Ok, here's the news for the week! love you all :)
Great
week! Started off going on an exchange to Hampstead where we did a lot
of service and stuff at a thrift store. They gave us free ties, and
they were awesome ties! plus the elder I went with had so many that he
gave two of his to me as well! Let the tie collecting begin!!! I got probably
as close to the coast as I will. We had a less active member who was
ALMOST in site of the coast, so I almost saw it ;) It was the only place
that you didn't feel totally engulfed by trees!! Sooo many trees....
everywhere... you really can't see or tell which direction you're in! When you are amazing like me at directions.... that becomes a
problem. On that same day, a great miracle occurred! We went to a little
home, where a less active lived, knocked, and someone else had moved in. We talked for a second, and they let us into their home! We taught them
the whole first lesson and they were so interested and excited to hear
more! It was for me, the best lesson I've taught yet! it's amazing how
after you've taught the first lesson (restoration) so many times, that
you can really make it more personalized for them, and say it better in
your own words. For me, that was a big step, and I felt like everything I
was saying was simple, made sense, and the spirit was really strong
there! A great miracle, and I was sad that I had to leave back to my
area and wasn't able to further teach them with Elder Randall!
On
the day I got back, oh it was actually the day before ha my bad, day
before, we were doing a lot of biking from place to place, and we saw
this lady walking on the street. We talked to her and found out that
her son had just died of SIDS when he was six months old in late December. It was amazing to see how she'd dealt with it in such a
positive way, and had really turned to the Lord for guidance through it. She was really excited about our message, and wanted to hear more and
we set up a time to see her! The greatest part about it, was that on the
day that we saw her walking, was the first time that she had set foot
out of her house since December. To me that was such a miracle, and
it only increased my belief that in life there are never coincidences,
and if you're really trying your best to plan accordingly, and always
have somewhere that you're going and trying you're best, that the Lord
will trust you in putting elect souls in your path. It's been incredible
to see when people are prepared like that to come unto Christ. We're
really excited to teach her!!
Also recently, a
couple of our investigators have been 'anti'ed! hard too! with all the
other denominations down here, Satan does have a strong presence, and is
definitely something that makes the work harder. A couple days ago, we
were talking to this guy we just saw, and just got talking with him, and
then he just went off about all these things that made the Book of Mormon a false book and the bringer of a confused religion. My companion
kinda started to go, and I just had the strongest feeling to not go
yet, but to thank him for his honesty and opinions, but also to let him
know, that I had a firm testimony of the truth of the Book of Mormon,
and that for myself I had found it to be true. It was great to see his
demeanor change, and at least respectively say good bye to us. The
strongest way to strengthen a testimony, is to bear it. I knew that
before the mission, but now actually having the chance to bear it so
much on a day to day basis, I know how true that really is, and how it
really brings in the spirit to testify of the truth of what you're
saying. Teaching people is so useless without the spirit. I've come to
find that very quickly out here!
Another
interesting story, one of the people we've been teaching, we've actually
found out that she was baptized like twelve years ago, and so far the
church has no record of it. Interesting situation... ha she's very
promising and actually called us to come and meet with her! She'd
brought a friend who was really interested at first, but overall decided
it wasn't for her, because she preferred witchcraft... I'll be honest
that's the first person I came to know that actually does witchcraft! it
was a really big deal in her life, and said that she really couldn't
give it up right now... that's always a hard thing to give up I guess. We're hoping the best for her though!!
Ah I wish I
had more time to type! One more thing, this week was fast Sunday,
and as a missionary, fast Sunday's a little more intense. We had to bike
to church, on like a ninety degree day, 500% humidity, four miles to
the church, wind going against us, uphill for parts, in suits, and while
fasting.... holy cow... few times in my life have I accounted losing
that much water through sweat in my life. It's truly a miracle that we
look as good as we do when we wipe our faces off and fix the helmet
hair! That's probably one of the bigger miracles.. ha just kidding.
anyway, I had the opportunity to bear my testimony in the ward, and the
best thing is, I've learned when you don't know what to say, but know
that you really should bear your testimony, that's when a little more
faith is required. and when we exercise that faith in us, to do hard
things, even when we don't know how they'll turn out, God will not leave
you to fend for yourself. Just like Nephi going for the plates on his
own, and how he ended up killing Laban, getting the plates, and bringing
a long Zoram. If we just trust God in all things and have faith, he'll
show you where to go, and won't lead you astray!!! I love serving here,
and striving to do my best! I'm starting to lead more, and my
companion's been great to give me many opportunities to become more self
reliant, and gain more experience! Ahh out of time... I love you all
soo much, and want you to know that I pray for you every night without
fail, and that I'm doint great!! God bless you all, and stay close to
him, so he can bless you ever more!!!!
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