Sept. 27 Live in Faith
Dear Friends
Hey there.
OHKAAAYY lots of
miracles this week! First of all I just have such a testimony of obedience
brings blessings!!! Holy moly! This week I made it a goal to not read my emails
until
Tuesday we had awesome
lessons with our recent converts the Lowes and with a less active Tiffany
Patton. We went on exchanges so Sister Wilkey got to join Sister Soto and I in
our sweet trio!! Then district meeting Wednesday was amazing as always!
Thursday was a WEIRD
day. Haha our morning was great! We did service that morning and hen went and
ate lunch and then we went and had a lesson with a part member family from Inde
4! They are Ayana and Trace. Trace is a less active member and Ayana is not a
member. They are living together and have a kid and Ayana has been meeting w missionaries
for a long time but still isn't sure about baptism, plus they don't want to get
married. So the elders turned them over to us and we taught them and it went
really well! Sadly they didn't come to church though.
We then went to go
visit our investigator who is on date ... Eileen. Eileen was the one who walked
into the VC and Another sister taught her the resto and then out her in date
right there! But she is so so busy so We have not met Eileen. We have talked to
her on the phone but every time we go to schedule an appointment she isn't
there. So we went to our first appointment with Ayana and then went back home
because we had to weekly plan and still hadn't heard from Eileen.
But then we have shift
at the visitor center.
There were all these
people who had come in. Sometimes we get some homeless people who actually come
regularly and then sometimes we get random non-members or like people from
other churches wanting to preach about their beliefs. So we had a guy who was
doing that and apparently he comes every year and tries to get us to join his
church or something. But so we are just like okay cool! So a bunch of us
sisters are sitting upstairs and our Blue Springs 2nd elders come up with a
lady - like they were coming up from a lesson! and I was like woohoo!! Because
they've been depressed because they don't have anyone to teach. So I started
talking to the woman they were with and quickly realized that this was an
interesting situation. She was partially blind and introduce herself to me as Jesus.
Then said no im just kidding my name is Laylanie. (or however you would spell
it). She was kind of all over the place and stuff as we tried to talk to her,
and also she was blind, so she was like looking all around the room and then
would sometimes just start talking to thin air.... so I was like okaaaay. So
sister soto started talking to her, and I went over to ask the elders what was
going on. And they seemed way out of it....They said they came to the church to
do weekly planning and she was there. just by herself in the parking lot. and
they had actually met her street contacting like 2 weeks ago. so they brought
her to the VC and were teaching her, and didn't know whether she was
accountable and stuff but decided she was.... and so they taught her and she
was asking all these amazing questions and was being coherent (which she now
wasn't....) and they actually put her on date!
But then they didn't
know what to do because she said she did ahvea home, but then really didn't...
and we cant take her anywhere, so we called President Cato the stake pres who
is awesome, and he came and was gonna give her a ride, but wanted to figure out
the situation. So he started talking to her and she was visibly becoming a
little anxious and more and more incoherent and she basically admitted that she
was on meth... and yeah so anyways long story sort of short, the cops were
called and came and they said they had seen and had trouble with her before so
they made her leave and said that if she came back she would be trespassing...but
she was definitely on drugs.... idk hahah it was way weird and crazy! so we had
all these weird vibes so we said a prayer and then a bunch of normal Utah
families came in the rest of the night!!! hahah good stuff!
Other miracles this
week was just that we had a full proselyting day of MIRACLES!!!!!
I have been working on
becoming a more consecrated missionary this week and have been studying that
talk, so I made the sacrifice and goal to not check my emails during the week.
Because president has said that when you check your emails during the week
(like you can, its not against the rules) but its almost like you are going
home everyday of the week. And I don't want that!! im not comin home for 15
more months man. So I did that this week and I knew and had faith that I would
see miracles and blessings from that, and we did!!!!
Also I learned how
powerful optimism is.
Because as a
consecrated missionary, you havea 24-hour smile. and you are confident that you
will be able to find those prepared!! so as we went out, I was positive and as
we came to a door, I said okay this person is going to be awesome, theyre going
to open the door and accept a book of Mormon and set up a return appointment.
AND IT HAPPENED!!!
and not just once, but
like 3 TIMES!!!!
so now we have like 4
return appointments this week!! one of which is tonight!!
we just went to this
place and this guy was outside and cmae up to us and started talking to us and
asking us questions and told us how he really just wants happiness in life and
was willing to give this a shot. It was amazing!!!
We also went back by
to see Clarence - the man we found last week who was our miracle - we hadn't
heard from him so we just stopped by and ended up talking to His mom, so like
the grandma, and we taught the entire restoration and some of the Plan of
Salvation on her doorstep!! it was awesome!!! she was really contemplative and
the spirit was so powerful!! she said she would try to come to church this next
week and we have an appointment with her this Thursday!!!
One of my favorite
parts of this week was the womens conference though!!!
wow that was powerful.
I just loved all the
talks about learning and living the doctrine of Christ. that's what its all
about. that is what will make us truly happy and that is what will help us to
become the people we are meant to be and the people that can return to live with
God and withstand the powers of the adversary.
Especially when -
apparently - the world is so crazy - I don't know much because mission life -
and everything is getting so chaotic, it is SO important to know where you
stand. and to not be lead astray.
but then I loved that
president Utchdorf talked about faith. Because that is the foundation of it
all. and that was a prayer answered for me.
My favorite thing he
said, was about what faith cannot do.
sometimes we get so
discouraged because we feel like everything depends on the lord an we do all we
can, and then it doesn't work out how we want it to - so we get so upset!! But
really, just faith, is not what will make everything perfect. that's where
patience and trust comes into play. we cannot make anyone do anything. faith
cannot go against other peoples agency.
that opened my eyes up
so much because as missionaries, we can have all the faith in the world, and
the person still may not get baptized!! But that's okay. We did our part.
That's what I think I
learned the most this week too. As he says, "live in faith dear
friends." The power to believe is truly the power to achieve!!
The spirit overwhelmed
me while we were all singing the last song, and i just cried at the end because
I knew that as we were singing mom and Kristine were singing right with me. But
not only that, faithful members of the church all around the world were all
testifying that they know their Redeemer lives. There was such power in that,
the spirit like encompassed me. Because it is so comforting to know that even
if every single person rejects the gospel to us missionaries that day, there
are still faithful members who know it is true. And they are all over the
world.
For this reason, I
can't wait till next weekend! My favorite thing about General conference is not
only do we get to come together all in faithfulness. But I love that the
prophet and apostles all bear witness of Jesus Christ. And it's like when all
these different people are talking about one person, you really get to know
that person. That's how I feel with conference. I feel like I have grown so
much closer to, and have gained a better understanding of my Savior Jesus
Christ.
Oh I can't wait!!!! We
are going to be watching conference at a less actives house and at Inde 4 ward
mission leaders house! And of course the VC. Yay!!!
Last thing ill say is,
yesterday, my companions had some things that were bothering them and they were
struggling with. It has been a pretty rough week emotionally for them because
of that. But I am so thankful that I was able to be an instrument in the Lord's
hands for them.
In my setting apart
blessing, it talks about how some of the greatest work that I do on my mission
will be among my companions. And that is something that I have seen so much and
it has only been 3 months! I am so grateful for all the experiences I have had
because I have seen the direct correlation for how they have been able to help
others. I am so grateful for that. Because truly service and love for others,
helping others, heals our souls. It has healed me. I feel so at peace and I am
so glad I could be healed and whole after my hard experiences so that I could
help these sisters, and be there for them. And man is repentance real.
It is the most
beautiful thing that God has given us through His son. To repent and turn to
Him and change. And be comforted as we change.
Ah man.
I love being a
missionary. Truly it is the most amazing special experience and calling you
could EVER have in life. As I drive around in Missouri, testifying of Jesus
Christ with all the enthusiasm and zeal I can muster, I am so thankful for that
opportunity. I drive around and I look out the window at the green rolling
countryside. Knowing with every fiber of my being that Christ will come again. And
that He will reign here in the New Jerusalem. Oh how great is our calling! I
know more than I know who I am that this is the true and restored church on the
earth. I know Jesus, my savior and redeemer lives. I know God is real. That he
loves me and he loves everyone. He knows each of us. As missionaries we get the
chance to have a front row seat in WatchKit gods work unfold. We get go be the
instruments and messengers of the gospel. We are His hands and feet as he tries
to reach out to His children.
I know that even if no
one I talk to decides to change or be baptized, I have not served my mission in
vain if I AM still changing and improving. if I KNOW that I am becoming not
just the missionary, but PERSON that god wants me to be. And I know that I
am. And I am so grateful for that.
I love u all.
thank u for your
prayers and emails, I love hearing from you and I pray for you all!!
Much love,
Sister Bleak
ALSO A GUY I TAUGHT ON TEACHING CENTER GOT
BAPTIZED!!!
Fun relief society dinner with the stake before
the broadcast! And our former investigator came and she wants to meet again!!
Morning drives to ward council
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