- People kept their appointments!
- We actually had appointments for people to keep!
- We found two new people to teach!
- We were busy busy busy!!
I love the Gospel of Jesus Christ! and I just LOVE being a missionary. I love it SO much. Anyone that knows me knows how much I love to tell people how much I love them or how I love whatever it is that we may be doing. So here you go. I love being a missionary! I love the gospel! Ahhh! It is the best. It is so wonderful to come home at night and be so tired and exhausted but to know that you spent the day inviting people to do good and helping others. There is nothing better. Life is simple and SO happy.
I have noticed a pattern in my life and on my mission that often trials precede great blessings. A few weeks before this miracle week we had been having a really hard time in our area. No one was keeping appointments, we were working hard but seeing no fruits of our labors. So of course, being imperfect beings, we got discouraged and lacked a little faith. It has been amazing to see that as soon as we picked ourselves back up-- bolstered our faith and continued working with faith, blessings came pouring down. I think that's how it is in all of our lives. I am so grateful for all of my trials-especially the really hard ones because they precede great learning and great blessings.
Case and point. We had a lesson this week with one of our new investigators named Joyce (I love her by the way!) We had some members come with us, the Andree's. Sister Andree comes out with us a lot because she is a ward missionary, so she knows the ropes. Brother Andree on the other hand tends to get into some deep doctrine. It was our first lesson with Joyce, so we were trying to keep it simple. He went off on about every tangent possible! EVERYTHING. (polygamy, baptisms for the dead, the celestial kingdom, tithing) The only thing he maybe could have brought up that would have been more random would have been Kolob. It was literally a missionary's worst nightmare. Not even exaggerating... well maybe a little...Regardless, Sister Sant and I were freaking out inside and PRAYING that most of it would go over her head... turns out part of it ended up being a total miracle. He brought up baptisms for the dead and Joyce looked totally freaked out. So Sister Andree explained that we have the opportunity to do baptismal work for those that have passed on. Joyce was like "you mean I can get baptized for my family, like my mom." She was so excited about that idea. I was grateful that a blessing followed that storm! She has been so excited about temples and everything else ever since. So even awkward teaching can turn into miracles. Joyce has really been progressing. It was really neat to teach her the first lesson! I recited the first vision and afterwards she was just like "woah." So COOL!
I came across this scripture this morning during my studies and I LOVED it. First of all, it was revealed to the Prophet Joseph Smith in Liberty Jail which is in my mission. So that just made it even better. Here it is, D&C 123:16-17.
"You know, brethren, that a very large ship is benefited very much by a very small helm in the time of a storm, by being kept workways with the wind and the waves. Therefore, dearly beloved brethren, let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God, and for his arm to be revealed."
I love this! Often it is the smallest things that make the most difference.
Reading the scriptures, daily prayer, attending church. They are huge! As a missionary it is SO important to be obedient to every rule, even the smallest rules. As we do this we gain great power and the guidance of the spirit. As each of us look for small ways to improve our spirituality and to have the spirit with us. We will be able to stand with an assurance that where we are going and what we are doing and who we are becoming is good. I also like the part about "cheerfully doing all things that lie in our power." We only have so much control over our circumstances, but we can be cheerful about doing all that we can and having faith that the Lord will make up the rest. I know that He will, and that He does. I see it in my life every day. I am so grateful to have a daily witness of the Lord's love for us as I see his hand in my life and the lives of others. The message that we teach is true! I love it! I am so very grateful for it!
I had a fabulous time updating the bulletin board in the Visitor's Center.
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| BEFORE |
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| AFTER |
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| Elder and Sister Anderson |
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