Hello everyone! Life has been super crazy! It really feels great to be blogging again. I hope that everything is going well in all of your lives that you are depending on your Savior Jesus Christ to lift you up through all of your trials.
Just yesterday, I got my feet wet again in spreading the gospel. I first went out with the sister missionaries to a less-actives and I am continuing to strengthen my testimony in just loving others for who they are, our brothers and sister in Christ. We started the lesson with a prayer and I immediately felt the Spirit. The missionaries out in the world today are the strongest that the world has seen. They work their butts off and it makes me want to be like them and spread the word to all that are open to this great message of peace, love, and joy. The sisters taught with power and with the Spirit. If any of you ever get an opportunity to go out with missionaries, DO NOT HESITATE. My testimony has had some its greatest uplifts when I was with these representatives of Jesus Christ. I left the lesson with joy that fills you from head to toe! I also went out with the elders in my ward just two hours later (Great idea to put them close together. You're on a spiritual high the rest of the night).
I arrived at the church a little early and waited for the elders to arrive. We arrived at the appointment a little late but that didn't matter. We met with a women who I will call Emily. She welcomed us in and had many questions about the Book of Mormon. We started with a prayer, once again bringing in the Spirit and it just felt good in that room. She began to tell us her confusion between the Isaiah chapters in the Book of Mormon because they did not match up with the verses in Isaiah. It was so great to help answer her questions. We began reading in 2 Nephi 8 and she would read aloud the verses and pause. She would then say something along the lines of "That is very powerful. Look at that!" Before, I never paid much attention to the Isaiah chapters in the Book of Mormon because the stereotype is that they are hard to get through and so when I read the Book of Mormon I read it, but didn't give it the full pondering that these scriptures needed. It was so great to be able to learn from her, a less active, about the importance and sacredness of the scriptures.
She also expressed concern because she had talked to her old pastor recently who was saying that Mormons were going to hell and would be damned. And she thought to herself, no! She knew that he was wrong because the Book of Mormon is just like the Bible. It is full of love, joy, and peace. It is a happy message. It was so cool to see her have spiritual experiences right before our eyes. At one point, she was so excited and full of the Spirit that she said she wanted to go to church and tell everyone, "GOD LOVES YOU!!!!!!" I just started laughing because she is just amazing! A couple months ago, other elders that have been transferred now, stopped by Emily's place and she did not answer the door. Seeing where she has come from really is great to know that God has a plan. He has a timetable of when things are supposed to happen and there are no coincidences. Okay back to the lesson. She was reading the chapter and realized that the things she was reading was exactly what she had experienced over the couple weeks that the elders couldn't meet with her. She is so great and I know that Emily will continue to progress. I love seeing people change. I think it is so great how the Lord does His work. We all have a mission to help someone in some way and only we can do that. The investigator told all three of us that if the two elders had not come knocking on the door that day, she wouldn't be where she is today.
I know that we can have these experiences, whether they be simple or humongous, like the one I was lucky enough to witness, that it will impact others for good. You can do anything through Christ. So, what's holding you back? There are enough bullies, enough tragedies, and enough bad news. Let us spread the good news! GOD LOVES YOU. :) And he knows you! He wants you to return to live with Him for eternity! I cannot think of a greater blessing. Knowing that I have a Heavenly Father that loves me and wants me to be righteous. I can talk to Him whenever I need to and He has provided me with the best tools possible to return home. I love this Gospel and the love that is in it. I am grateful for the missionaries that go out of their way to help other families and people, find their way back on the path to our Heavenly Father. I know that there is a living prophet on the Earth today that talks with God. I also know if we follow His counsel, we will be happier. And I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
