Aug. 7, 2017 "I'm so happy I could cry!" Larry Morgan

"I'm so happy I could cry!" - Larry Morgan

Hello all!! Sorry it's early, but hey here ya go! :)

Wow this week has been pretty crazy but pretty awesome.

We had a few meetings, I got to tell a man we met that there was a living prophet today and he was pretty astounded. And I also had a lady tell me that it was impossible for her faith to increase more than it already was, and that "dog spelled backwards is God." So ya. It's a pretty good week. Haha

We also got to go to our ward camp out!!!!! But don't worry we didn't camp out, we just went for the evening and rode there and back with Sister Nielson who just had a baby and is also one of my favorites. It was SOOO fun to be out in nature and by the campfire and with our ward. Ahh Doniphan is literally the best. I love this ward so much.

I have also felt very humbled this week. Sometimes you get to see your weaknesses more abundantly and more in your face than other times. The tricky thing with this, however, is there is a temptation... when you feel you're at these low parts there's the temptation to give into despair and to listen to the adversary who says that you won't ever be enough, that you don't deserve to be better. This is what will happen, but we have the choice of what WE are going to do in those moments. Will we give into despair? Or will we choose faith over our doubt and fear? Choosing to believe that God wants the best for us, and sees the best in us.. helps us out of this despair. But it's all up to us what we choose.

On Tuesday, I took through this young married couple - both returned missionaries, and had served in Russia and Denmark. I was asking them about their missions and we were discussing the Prophet Joseph. The husband shared that as a teenager he questioned whether that could really happen, whether or not God would really appear to a 14 yr old boy. But then what he realized is if we can believe that a young virgin conceived a child... a child who would literally be the Son of God. Who would take upon Him the sins of the world, and feel everything that anyone else would feel... would be crucified for what He taught, but would overcome death and rise again. If we believe all that is possible, then how could we ever doubt that God would appear to Joseph Smith? As a missionary, this guy would share that realization with people, and it was a game changer for them. He saw a lot of baptisms for it. But I love how he put that. How could we ever doubt the great goodness of God if we believe that He truly sent His Son to die for us?

We also had MLC this week which I LOVED. I feel like it really gets you back to the basics of missionary work. But what hit me really hard is something one of the assistants, Elder Childress, talked about at MLC. When talking about becoming a Consecrated missionary, he emphasized the quote from a talk which says, "For now, consecration may not require giving up worldly possessions so much as being less possessed by them." I loved how he put that, "less possessed." I think in missionary work sometimes we feel that to be Consecrated we have to make all those other things disappear. Those "other things" being like all our natural man tendencies... when in reality that's like impossible! However, I love that because it shows that we have the choice of what rules over us. And the solution as we discussed, is so simple! Center yourself on Jesus. Just like this quote: "As we come to know to Whom we belong, the other forms of belonging cease to mean very much. Likewise, as Jesus begins to have a real place in our lives, we are much less concerned with losing our places in the world. When our minds really catch hold of the significance of Jesus’ atonement, the world’s hold on us loosens. (See Alma 36:18.)" - "Settle this in your Hearts" Neal A. Maxwell.

I'm very grateful for President Love. We had interviews this week and I know that man is called of God because when he speaks it is powerful and you know that that is what God wants you to hear in that moment. No matter what I'm struggling with, or what I feel I'm lacking... he always says how proud Heavenly Father is of our missionary service. That shows me how much God trusts us and loves us even as we are imperfect! He focuses on our strengths, the things we are doing right. Not what we yet lack. And that is the focus we should have too! He says, "Tell yourself what Jesus would tell you... not what Satan would." Another thing President said to me as I shared that I had had many struggles on my mission is, "well then, the Lord must love you." to allow you to struggle and grow. (Aka Hebrews 12:6)

Saturday night, we got to drive up to Cameron for the baptism of Barbara and Larry from good old Lathrop, MO (my time in Crooked River). Barbara and Larry were the kind of investigators who loved missionaries and wanted them to come, but would talk your ear off and was afraid to commit to anything. Also, Barbara was the one who for the longest time thought she was a member... but was definitely not. #RLDS. They have been taught for a solid year now. Dropped multiple times. But as they started to read the Book of Mormon, it changed everything for them. It was amazing to see that change now almost 6 months after I taught them. They asked me to speak on the Holy Ghost and the whole time they were just grinning from ear to ear. Ive never seen two old people glow so much!!! Having that experience and seeing all the people that love and support them, and have helped them to change their lives really brought home to me, once again, to the true meaning of missionary work.

Heavenly Father's work is a work of Joy. "To bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man," but "Adam fell that men might be, and men are that they might have joy." (Moses 1:39 and 2 Ne 2:25). The Product of the gospel is joy and peace... the kind of joy and peace that fills your whole soul up to the brim. The kind of joy that makes the world a little brighter. The kind of Peace that is there even when life is chaotic. And this joy and peace only come through Jesus Christ. This selfless man who changed it all through His sacrifice and through His love. It truly is "wonderful, wonderful to me."

Ok last miracle was last night. We taught the Staffords again and Cedae's boyfriend Gabe was there too! We taught the Gospel of Jesus Christ and talked about baptism. Cedae shared how she feels like she has been helped along by the Holy Spirit as she has been learning. As we testified of Christ and the way to return back to Him the spirit was so strong! Cedae said that she would be up for picking a date, so she's praying about September 9th!!! Bella wants to be baptized on December 14th because that's her birthday.... haha but hey they wanna be baptized! They were just glowing the whole time and I'm just so happy for them!! They also are the sweetest and like made peach cobbler for us to eat. I just love them. They are the reason why I love missionary work! #makingeternalfamilies ️

Ahh. My heart is full. Choosing to serve my Savior is the best decision I ever made.

Honestly It's a choice I make every day. A choice you can make too :)

Love you all,

️Sister Bleak

Pics:

MLC gang

District gang feat. Title of Liberty

Me giving a tour

Familiar face from home!! @ Will Stewart @knollsward

Ward camp out!!

The most hilarious little boy josh jones. He's my fav

Baptism!!! Barbara and Larry, the Roses and almost all the sisters that taught them :)