Independence Day here in Liberty 🇺🇸
Happy Fourth of July everyone!!!
This email probably won't be very long, because we got a busy
day today!
First off, we ate "MANCAKES" at the Emmetts this morning.
Literally I ate a pancake the size of a cookie sheet. And now I am in a food
coma. We also are possibly going to another wards picnic, except that it's
rainy... and tonight we are going to a BBQ at our fav members home the
Russels!! :))
This week was amazing though! Continuing to see so many tender
mercies and miracles. So here are a few highlights:
- Dinner
at the Pickens. Hands down one of the most spiritual dinner lessons I have
ever had. But some background, the Pickens are a less active elderly couple
and their two (also less active) grown daughters that live with them.
They're the kind of people that are sooo sweet but also like act and talk
like they're active, but haven't ever come to church the whole 3.5 months
I've been here. But anyway they are wonderful people and we had dinner
with them and then afterward shared a message. Before dinner, we seriously
were stuck, we didn't know what to share with them so we kind of went off
on this "whim" and read to them a story called "The
Room." Now if any of you hasn't read this, I STRONGLY encourage you
to do so! (I can email it to you). This story is a powerful analogy of the
Atonement. As I read it to them, the spirit just filled the room, it was
so powerful! But the amazing part was as we had each of them share their
thoughts/feelings as they listened to it. Now, Brother Pickens aka Warren,
he had a stroke just a few years ago, and because of his stroke, he can
only say the phrases, "yes" "no" and "you
want." He can comprehend everything we are saying , he just can't
express his own feelings in the right words. Anytime he tries to talk,
those 3 phrases are the only thing that comes out. Warren started trying
to say something. And I don't know if I can even describe his but he
wanted so badly to say what he was feeling and express his testimony, but
didn't have the words. Usually his wife or daughters tries to interpret
what he's saying, but no one knew exactly what he was trying to say. As we
sat and tried to listen, the spirit became even stronger in the room. It
was as if the Holy Ghost were testifying to us of what Warren was trying
to say. We told him, that we could feel and understand through the Spirit
the intents of his heart.
It was a powerful experience I won't forget!
- This
week, we also said goodbye to President Vest and hello to President Love!
We haven't actually met President Love yet, we will do that tomorrow at
MLC! :) But every week we have something called Call-Ins where all the
sister leaders and Zone leaders are on a conference call and we report our
goals and indicators and get counsel from the mission president. This
week, during our last Call-In with President Vest, he bore his testimony
to us. I am so grateful for that man! He has dedicated specifically the
last 3 years in doing everything he can to help us missionaries and help
in the Lords work. I know he has made an impact on me I'll always
remember!
- Also
had exchanges with the Shoal Creek Sisters and man do I love them!!!! I
was with Sister Bench - who I served with and lived with at the VC before
Christmas - and it was so fun!! We were able to have our first appointment
with Erica! This lady we have been trying to set up a time with and she's
been kind of busy, but she held the appointment and so sister bench and I
taught the Restoration :) the spirit was so strong! It was just amazing to
follow the spirit as we taught and really get to their level to help them
understand. Erica said that it all brought so much clarity to questions
she had had, and after we shared the first vision account she literally
was like, "Wow. That's deep." I know right?! At the end we
testified of the Book of Mormon as the evidence of all this and they
couldn't wait to read it and have us back over!! Woohoo!
- Lastly,
Sister Draper and I took THE most amazing tour ever last night. Now, I
know I said that last week, but really this was another one for the books.
Yesterday in shift, it was CRAZZYYYY - so SOO busy. Brand at the very end
of the day we were waiting for a scheduled tour of about 60 seminary and institute
teachers (talk about sweatin bullets in that presentation!) but sis draper
and I took it together and the spirit was so strong! You can tell when
people really want to be their and let the spirit into their lives, and
it's just so much more of a powerful presentation. At the very end, we
sang all together "Nearer My God to Thee" and everyone's voices
filled the rotunda and man that was powerful. It's really hard to
describe, other than the fact that the spirit was there, and I'm sure angels
were too.
These are the moments that I treasure. These are the moments
when I just am grateful to be a servant of the Lord. I know I am called to be
His servant. I have the spirit to direct and guide me, and boy am I grateful
for that.
It truly is the power of the Holy Ghost that brings about
conversion.
The feelings that come as those testify of truth are
undeniable.
Sometimes though, if we get too cast up in things, we can miss
the spirit. That's what I noticed in that last tour is the fact that sometimes you
have to sit back and actually FEEL it. Just take a moment and let the Holy
Ghost sink into your heart.
When you bear your testimony over and over and over here, to
people who are listening, to people with screaming babies, to people who are on
their phone...To literally hundreds of people a day. (Rlly tho so many people),
it can be easy to lose that true meaning and just say words. And sometimes if
we get caught up in the busy-ness of things and don't take time to actually
have those words sink into our heart, we can completely miss the point. So
stop, ponder and let the spirit in
I'm grateful for the Holy Ghost and for testimony.
I love my Savior and I know He lives.
Love you all, happy Fourth! Have a wonderful day!!!
Sister Bleak 🇺🇸
Pics
The cutest girl in our
ward &fellow missionary ;)
All the sistas
Zone service
project
Compy comp
Pizza named after
Sister Bench and I :))
Lib Jail feat.
Me
Adventures when ur out
finding
The cooperriders came
to see me!!
️
The emmetts this morning
& the Mancakes 🥞
🏼
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