Happy Monday, everyone! Holy cow, I can't believe October is already more than half way over! It felt like just yesterday it was a humid hot day in July. Now it's foggy and cold each morning and I wear sweaters on the daily!
Miracle of the week: We are currently teaching a girl named Kelcey. She is a few years older than me and has basically been learning about the church for about 5 years now, on and off. She's married to member and, at one point, was preparing to be baptized.
We met Kelcey about a month ago and began teaching her right away. She is so prepared to receive the gospel, but faces A LOT of family opposition. We've been challenging her for weeks now to tell her parents that she is meeting with us and preparing to be baptized... and last night she finally did it! She's now conquered the obstacle that led her to back out from being baptized a year ago and we are so immensely proud of her! It was a miracle! We know that it was a tender mercy to see her build up the faith and confidence she needed to tell her family- faith and confidence that she gained through prayer and reading in the Book of Mormon. We saw a change in her as she dove into the daily habit of scripture study- slow and steady, but noticeable. It amazes me how the gospel of Jesus Christ truly does change lives!
Anyways, it was another crazy week, with tons of miracles and challenges. The funnest parts of the week were our improv lessons. There would be times during the week where we would go over to people's houses for service, to introduce ourselves, etc. and we would end up teaching them about the Plan of Salvation or about the gospel of Jesus Christ for the next half hour. Those lessons are the BEST! It's during those lessons that you have to rely solely on the Spirit to know their needs and the specific things you need to teach them that day. Of course, in every lesson we listen to the Spirit to know what we need to teach, but most often we go in with a planned outline of what we'll teach. But not in improv lessons!
This past week has, yet again, been a struggle in finding people to teach. At one point in the week, we were only teaching 1 person... which is a huge contrast to the 5+ people we were teaching a couple months ago.
It was a huge exercise of faith for us to stop teaching a couple people that were very difficult to contact or wouldn't keep their commitments. It would be easy to keep "teaching" them, just so we could say we were teaching more people, even though they weren't really progressing. But I know that starting out with a fresh teaching pool will give us more time to find those who are truly prepared!
It was a huge exercise of faith for us to stop teaching a couple people that were very difficult to contact or wouldn't keep their commitments. It would be easy to keep "teaching" them, just so we could say we were teaching more people, even though they weren't really progressing. But I know that starting out with a fresh teaching pool will give us more time to find those who are truly prepared!
And guess what! God truly does bless us for our exercising our faith!
The next morning, we felt prompted to visit a member a few blocks from us and then to walk the long way home through the park. We ended up talking to three different people, whom all showed interest and said we could come back another day to teach them more! It was a huge tender mercy!
This principle reminded me of a scripture in the Book of Mormon. In Ether 12:6 it says, "...faith is things which are hoped for and not seen; wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith."
I know that God blesses us as we exercise our faith and have complete trust in Him. Often, the things that help our faith to stretch and grow the most aren't easy to experience. Because when do you progress and not experience challenges? Never!
And challenges come in very different forms and intensities.
Being on a mission has allowed me to experience SO many different things- especially emotions that are all along the spectrum.
Never have I at times felt so inadequate or incapable in the things I am doing. Never have I felt like I will never be good enough. Don't worry, it's not all the time, but those feelings are real! Satan is real! He seems to sound just like me, whispering little bits of doubt in my mind. And it's easy to listen!
But something I've come to learn is that I am NEVER alone, and that I should not be trying to face these obstacles by myself. I have a companion who wants to help me. I have a family and friends who supports me. I have a loving Heavenly Father who is always there for me!
Never have I felt so close to my Heavenly Father and seen His hand so directly in my daily life. A huge comfort to me in all the hardships I face is the Book of Mormon. It is my armor and sword in fighting back the adversary that tries to enter into my mind and heart. We all go through so many different challenges, no wonder God has given us the Book of Mormon!
I know with every fiber in my body that the Book of Mormon is the word of God, written by prophets and translated through His power for us in our specific day. What a miracle it is!
I love the Book of Mormon and the knowledge and testimony I have gained of my Savior and Redeemer Jesus Christ. I am thankful for a loving Heavenly Father who is so willing to give us truth in our lives if we are humble enough to ask for it. And I am so immensely grateful for the opportunity I have every day to share my testimony of the Book of Mormon with those who have never heard of it. It truly changes lives, and I know that, because it's truly changed mine.
I love you all and I am so thankful for all your support! Have a great week!
All my love,
Sister McCown
No comments:
Post a Comment