It has been another great week! President McDonough and his wife came and spoke in our Florence ward's sacrament meeting yesterday and I loved it! They gave a commitment to everyone to meet someone they did not know by the end of the block of meetings and to continue to meet new people every week. I thought it was awesome! President said that we gather together each week to help each other and lift each other up. How can we do that if we do not talk to or know the people who we gather with? So I am committing myself to do the same thing and to do that when I get home. Be the one to reach out to others. Don't be offended because someone didn't say hi to you. Reach out in love to someone else and you will feel even better than if someone reached out to you - I know that. One of my favorite songs says, "Our lives were meant for reaching from the moment we were born. Our dreams were meant to guide us to the things we're reaching for. And as God looks down upon us, I believe He's reaching too. And I think that He is teaching us that reaching is what we're here to do." I do believe that we are here to reach out to others - in love and charity. Charity is the Christlike attribute I am working on now. There are many pieces of charity, but the "two pieces of the pie" that I am working on right now are to see others as Children of God, and to avoid judging, criticizing, and talking negatively about others. Charity is a gift. I know that as we "pray unto the Father with all energy of heart, that [we] may be filled with this love" (Moroni 7:48), that we are filled with it a little bit at a time. Charity is not easy to have, but it helps so much when we allow ourselves to take a little bit more into our hearts.
As far as teaching goes, we were super excited to give a Book of Mormon to the non-member wife of a less active in the ward! They have been going to her church for the past 8 years or so, but he helps out with the scouts every Wednesday night and is an awesome man! I wasn't actually there to give it to her because we were on exchanges with the Sister Training Leaders (STL's- similar to AP's, but they are sisters), so Sister Walker and Sister Cox gave it to her. However, I was told that she was so grateful for it! I'm so excited because I have felt for a long time that this man is ready to come back, but wants his family with him. I hope things continue to go well! Also, that whole situation was awesome because Sister Johnson and I had stopped by his house to see him and talked with him, his wife, and some of his sons for a few minutes before we had to go to a dinner appointment. Only a half hour later, Sister Walker got the prompting to stop by there and they caught the family right before they were about to leave their house to go eat dinner. And that's when they gave them the Book of Mormon. That morning I had the thought that we might over lap where we stopped by, knowing that we were going to be working in the same area, and that something really good may come from it....and it did! It was amazing to me!
We also started our weekly Mendenhall trip (the southern-most part of our area) and spent the night there with some members so that we can start working that area. It went really well! We were able to see some less actives, an active older couple, and go tracting and get some potentials! All of the members were excited to have us there and to hear that we would be back weekly! I really am excited to expand where we've been and reach out to more people!
Also, I already told you last week that we are all four staying in this area for the next transfer. What a blessing! We were considering having Sister Walker and I move to an apartment in Florence so that we would be inside the borders of our proselyting area, but after prayer and council with the Zone Leaders, we are all going to stay in the same apartment we are currently in. At the beginning of last week I really felt like we should split and was hoping we'd get the ok, but after really praying about it and thinking about it, I wanted us all to stay together. I was hoping the Zone Leaders would tell us that we were staying together, and last night they called and said we are! I really feel like there is a support and groupness about having all four of us together. We are able to give support, encouragement, and learn from each other.
I'm so grateful to be here at this time and to have the opportunity to serve the Lord by having the calling of a full-time missionary. I do miss you all back home and wish I could be there with you through all of the ups and downs, to see your victories and reach out during your sorrows, but I know that being apart of the Lord's work here in Mississippi at this time is a blessing - not only for me now, but for many later. I know that the gospel of Jesus Christ is true and that it is led by our loving brother and Savior, Jesus Christ. I know our Heavenly Father lives. I am so grateful for the opportunity I had to teach the gospel principles class yesterday at church. It was on prayer to our Heavenly Father. It was simple. But I loved focusing on the simplicity of prayer to our Heavenly Father. Remember that it is by small and simple things that great things are brought to pass. I know that's true!
I lvoe you all and wish you all the very best! May THE force be with you! (Yes, there is a reason "the" is bolded (: )
Monday, October 28, 2013
Tuesday, October 22, 2013
My joy is full :)
Happy Fall Ya'll!!
That is one of the most common phrases around here right now. Wreathes, signs, decorations....it's everywhere and I love it! So happy fall ya'll! Sorry this email didn't come yesterday because I forgot that yesterday we had interviews with president so our p-day got pushed to today. Next week it will be on Monday though! And speaking of transfers, during interviews yesterday President told all four of us in Florence that we will be staying another transfer!!!!!!! WAHOO!!!! We were all hoping so much and even praying (well I actually couldn't bring myself to say it in a prayer, but I really wanted too!) and so when President told us that we were all SOOO happy!!! Of course transfers is still 2 weeks away, and it is possible that the Lord will direct President to send some of us another way, but it's basically 95% sure that we will all be staying in the Florence ward!
I really have enjoyed and even loved my time here. On Sunday I was looking back over what has happened and the progress that has been made in this area. In Sacrament meeting we had 12 people who were either investigators, less actives, or recent converts. That was amazing.....absolutely amazing. We have gone from 2 missionaries to 6 (Sister Meek and I being numbers 3 & 4). We have had 4 baptisms. I know that success can't be found in numbers alone. But each soul that comes unto Christ is a victory to me. In that sense numbers do matter, because the people they are referring to matter. My joy was so full on Sunday to see with physical and spiritual eyes the growth that has happened in this ward. I feel so blessed to have been able to be apart of it and to be able to stay another 6 weeks (8 from today) to see it grow more. I love the people here. It will be hard to leave when the time comes, but I do feel that I could do it because I feel that I will have left this ward and these people better than I found them. There have definitely been hard days, but looking back I was able to see all the good and that was all that stuck out. My joy was full :)
So to give you an update on everything else that happened this week, I'll start by saying how excited I am that our good friend [and neighbor investigator] is praying about a baptism date! I don't remember how much I have said about him, but he is amazing. He has a personality that he won't go into anything half-heartedly. Once he makes a choice he goes in all the way and sticks with it. So he has done tons of research and we've talked about a lot of things with him and he's decided he feels that this is right - that the gospel of Jesus Christ is true. He has stopped smoking and drinking and is planning on separating with his girlfriend to obey the law of chastity (and he has 2 kids). . . . He's talked about marrying a Mormon woman and wants to put copies of the Book of Mormon in all of the churches that our church has donated Bibles to. And he's chosen to do all of this even with his father being a baptist preacher, having a friend who likes to bible-bash Mormons, and so many friends who still drink and smoke. I'm telling you, he is all in. I have so much respect for him and brotherly love. It has been miraculous to watch the Lord work in his life and to see [this man] let Him in. I'm so excited for him and even more excited because the odds are very high that all four of us sisters who have been apart of this journey with [him], will be here when he decides to follow the example of our Savior Jesus Christ by being baptized by someone holding the priesthood authority of God.
This week we (Sister Walker and I) also had a really good lesson with a less-active family (who we also love). This family is awesome too! We talked with them about the plan of salvation and ended up teaching them some things they didn't know. It was so fun and made me so happy to see light bulbs go off as things clicked in their heads. Like the reason why we do baptisms for the dead! I love it when you see someone get it! It makes me so happy! :) Before we taught the lesson we made cookies with them. Then after the lesson we tied it into our cookies. We talked about what it takes to make a cookie - a perfect cookie. You have to put in all of the right ingredients, you can't leave any of them out, and you have to follow the directions. Similarly, in order to get into the highest glory of heaven, you have to do all of the things that the Lord has asked us to do, and you have to follow his directions. Then we ate our cookies with them. Mmmm, yes we did enjoy our "celestial cookies". :)
We were also able to go teach a lesson to one of [our recent convert's] friends at the hospital. [This woman] has her newborn in the hospital for many complications. She is super humble and sweet and is searching to learn more about Jesus Christ because of it. We have given her a Book of Mormon and she is starting to read it. Teaching at the hospital was very different, but also felt so right...like these are people who could definitely use the comfort of the gospel of Jesus Christ in their lives. I wanted to talk to all of the people there, but of course I didn't. It was a neat experience though, and we are excited to be teaching [this woman]!
We also had some car fun this week haha. :) So a couple of weeks ago our car was in the shop for a week solid because of transmission problems. I guess it kept slipping because I would be driving and press on the gas pedal to accelerate and all of a sudden the gas pedal would fall to the floor and not do anything....not such a fun experience haha :) So last week we were driving it and it happened again - after being in the shop for a week. I was not happy. I did not want to have to do another week without the car. It is super hard when the border of the area you're working is about 4 miles aways, or a 20-30 minute bike ride, depending on traffic. So when we talked with our vehicle coordinator, we were able to convince him to let us keep going unless it happened again. So Wednesday we were driving back from district meeting in Clinton (about 25 minutes away) and I took a wrong exit on the interstate (these interstates and highways out here are a lot more complicated than just I-15 in Utah). As we were going on the curve-around on-ramp to get back on, the gas-pedal gave out. Yup, on the on-ramp. Super fun! So I pulled over to the side as much as I could, but there isn't a whole lot of room on an on-ramp. We all held our breath as a semi came up and tried to go around us. He made it by. I tried to stop the car, turn it off, turn it back on, and go again, but it gave out again. We were right in the middle of the on-ramp. We ended up sitting there for about 15 minutes. Many cars and semis passed us - including an ambulance and a highway patrol. We had called the elders (who were with a member going back from district meeting) and our vehicle coordinator. But ultimately we sat there. I was nervous to try to start the car again because it was more dangerous if it gave out further up the on-ramp. After we got off the phone we prayed and I started up the car again. Then all of a sudden a pick-up truck stops in front of us and backs up to us. Two guys hop out and ask what's wrong. They take a look and rev the engine and finally decide to have me try and they will follow to make sure we'll alright. Well we get going and end up making it all the way home! The story doesn't end though. The guys also follow us all the way home and guess what?? When I first saw the driver I thought I recognized him. When we got out of our car at our apartment to thank him he looked at my name tag and asked what my name was. I told him he looked familiar and he said, I think I was supposed to meet with you one time and then didn't. Then I asked if his name was ______. He got a smile on his face and nodded his head. This was a guy we had tracted into 2 months ago! I couldn't believe it! The odds of that whole thing happening were unreal. Playing back the list of events that led up to that moment, there was no question in my mind that the Lord wanted us to talk to him that day. He lives in the other sisters area, so we'll see how that goes! But it was a really neat experience and incredible to see how the Lord can and does work in mysterious ways. And as an fyi, we took the car into the shop the next morning and they fixed it in one day...at least we hope :) It's running well right now and we hope and pray it continues to. However, I have no fear of it going out again, because I believe all things happen for a reason and it will all be according to the Lord's will.
Well it's about time to go, but I love you all and am so thankful for the support, prayers, and letters/emails that come from all of you! They really do help! Keep the faith and remember who you are! Be not weary in well-doing, and may THE force be with ya'll!
That is one of the most common phrases around here right now. Wreathes, signs, decorations....it's everywhere and I love it! So happy fall ya'll! Sorry this email didn't come yesterday because I forgot that yesterday we had interviews with president so our p-day got pushed to today. Next week it will be on Monday though! And speaking of transfers, during interviews yesterday President told all four of us in Florence that we will be staying another transfer!!!!!!! WAHOO!!!! We were all hoping so much and even praying (well I actually couldn't bring myself to say it in a prayer, but I really wanted too!) and so when President told us that we were all SOOO happy!!! Of course transfers is still 2 weeks away, and it is possible that the Lord will direct President to send some of us another way, but it's basically 95% sure that we will all be staying in the Florence ward!
I really have enjoyed and even loved my time here. On Sunday I was looking back over what has happened and the progress that has been made in this area. In Sacrament meeting we had 12 people who were either investigators, less actives, or recent converts. That was amazing.....absolutely amazing. We have gone from 2 missionaries to 6 (Sister Meek and I being numbers 3 & 4). We have had 4 baptisms. I know that success can't be found in numbers alone. But each soul that comes unto Christ is a victory to me. In that sense numbers do matter, because the people they are referring to matter. My joy was so full on Sunday to see with physical and spiritual eyes the growth that has happened in this ward. I feel so blessed to have been able to be apart of it and to be able to stay another 6 weeks (8 from today) to see it grow more. I love the people here. It will be hard to leave when the time comes, but I do feel that I could do it because I feel that I will have left this ward and these people better than I found them. There have definitely been hard days, but looking back I was able to see all the good and that was all that stuck out. My joy was full :)
So to give you an update on everything else that happened this week, I'll start by saying how excited I am that our good friend [and neighbor investigator] is praying about a baptism date! I don't remember how much I have said about him, but he is amazing. He has a personality that he won't go into anything half-heartedly. Once he makes a choice he goes in all the way and sticks with it. So he has done tons of research and we've talked about a lot of things with him and he's decided he feels that this is right - that the gospel of Jesus Christ is true. He has stopped smoking and drinking and is planning on separating with his girlfriend to obey the law of chastity (and he has 2 kids). . . . He's talked about marrying a Mormon woman and wants to put copies of the Book of Mormon in all of the churches that our church has donated Bibles to. And he's chosen to do all of this even with his father being a baptist preacher, having a friend who likes to bible-bash Mormons, and so many friends who still drink and smoke. I'm telling you, he is all in. I have so much respect for him and brotherly love. It has been miraculous to watch the Lord work in his life and to see [this man] let Him in. I'm so excited for him and even more excited because the odds are very high that all four of us sisters who have been apart of this journey with [him], will be here when he decides to follow the example of our Savior Jesus Christ by being baptized by someone holding the priesthood authority of God.
This week we (Sister Walker and I) also had a really good lesson with a less-active family (who we also love). This family is awesome too! We talked with them about the plan of salvation and ended up teaching them some things they didn't know. It was so fun and made me so happy to see light bulbs go off as things clicked in their heads. Like the reason why we do baptisms for the dead! I love it when you see someone get it! It makes me so happy! :) Before we taught the lesson we made cookies with them. Then after the lesson we tied it into our cookies. We talked about what it takes to make a cookie - a perfect cookie. You have to put in all of the right ingredients, you can't leave any of them out, and you have to follow the directions. Similarly, in order to get into the highest glory of heaven, you have to do all of the things that the Lord has asked us to do, and you have to follow his directions. Then we ate our cookies with them. Mmmm, yes we did enjoy our "celestial cookies". :)
We were also able to go teach a lesson to one of [our recent convert's] friends at the hospital. [This woman] has her newborn in the hospital for many complications. She is super humble and sweet and is searching to learn more about Jesus Christ because of it. We have given her a Book of Mormon and she is starting to read it. Teaching at the hospital was very different, but also felt so right...like these are people who could definitely use the comfort of the gospel of Jesus Christ in their lives. I wanted to talk to all of the people there, but of course I didn't. It was a neat experience though, and we are excited to be teaching [this woman]!
We also had some car fun this week haha. :) So a couple of weeks ago our car was in the shop for a week solid because of transmission problems. I guess it kept slipping because I would be driving and press on the gas pedal to accelerate and all of a sudden the gas pedal would fall to the floor and not do anything....not such a fun experience haha :) So last week we were driving it and it happened again - after being in the shop for a week. I was not happy. I did not want to have to do another week without the car. It is super hard when the border of the area you're working is about 4 miles aways, or a 20-30 minute bike ride, depending on traffic. So when we talked with our vehicle coordinator, we were able to convince him to let us keep going unless it happened again. So Wednesday we were driving back from district meeting in Clinton (about 25 minutes away) and I took a wrong exit on the interstate (these interstates and highways out here are a lot more complicated than just I-15 in Utah). As we were going on the curve-around on-ramp to get back on, the gas-pedal gave out. Yup, on the on-ramp. Super fun! So I pulled over to the side as much as I could, but there isn't a whole lot of room on an on-ramp. We all held our breath as a semi came up and tried to go around us. He made it by. I tried to stop the car, turn it off, turn it back on, and go again, but it gave out again. We were right in the middle of the on-ramp. We ended up sitting there for about 15 minutes. Many cars and semis passed us - including an ambulance and a highway patrol. We had called the elders (who were with a member going back from district meeting) and our vehicle coordinator. But ultimately we sat there. I was nervous to try to start the car again because it was more dangerous if it gave out further up the on-ramp. After we got off the phone we prayed and I started up the car again. Then all of a sudden a pick-up truck stops in front of us and backs up to us. Two guys hop out and ask what's wrong. They take a look and rev the engine and finally decide to have me try and they will follow to make sure we'll alright. Well we get going and end up making it all the way home! The story doesn't end though. The guys also follow us all the way home and guess what?? When I first saw the driver I thought I recognized him. When we got out of our car at our apartment to thank him he looked at my name tag and asked what my name was. I told him he looked familiar and he said, I think I was supposed to meet with you one time and then didn't. Then I asked if his name was ______. He got a smile on his face and nodded his head. This was a guy we had tracted into 2 months ago! I couldn't believe it! The odds of that whole thing happening were unreal. Playing back the list of events that led up to that moment, there was no question in my mind that the Lord wanted us to talk to him that day. He lives in the other sisters area, so we'll see how that goes! But it was a really neat experience and incredible to see how the Lord can and does work in mysterious ways. And as an fyi, we took the car into the shop the next morning and they fixed it in one day...at least we hope :) It's running well right now and we hope and pray it continues to. However, I have no fear of it going out again, because I believe all things happen for a reason and it will all be according to the Lord's will.
Well it's about time to go, but I love you all and am so thankful for the support, prayers, and letters/emails that come from all of you! They really do help! Keep the faith and remember who you are! Be not weary in well-doing, and may THE force be with ya'll!
Monday, October 14, 2013
Go BIG or go home
This last weeks highlight for me was obedience. On Wednesday at district meeting our zone leaders taught us and extended (actually re-extended) the commitment to tract 7 hours every week. Sister Walker and I have wanted to work on that for a while, but have lacked the actual "umph" to do it. With that invitation from our zone leaders though, we re-committed ourselves and decided we would do everything we could to get in our seven hours for the week...at that point we had zero. Well last night, at the end of the week, we ended up with 7.5 hours of tracting. Yes, miracles happened and blessings were given. It wasn't easy, but it also wasn't as hard as I had imagined it being. We just needed to do it. We ended up with 4 pretty solid new investigators and some other possible investigators! It was really good.
Other good news of the week, [one of our investigators] was baptized! It was tough, and you could tell the adversary was trying to prevent it from happening, but it happened and it happened on her birthday. What a sweet moment it was so see her baptized on Friday and confirmed on Sunday! She is an amazing woman and will do so much good in her family - her husband and his parents are all less actives. We love [this woman] and her family and I really hope that she notices the difference as she continues to follow Jesus Christ with the Holy Ghost as her constant companion. What a blessing that is, to have the Holy Ghost with you always if you are living worthy of it. :)
Also, our apartment doesn't smell like smoke anymore! It was ozoned last Monday and the carpets were cleaned on Tuesday. That meant that we spent Sunday night through Wednesday day out of our apartment. We stayed with some other sister missionaries in Clinton Sunday night, and then spent two nights at a members home in the southern part of our area (Mendenhall). Anyways, we were very happy to come back to our apartment and have a smoke-smell free home!
Also, to go back to obedience, something kind of hit me this week. The phrase "Go BIG or go home." I've realized that setting lower expectations does NOT help you. Yes, there does need to be a balance, and you should not try to run faster than you have strength, but don't feel that lowering expectations or goals will bring greater happiness because then you'll be able to achieve them. Stretch yourself! That's something I've been learning. You may need to change your plan or timetable of achieving the goals, but don't stop yourself from growing because you're not willing to go through some "growing pain". I don't plan on going home anytime soon, so I want to go BIG. I am going to strive to be exactly obedient, and do as much good as I can before it is my time to come home. When I look back, I want to be able to see and feel that I made a difference for good - in myself, in others, in the mission. The Lord's work is going to move forward and I want to be a part of it. The same applies to our earthly mission. What are we going to say and how are we going to feel when we look back on our earthly mission? Will we have experienced "a mighty change in our hearts" and "received Christ's image in our countenance"? Will "our works have been the works of righteousness?" (Alma 5:14-16) I hope so. :)
I love you all so much! May THE force be with you this week!
Other good news of the week, [one of our investigators] was baptized! It was tough, and you could tell the adversary was trying to prevent it from happening, but it happened and it happened on her birthday. What a sweet moment it was so see her baptized on Friday and confirmed on Sunday! She is an amazing woman and will do so much good in her family - her husband and his parents are all less actives. We love [this woman] and her family and I really hope that she notices the difference as she continues to follow Jesus Christ with the Holy Ghost as her constant companion. What a blessing that is, to have the Holy Ghost with you always if you are living worthy of it. :)
Also, our apartment doesn't smell like smoke anymore! It was ozoned last Monday and the carpets were cleaned on Tuesday. That meant that we spent Sunday night through Wednesday day out of our apartment. We stayed with some other sister missionaries in Clinton Sunday night, and then spent two nights at a members home in the southern part of our area (Mendenhall). Anyways, we were very happy to come back to our apartment and have a smoke-smell free home!
Also, to go back to obedience, something kind of hit me this week. The phrase "Go BIG or go home." I've realized that setting lower expectations does NOT help you. Yes, there does need to be a balance, and you should not try to run faster than you have strength, but don't feel that lowering expectations or goals will bring greater happiness because then you'll be able to achieve them. Stretch yourself! That's something I've been learning. You may need to change your plan or timetable of achieving the goals, but don't stop yourself from growing because you're not willing to go through some "growing pain". I don't plan on going home anytime soon, so I want to go BIG. I am going to strive to be exactly obedient, and do as much good as I can before it is my time to come home. When I look back, I want to be able to see and feel that I made a difference for good - in myself, in others, in the mission. The Lord's work is going to move forward and I want to be a part of it. The same applies to our earthly mission. What are we going to say and how are we going to feel when we look back on our earthly mission? Will we have experienced "a mighty change in our hearts" and "received Christ's image in our countenance"? Will "our works have been the works of righteousness?" (Alma 5:14-16) I hope so. :)
I love you all so much! May THE force be with you this week!
Monday, October 7, 2013
Sister Fish-y and Conference :)
So some great things and some interesting things happened this week! First of all, the interesting...aka funny...and a little fishy :)
Sunday night we ate at a members home and they fed us fish, shrimp, salad, and mozzarella sticks. It tasted good, but you need to see the picture of my plate of food...I had to get past the look, but it tasted fine and we were grateful for their service. They are some of my favorite people out here. I love them! They make us laugh, love us, stick to the gospel, and the husband is always telling people about the church and inviting friends and neighbors to come.
Good news for the week! We got a washer and dryer, and a new table and chairs set! We now have enough tables for each of us to sit at the table! And the table is VERY nice compared to what we had. We went from an outdoor small circle wooden table, to a nice rectangle dark burgundy wood table and chairs with white padding. We felt like princesses! We were SOO excited! It was an early Christmas gift!
Conference also felt like Christmas! The night before I was so excited! I LOVE conference, and it went by all too fast. So we were hoping to get a lot more investigators there then we did, but some ended up with sick kids, others with family issues. However, [one of our investigators] watched some of it on her phone on Saturday and got the channel for a day so that she could watch it on Sunday. Good news with [her]! We visited her Sunday morning and she told us that she had been feeling that her birthday would be special this year (that's the date we have set as her goal for baptism). Then she told us that she read the talk we'd given her to read in the August Ensign on Moving Forward with Faith and felt like that's what she wants to do. She decided that that's what she would do with her baptism - move forward with faith - and if it wasn't right that God would give her a feeling of no. I was so happy that I wanted to cry. My heart melted and I was so grateful! That had been the desire of my heart when I invited her to read that talk last week. [This investigator] reminds me so much of me and my decision making process. I want so much to feel a strong and overwhelming feeling of yes! And yet, sometimes (and for me it's most of the time) the Lord wants us to judge for ourselves if it "inviteth and enticeth to do good," and then take a step of faith into the dark. THEN He will direct our steps and we will receive a witness that what we have done is right, or a stupor of thought that we should go another way. I know this is true.
So [she] will be getting baptized this Friday - her birthday! We are more than excited for her! She is a wonderful woman and her family is amazing and full of love! We got to really meet and talk with her husband this last week and being with them and their 3 girls as we knelt in prayer together was one of the sweetest and most "home" moments I have felt on my mission so far. It was crazy - [this investigator] was praying, her two older girls were wondering around playing with my water bottle and trying to give it to people (including [her]) to drink from, and Sister Walker and I were trying not to laugh - but it was a moment where the spirit was strong. It was a sweet moment, as in soft and simple and happy. :)
Then [our neighbor investigator] came to the last session of Conference on Saturday! He is such a strong man. He has really been faced with some family challenge this last week, but has decided that no matter what, if he feels that this is what he needs to do, he is going to do it. He said that at the end of the day, his Father in heaven is who matters most to him. Also, he started the Stop Smoking Program on his own! That's like unheard of! We were going to start it with him this week and when he came to conference he told us he hasn't smoked since last Friday night! Wahoo! . . . Ah we all love this man and all of our investigators. [This investigator] really inspires me to be more devoted and converted to the gospel of Jesus Christ - to living it to the fullest.
A few thoughts from Conference:
I hope and pray that all of you were able to enjoy the blessing of General Conference - of listening to God Speak. I know He does. I would also add my invite to the one given above. Please reach out to at least one person! One of my favorite songs that has inspired me since high school says :
"I've never been the kind to testify. I don't have the words His truth deserves. But it's a simple thing He asks: a worthy heart and willing hands. He says if I'll make the choice, He'll help me find my voice. He calls me to serve and I cannot fail Him - the one who has given me all that I have. I place my trust in him alone. He knows the yearnings of my soul. Because He believes in me I will go willingly. How can I keep this gift to myself when I could lift somebody else? I am a witness of His miracles and His mercies. I put my future in His hands, knowing He's made me all I am! I place my trust in Him and truth begins to speak. His power is real. It moves me until I will not be still."
I know that the Lord will direct you as you strive to reach out to someone around you. He will let you know how, but you must take that step of faith. :) I love you all so much! Keep the faith and remember who you are! May THE force be with you as you Listen Up!
Conference also felt like Christmas! The night before I was so excited! I LOVE conference, and it went by all too fast. So we were hoping to get a lot more investigators there then we did, but some ended up with sick kids, others with family issues. However, [one of our investigators] watched some of it on her phone on Saturday and got the channel for a day so that she could watch it on Sunday. Good news with [her]! We visited her Sunday morning and she told us that she had been feeling that her birthday would be special this year (that's the date we have set as her goal for baptism). Then she told us that she read the talk we'd given her to read in the August Ensign on Moving Forward with Faith and felt like that's what she wants to do. She decided that that's what she would do with her baptism - move forward with faith - and if it wasn't right that God would give her a feeling of no. I was so happy that I wanted to cry. My heart melted and I was so grateful! That had been the desire of my heart when I invited her to read that talk last week. [This investigator] reminds me so much of me and my decision making process. I want so much to feel a strong and overwhelming feeling of yes! And yet, sometimes (and for me it's most of the time) the Lord wants us to judge for ourselves if it "inviteth and enticeth to do good," and then take a step of faith into the dark. THEN He will direct our steps and we will receive a witness that what we have done is right, or a stupor of thought that we should go another way. I know this is true.
So [she] will be getting baptized this Friday - her birthday! We are more than excited for her! She is a wonderful woman and her family is amazing and full of love! We got to really meet and talk with her husband this last week and being with them and their 3 girls as we knelt in prayer together was one of the sweetest and most "home" moments I have felt on my mission so far. It was crazy - [this investigator] was praying, her two older girls were wondering around playing with my water bottle and trying to give it to people (including [her]) to drink from, and Sister Walker and I were trying not to laugh - but it was a moment where the spirit was strong. It was a sweet moment, as in soft and simple and happy. :)
Then [our neighbor investigator] came to the last session of Conference on Saturday! He is such a strong man. He has really been faced with some family challenge this last week, but has decided that no matter what, if he feels that this is what he needs to do, he is going to do it. He said that at the end of the day, his Father in heaven is who matters most to him. Also, he started the Stop Smoking Program on his own! That's like unheard of! We were going to start it with him this week and when he came to conference he told us he hasn't smoked since last Friday night! Wahoo! . . . Ah we all love this man and all of our investigators. [This investigator] really inspires me to be more devoted and converted to the gospel of Jesus Christ - to living it to the fullest.
A few thoughts from Conference:
- Look Up and Listen Up
- God Speaks
- The most important part of your service is your personal spiritual preparation. Prepare yourself, prepare your lesson (plan), then be willing to let go and follow the promptings of the Holy Ghost.
- Invite: If every member of the church were to reach out to ONE person between now and Christmas, MILLIONS would be touched.
I hope and pray that all of you were able to enjoy the blessing of General Conference - of listening to God Speak. I know He does. I would also add my invite to the one given above. Please reach out to at least one person! One of my favorite songs that has inspired me since high school says :
"I've never been the kind to testify. I don't have the words His truth deserves. But it's a simple thing He asks: a worthy heart and willing hands. He says if I'll make the choice, He'll help me find my voice. He calls me to serve and I cannot fail Him - the one who has given me all that I have. I place my trust in him alone. He knows the yearnings of my soul. Because He believes in me I will go willingly. How can I keep this gift to myself when I could lift somebody else? I am a witness of His miracles and His mercies. I put my future in His hands, knowing He's made me all I am! I place my trust in Him and truth begins to speak. His power is real. It moves me until I will not be still."
I know that the Lord will direct you as you strive to reach out to someone around you. He will let you know how, but you must take that step of faith. :) I love you all so much! Keep the faith and remember who you are! May THE force be with you as you Listen Up!
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