Tuesday, November 26, 2013

I HAVE SO MANY THINGS TO SAY!  
November 25, 2013


This week has been full of.. everything!  There is this lady that we absolutely love to visit. she has a daughter on a mission and she has been meeting with missionaries for a few years now. but the problem is we have been kind of stuck, and we didn't know what to teach her or how to help her feel God's love more in her life. so we fasted for her last week, and we fasted that she'd know that the Atonement was for her and that she could realize the blessings of the gospel that she could have NOW in her life. so after that fast we met her a few days later, and it was AWESOME. before we even really started talking about what we had prepared, she shared with us her whole story. she told us all about her witness a few years ago that the Book of Mormon was true, and how she and her daughter were going to be baptized. she told us how her husband didn't agree with them doing that, so they just worked on getting their daughter baptized. (and now shes on a mission!) but the whole time she was telling this story the Spirit was SO STRONG. we then went on to talk about the scripture ether 12:4-6, and getting a witness after the trial of our faith. I asked her what that witness from God would have to be to be baptized. she said she really didn't know, she thinks when an opportunity presented itself after her son graduated and stuff would be a good time. we just bore our testimonies on how it really is hard to show your faith even when those around you don't support you, but God loves her NOW. and doesn't want her to have to suffer without the full blessings of the gospel. the greatest thing that we have is the Holy Ghost. think back to a time when you have felt the Holy Ghost in your life. I read In the bible dictionary that the GIFT of the Holy Ghost is a "foretaste of the joy of eternal life." IT CLICKED FOR ME when I read that. the feeling of the Spirit can be so strong sometimes, and it is the best feeling! FOR ETERNITY we get to feel that. I was so amazed by this definition. anyway, so we ended up asking her in the end to pray for a witness and to be baptized. she said yes. it was such a strong lesson and such an answer to prayers!

We have started this new thing in our ward called member blitz. just kidding its not really called that but that's what the elders said. we are going to start meeting with all of the members in our ward and teaching them 30 minute lessons, so we can improve our teaching but also so the members can know what are in the discussions. so we did that for the first time this last week. we taught this lady the restoration, and at first we were like.. how the heck do we teach a member the restoration! BUT it is truly the most amazing thing. we talked about the first vision, and it was so powerful. hearing Joseph Smith's testimony of the First Vision word for word brings SUCH a sweet and distinct Spirit in the room that is undeniable. after we said it, we just sat there in silence. the lady said, if I were an investigator, I would want to feel this all the time. I would want the gift of the Holy Ghost. again it clicked for me. that feeling that was in the room was so powerful and so strong and comforting, again a foretaste of the joy of eternal life! We then asked her how she came to know that the Book of Mormon is true. She absolutely bore the most beautiful testimony ive ever heard, and it brought her to tears. in her 20s she wasn't very active, and was scared to progress in the church because she hadn't read the whole book of Mormon. this is where I learned a lot. she decided to keep going, and go with what little she knew. she made the decision to start reading it then she said since she was in her 20s she has read the book of Mormon every single day, and she is so thankful for it. it wasnt just a one time thing where she knew it was true, it was over the course of a long time. we left her house feeling on top of the world.

I don't know if I mentioned this guy before, but there is a 92 or 93 year old man that we visit. he lives with his son and his son takes care of him. we always saw his son, but never really talked to him much. we visit him weekly, and THIS WEEK WE GOT TO TALK TO HIS SON! oh my gosh everything about it was so amazing. we started talking to him and learned a lot about his life, and we ended up teaching him the Plan of Salvation by the end of it. he said it seemed 'peaceful', and he kept saying how he was looking for a church that took care of the elderly, or the singles, or the sick, and all of these things (visiting teaching!? home teaching!?) and how he wants to serve others all the time (callings?!) and how he wants to donate but its so sad because so many churches ask for too much money and they thrive on it (tithing?!) and how he believes in God and wants to give his soul to him. he said a lot of other things that I forgot. so we ended up inviting him to church. the next morning was kinda a rough morning and sis Hilton and I were in really bad moods for some reason haha and we really could not snap out of it. we were sad and frustrated for some reason. but we went to church, and HE CAME! we were soooo excited and happy. the talks were exactly perfect for him, one of them was about the plan of salvation! everything that we had talked about yesterday! so it reiterated it perfectly and the speaker ended with one of the most powerful testimonies of Christ and the plan of salvation. he said that it was HE who made it all possible, and talked about a scripture in the Bible where we were all shouting for joy when we found out we got to go to earth. he told us to imagine EVERY single person shouting for joy. he told us to think about a football game and how loud that is, but then imagine every Spirit being so happy about coming here. and then he challenged us all to really sing the last song like we were shouting for joy. it was "I know that my Redeemer lives". It hit me. everything made sense. my Redeemer LIVES. THATS WHY ITS SO IMPORTANT TO KNOW HE HAS A BODY OF FLESH AND BONE! He is a resurrected being that we can have a RELATIONSHIP with because He lives and He knows us and is actively involved in our lives. HE brought our investigator to church and gave us the plan of salvation and He gives us those witnesses after the trials of our faith. it made sense then what it meant when everyone said that you needed to have faith in CHRIST to bring to pass miracles. Christ loves every one of His sheep and if we have faith in Him, He will minister to His people. HE WILL.

Okay after that story, I have one last story that's the complete opposite but probably the funniest thing that's ever happened tracting. we knocked on this door, and a man answered. normal, right? so far. we told him we were missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and that we had a message about Jesus Christ, and asked if we could share it with him. still normal. but THEN hahahhahaha he looked at us, hesitated for a split second, and started yelling, YOUR BELIEFS ARE AS QUEER AS A THREE DOLLAR BILL. (he said this as if it were the biggest insult he has ever come up with) (I accidentally laughed out loud) (but then he kept going) JESUS TOLD ME THAT THERE IS NO MARRIAGE IN HEAVEN, AND THERE ARE NO CELESTIAL WIVES! (what is a celestial wife, Id like to be one) then he said a ton of other things and probably went on for like 5 minutes straight except I forgot what he said except for the end. "I WISH YOU NO SUCCESS." *slam*  hahahahahahahaha it was great.

 It's 17 degrees and snowing HELP!

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