Monday, August 26, 2013

letter.twentytwo 08.26.2013 ^YOSO: you only serve once^

 
This week flew by! It started out great with a lesson with a new investigator that we found a few weeks ago. She is so keen! By the end of the lesson she was kind of rushing us out because she wanted to read the Book of Mormon so badly! She's amazing. She was so receptive to everything we were teaching. God has definitely prepared her for this. It's so fun to teach people like that.

Then the next day we had a pretty normal day, but we had a member coming to an appointment with us and she drove us, but the person wasn't home. That's always a bit awkward when you have a member with you, but I think it's because God knew we needed to talk to her. She is a counselor and she was telling us all about affirmations and other things that will help us as missionaries. It helped me remember the importance of them because I haven't looked at mine in a while. She reminded me of Grandpa Tanner. She kept telling us that we needed to visualize things happening and then it would! She said we can even thank Heavenly Father for things before we have them and if you really believe it then it will happen, as long as it's a righteous desire and God's will. I really need to work on that, I don't doubt God, but sometimes I doubt me. I know God could lead us to 10 new investigators a day, but I just think He probably won't. I'm such a doubter, but I'm working on it and so far it has been really good!



We were also able to go down to Busselton for exchanges this week. We went down on Thursday and got back on Saturday. It's about two hours away so all four of us stayed there and we switched companions part way through. It was SO much fun. It felt like we were going on holiday. The weather was absolutely perfect while we were there. The sisters we were with were amazing. It was just perfect. We found 11 new investigators in a little over 24 hours. It was great. We all worked really hard and had a lot of fun too. It was hard for us to leave because it had been so good. We had incredible experiences. Our theme of the exchange became YOSO (instead of YOLO) You only serve once, so give it everything you've got cause it's a short 18 months.


One of the most tender experiences was when Sister B and I were tracting a street and we saw a little boy, but all we do is say hi to kids because it can look weird if we try to preach to them and usually their parents get real angry. But, he came up to us and asked what we were doing. We told him that we were teaching people about God. Then we asked him is he knew anything about God. He said that he didn't. He asked us what house we were going to next and asked if it could be his house. We told him to go and ask his mum if it would be ok if we taught his family about God. So off he ran. Then we get to the house and meet his mum. She was pretty receptive and was ok with us coming back to teach more, but several of the other children were gathered around at the door too and when we asked if we could come back they were all begging her to let us come back. It was adorable. Kids are amazing. They really have such receptive and loving hearts. I love them!



We had another cool experience with that. While we were eating dinner in town this mum comes up to us and tells us that her daughter is too shy, but she wanted to thank us for being dressed so well and that we weren't wearing too much make up and to tell us that we were beautiful. That made our night, but what was better than that was after a while of talking to the mum her girls came over and we started talking about the gospel They were not only ok with the sisters coming over they said they would be counting down the days!  It was amazing! I LOVE kids!

It was such a fun trip and it even ended really well because the assistants drove us back up. It's always fun to road trip with them. They were my first zone leaders here and now they're assistants together and they are definitely the Elders that I have served the most with. They gave us advice and uplifted us the whole two hours home. It was awesome. Plus they're just fun people. I love being with other missionaries. It's the best:)


We had ten minutes left when we got home so we prayed and asked God to send us to someone. And at the last door we knocked on it was someone who had been so prepared! It was amazing!

We had stake conference on Sunday and it was incredible! All of the talks were exactly what I needed to hear! IT was so awesome. It was, yet another instance, when I couldn't even begin to doubt that God loves me, I could feel it through the speakers. And it was fun to see so many missionaries. President and Sister Lindsay came as well and of course all of the people from our ward went up to them and told them that they aren't allowed to move me... which means that I'll probably move this next transfer ha. But that's ok. I'll go wherever the Lord wants me, but it was really sweet of them to be so loving towards me. I love them a lot. I'll be sad if I have to leave them, but I know there will just be more people to love somewhere else.

We also finished reading the Book of Mormon as a mission this past week. I think I told you, but we've been highlighting the words of Christ and when anyone speaks of Him or about Him. It has been the most incredible experience. It was a bittersweet experience to finish it.

In Moroni 10:3 when it talks about pondering on the words of the Book of Mormon. I decided that's what I should do. So, after I read it I went to the blank pages in the back and I wrote down how reading it like this has strengthened my testimony and relationship with my Savior. It was a beautiful experience. I hadn't even realized how much it had grown until I wrote it down. It was a very tender moment when God allowed me to remember some of my sweetest experiences as I have read. I know that my Savior lives. I know that it is only through Him that I can do anything. I know that He has unfailing love for me. It's through Him that I will be sanctified and perfected. I am eternally grateful for that. I feel I understand the Character of Christ on a much deeper level and I want to continue to try to understand it more because I still have so much to learn. It has truly changed my life and my testimony.

Being a missionary is the best. I can't think of anything I would rather be doing. I love it! It brings so much joy even though it's not easy. I was just talking to Sister Bryce about how I cannot believe that I even thought about not going on a mission. Not that it's right for all girls, but it most definitely is for me. I have grown so much and I haven't even been out quite 6 months. I love this! Thank you for your love, support, and prayers. I love you all:)



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