Rakas ystäviä,
I'm not going to lie, this past week was really hard! We didn't have very many appointments scheduled, and many of the things we did have got cancelled on the other end. There were times, I'll admit, when I wasn't perhaps as consecrated as I should have been, dragging my feet in the apartment and whatnot. But we really did try this week to have good back up plans and at least stay out on the streets trying to talk to people if we weren't in a lesson. President Rawlings talked a little last week in his email about remembering to involve the Lord in the work instead of just trying to figure out what we are dong wrong. So, I was trying to keep that in mind and I was trying to pray always, and sometimes it just didn't feel like anything was coming of it. But I stuck it out and tried to keep a positive attitude and focus on Christ and the strengthening power of the Atonement, and all was well. The things that were good were really good, and the tough parts were bearable.
And then we had a miraculous Sunday! I can't even believe all the blessings we had. On Saturday, we were in an area trying to do some contacting and pihpataa-ing many of our formers and potentials in the area, while knocking a couple doors along the way, when we got a random call from one of the families in the ward inviting us to dinner on Sunday night! As it turns out, they had invited the Elders, but they had something else, so the invitation fell to us. What a blessing! Then Sunday morning, we had a fall-back appointment with a potential investigator that we had rescheduled from Saturday (she had been our only appointment on Saturday, and she had to cancel). We met with her and she had some friends over. Turns out she was super Muslim (we weren't too surprised because we knew she is form Iran) but she had invited us over because she wanted to introduce us to her friend who is Hindu but has visited in Christian churches and is looking for religious direction. We invited him to church and he came! And we hadn't even asked that lady for referrals! We also invited a lovely Chinese woman to church who had only just become an investigator on Tuesday, and she came with her 5 year old son. So along with our two regular church-attending investigators (A the 18 year old girl and J the college guy) and the nonmember daughter of a convert (who would probably get baptized if the father gave permission), we had a total of 5 investigators in church! It was amazing!! Then we had dinner with the family from our ward and a recent convert as well. Then in the evening, our call-in time got pushed back, so we went out on the street and ran into a less active man whom we taught and got one more street-contact teach! It was really a miraculous day!! It really was the bright spot at the end of a frustrating week, and really made all the hours of what felt like pointless contacting really seem worth it. And it showed that God is in control, because no matter how hard we work, we won't see results until the Lord reaches out His hand and gives us the fruits. I can testify that praying and inviting and testifying are the keys to the work, because when we do these things, the Lord gives us miracles.
Another fruit is the upcoming baptism of A the 18 year old on Saturday!! We have been organizing that this week, and it has almost come together all the way. We just can't get over how wonderful and ready she is, and she is a little spot of sunshine that has made our whole week just so good. We can't wait to change her in our phone from tutkija to jäsen! Details next week on how it all plays out.
I just want to testify (again?) about the strengthening part of the Atonement. Check out Alma 7:11-13. When Christ felt the pains of our sins, he also felt all our physical, mental and emotional pains, illnesses, weaknesses, frustrations, disheartenments, disappointments, discouragements, angers, sadnesses, and all other bitternesses (forgive me, I believe I have invented some new words). So that means whenever we feel something negative or unhappy, or if maybe our week stinks a little bit, He has felt it and knows how to comfort us and lift us up. All we need to do is pray for help and for these burdens to be lightened, then have faith that He will run to our aid. Then we have to live in faith and look for the good parts of our day, and then the bad things won't feel so bad. If we bear our burdens with cheerfulness, Christ will make us stronger (Mosiah 24:15 "And now it came to pass that the burdens which were laid upon Alma and his brethren were made light; yea, the Lord did strengthen them that they could bear up their burdens with ease, and they did submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord.").
I hope you all have a wonderful week. And remember to be good missionaries! In stake conference a few weeks back, we were asked to do just ONE THING EVERYDAY to make someone else's day a little bit better. When we turn out and serve others instead of focusing on ourselves, we find that we have a better day too. I challenge you all to make that your focus this week, then to go out and live in faith in Jesus Christ. I love you all!
Rakkaudella,
Sisar Hillebrant
No comments:
Post a Comment