This week was so totally awesome! Do you want
to know why?! Because experienced incredible miracles. And the types of
miracles this week are the reason I am a missionary and why I love it so much.
We experienced many instances where we were able to see the evidence of
conversion in those we are working with.
First I would like to tell you about Gladys :)
She is amazing! The sweetest little lady and just a party to be around. When I
first met her, which is just shy of three weeks now, and her intent and desire
for meeting with us has completely changed. It started with her saying that she
was just curious, then she had experiences feeling the spirit so strongly during
a chapel tour and from coming to church that she told us this was an option for
her. She actually called us this week pretty upset and told us that she was so
sad she couldn't make it to church this week. She didn't know about some
Father's Day plans that had been made and was so excited to come again and stay
for the second and third hours. We made her day when we told her we would
attend an earlier ward with her :) In our last lesson with her a few days ago
she was talking as if this was the option and something she knows God wants for
her and is praying about a baptismal date! I know that the spirit is the real
teacher. When we teach by the spirit and when those we teach have real intent,
hearts can be changed.
Ready for some more exciting stuff? Our dear
friend Kerry is getting baptized on the 30th of this month! I have probably
told you that before, I just can't get over how exciting it is! And what is
even greater is that her excitement matches ours. We have just been trying to
do all we can for her to build her testimony and integrate her into the ward.
This week we had another picnic with her and some ladies from the ward and it
was awesome! It just makes me so happy to see her creating real friendships
with people, for the members to truly care and offer support and for them to be
excited to see one another at church. Just so awesome!
We also had the opportunity to attend a baptism
with Kerry and that was a sweet experience. After the ordinance was performed
she was beaming. She was almost giddy with excitement for her own baptism in a
few weeks and as she shared her feelings with us she got chills. I know that
day the spirit witnessed to her that what she is doing is right and good.
On Monday we were able to have a family home
evening with an absolutely amazing family in the ward. Their home is filled
with the spirit and was wonderful for Kerry and her family to be there. We
watched the Restoration movie and because of the safe environment created Kerry
shared her testimony without prompting, at least none from us :) She bore
testimony of the sacrament and how much that means to her in her life. It was
beautiful and I could not be more happy. My mind kept going to President
Daines, before he left the mission field he told us that if we are converted to
the sacrament we are converted to Christ. I know Kerry has experienced
conversion.
Last, but definitely not least yesterday we
shared the sweet experience of going over the baptismal interview questions
with her. This is an opportunity for her to share her testimony and the
changes that have occurred in her life and that she is ready to make this step
of baptism. Kerry is absolutely amazing. She told us that of all the hard
things she has had to do, the changes she needed to make the hardest thing was
that initial step of opening her mind. Once she did that, everything changed and
she was able to find greater hope and joy in her life through the gospel.
That really struck me. How often in our lives
do we struggle to open our minds? I feel in life we get so comfortable with
what we know, or our pride sets in and we assume that what we know is right.
How often do we get in our own way of finding more? I have been thinking about
this often lately and was reminded of it again while reading these verses in my
studies this morning.
2 Nephi 30:5-6
5 And the gospel of Jesus Christ shall be
declared among them; wherefore, they shall be restored unto the knowledge of
their fathers, and also to the knowledge of Jesus Christ, which was had among
their fathers.
6 And then shall they rejoice; for they shall
know that it is a blessing unto them from the hand of God; and their scales of
darkness shall begin to fall from their eyes; and many generations shall not
pass away among them, save they shall be a pure and a delightsome people.
No matter who we are, what we know, where we
are in life, or even more specifically where we are in our walk with Christ,
there is always more. If we but open our hearts those scales of darkness,
whatever keeps us from seeing the world around us clearly, will be removed. I
would invite each of you to pray and ask God what you can do to be a little
more open, a little more humble, or to have a little more real intent and then
to act. I promise that as you do so you will
rejoice. You will find that greater joy, hope and peace that the Lord is
waiting to bless you with and like the scripture says, you and the generations
to follow will be a pure and delightsome people.
I hope you have a wonderful week! Just keep
smiling!
