate dinner with some families in our ward, and played some games with them too.

Sorry my email is everywhere, I guess that reflects the state of my brain right now. Family and Friends, often life gives us some really tough challenges. My family is facing one of those challenges right now. My dear brother is in the hospital, and is really struggling for his life. This has been a very difficult couple of days, but what a comforting thought to know God is in charge and not us. When times get hard, I often recall this hymn:

When upon life’s billows you are tempest-tossed, When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost, Count your many blessings; name them one by one,

And it will surprise you what the Lord has done.

Are you ever burdened with a load of care? Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear? Count your many blessings; ev’ry doubt will fly, And you will be singing as the days go by.

When you look at others with their lands and gold, Think that Christ has promised you his wealth untold. Count your many blessings; money cannot buy

Your reward in heaven nor your home on high.

So amid the conflict, whether great or small, Do not be discouraged; God is over all. Count your many blessings; angels will attend, Help and comfort give you to your journey’s end.

Count your blessings; Name them one by one. Count your blessings; See what God hath done. Count your blessings; Name them one by one. Count your many blessings; See what God hath done.

Serving with a Smile,

Sister Bradley

Pictures!