Charity :)

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 (: )