PTC Week 2 (Peachtree City)

Gaaahhhhhh Mother's Day was the bomb. I missed y'all as soon as I hit that "end" button. But it's fine! Because only 10 more months til we can hang out again non-virtually. :)

First off, AWESOME NEWS: Remember Faith from Snellville? She's 15, had been taught in Illinois for 2 years, basically already a member...yep, her. I just received word that she's getting BAPTIZED THIS WEEKEND! How awesome is that?!?! The answer is: REALLY AWESOME. We're in the process of finding me a ride so I can head up there to Snellville (which I'm crying about because #excitement) for the baptism, but yeah. I'm pumped. Faith is really something special--me, her and Sister Howell just really connected I feel like so I'm excited for her!

Week 2 in Peachtree City was pretty decent. The transition has been so much easier than I thought it would be, surprisingly. After spending 7 months in the last place, I was really worried that I'd majorly struggle. So far, I am doing really well with directions and can already get myself to church without a GPS so that's a major improvement! (Dad, you won't believe it--I'm GOOD at directions now!). The ward is cool, the culture is cool-ish, the area itself is cool...the only thing that's been a struggle for me has been just feeling at home and feeling a real love for the people in the area. I love most things about this place, it's just that I can't quite get settled in. I feel like I'm still on an exchange or something and will only be here for a few days haha. it's weird, I don't really know how to describe it. I guess I just feel disconnected from everyone and everything... But I keep forgetting that I haven't been here that long so I need to not be so hard on myself for being distant. It's just so different and I don't really know how I fit in yet. I'LL GET OVER IT THOUGH. I can see myself gelling in the future, it just hasn't happened yet.

Earlier this week, we had a really powerful lesson with our 16-year-old investigator Molly and her dad who is a member. (**sidenote: Gahhh she reminds me of my friend Grant from USU so much and it really freaks me out sometimes..they have the exact same personality!).
Here is the background info on Molly: She's the only non-member in her blended family besides her Mom and Grandma who are both Catholics by tradition, and don't live the religion whatsoever. She is deciding between Mormonism and Catholicism, and is leaning more towards Catholicism for whatever reason. We still are not even sure why.
Anyway...we had this lesson with her at the church that ended at the baptismal font and at the end, we talked about baptism. Now, throughout the whole lesson, Molly would say things like "I believe the Book of Mormon is true" or "I did the reading assignment" or would answer the questions we asked her with the "perfect" answers. You'd think she really had a testimony! But when we talked about baptism at the font, she was really hesitant and kept saying "I'm not sure if that's the right path for me, but i don't really know what i want right now" and completely avoided giving us a straight answer.
[Being a missionary has really made me hate passive-aggressive people, and I could tell she was holding something back.]
Finally I was just like "Molly, right now i'm going to be Brenna, not a missionary. *takes off nametag*. I'm tired of hearing you beat around the bush and not tell us what your real concern is. Right now, I want you to tell Brenna what is truly on your mind, and not tell us what you think we want to hear. You are holding yourself back from the blessings of being a member of the Church because you won't let us help you and you are denying the spirit that I know you are feeling right now. Why won't you be baptized?"
Haha I didn't even know i had it in me! At that moment, I was able to see just how far I've come as a missionary. 8 months ago, I would have never been able to talk to someone like that with the boldness or love i had in that moment for God's precious daughter Molly. The mission truly does change us! And I'm not even half-way done changing! :)

I'm really just so thankful and blessed.
And out of time. :)

LOVE YOU ALL. BE GOOD OKAY?????