Holaa
Warning- this email is long :/
Well, I could put a lot of things as my email subject title because a lot happened this week!
Some ideas I had were:
'tree zoo' because we went there last Monday. It's actually called an arboretum... it was really fun and beautiful. There are forests, groves and lakes with trees from all over the world. We kind of went at the wrong time because the leaves are barely starting to change color this week but Hna Cadd wanted to go before she goes home in a few weeks.
Another was 'airport adventures'- later in the week we took an Hermana to the airport because she was being medically released. We will miss her mucho and I hope she gets better ASAP! The airport was funny because it is HUGE; it really is bigger than most the cities I have served in on my mission. We were running all over the place trying to figure it out, but finally we got it. It was a funny adventure.
Also I thought of putting 'we listen to slayer.' Because we knocked a door this week and an American man came and said he wasn't interested but I gave him a card and testified of the Book of Mormon and he just goes "we listen to slayer".. Haha we were walking away thinking....... Ok... Hahahah!
Another funny story: we taught a man outside his house and his little daughter was there. We pointed to the picture of Jesus and asked her who it was and she goes... 'Uh.... Guadalupe?' -___-
Something else I saw this week was that miracles are wrought after the trial of our faith. As missionaries, we go out and we show our faith. We open our mouths, we teach, we invite, we're bold! These are all definitely acts of faith. I'm finding that there are always ways to have more faith and show more faith.
- One example included having faith that the Holy Ghost will guide our words. Hermana Cadd and I went back with Jimena who we taught last week. She started to say "sorry, I just want to study one thing at a time, I've already started with the Jehovah's witnesses", blah blah etc. We both felt that we should keep the conversation going a little bit. So we kept talking, understanding her concerns, and just as I was writing our number down on a pamphlet for her, she asked kind of out of the blue "what do you believe about death?" It was really cool. I then knew the main reason we felt particularly strong about continuing the conversation. We shared a Book of Mormon scripture, we shared about temples, and in the end she wasn't saying 'don't come back anymore', she was saying that she would pray about it. The spirit while talking with her was so strong and very peaceful. We are going to follow up with her this week so pray for her please!
- Another example includes having the faith that the Lord will guide us. Friday afternoon we went to visit a potential, but they weren't home. So our options were, go stop by another potential, or knock a few doors on that street. That street was special because a few weeks earlier Hna Cadd and I had both separately felt that we needed to find someone on that street. It's also not a street where a lot of Hispanics live. It was pretty weird because in that moment I didn't necessarily want to knock doors there but we both felt it was right. So it was a good moment of pushing past what I wanted and what the Lord wanted (sometimes that's a part of faith as well). So we go to a house and there is a Hispanic lady washing her car windows in the garage. At first she didn't really want to talk to us, but I said something like "we are representatives of Jesus Christ and we share a message that will bless your life and strengthen your family" and then she just starts telling us that she knows God lives and that he loves her... then she was just sobbing telling us these two stories of when he saved her life. We taught her the restoration, recited first vision, and invited her to be baptized there in her garage. She says she doesn't know yet but she was receptive and happily took a Book of Mormon and we are going back this week. She is really special and I know the Lord led us to her. Pray for alexa!
I love love this scripture. I know it's true for us today as well.
-40 And it did work for them according to their faith in God; therefore, if they had faith to believe that God could cause that those spindles should point the way they should go, behold, it was done; therefore they had this miracle, and also many other miracles wrought by the power of God, day by day.
Alma 37:40
And of course.... Our mission conference: the coming forth of the Book of Mormon. Yesterday, September 21st is the anniversary of when the angel Moroni appeared to Joseph Smith. So of course we had to celebrate that. I loved seeing all my compañeras too!
It was amazing! One of the most spiritual meetings we have ever had. President and Sister Fenn both told detailed stories of the coming forth of the Book of Mormon. President Fenn also went deeper into the doctrine of why the Book of Mormon is essential for the preparation of the world for the second coming. I wish I could tell you everything but I don't have time :(. I love the Book of Mormon. I had the opportunity to give my testimony in front of the whole mission. I told about how I first read the Book of Mormon because my dad told me I could get a cell phone, but that even though my intentions were strange, it was the best thing that I have ever done. It truly is and I know without a doubt that Moroni's promise is real! So shoutout and thanks to Dad for making me read the Book of Mormon before getting a new cell phone when I was 13. Perhaps the best moment was when we stood to sing "praise to the man" and President Fenn begins to sob as he looks out at all of us. I could tell that he loves us all so much. Of course I was tearful along with most everyone around me. It was very very special. I know I've said it a million times but I love my Mission President!!
Really quick other random things that happened: I went on an exchange to Aurora and saw a lot of members and that was super exciting! I love them! Hna Cadd and I taught at the zone meeting about Finding people to teach and it went really well, the spirit really helped us. Also I got a haircut, nothing too crazy.
But also pray for us because we will be doing 3 exchanges all back to back this week so, it'll be loco!! Also tonight we have 3 Hermanas coming in who went home from their missions in other countries and were reassigned here so we will be teaching them as well.
I love you all!! Never stop reading the Book of Mormon!
Hermana Barlow
No comments:
Post a Comment