Well my Hna Jones headed out to Argentina today. It's about a 20 hour flight I think is what they said. I've got a new comp, Hna Moffitt! I'm so stoked! I love her! We have so much fun together and she's an AMAZING missionary. I'm going to learn so much from her!
Hey members, did you know there's a scripture about feeding missionaries? Alma 8:19-20 hahaha
Wellllll.... Monday we went to go get haircuts... I've been dreading/avoiding it for awhile now because they just always seem to mess it up. Hna Jones needed one before she left so I said I might as well get one too. Bad idea. I asked for a trim and to cut my SIDE bangs. SIDE BANGS. The lady put my bangs down the front of my forehead, pulled them up and in a panic I said "This will be side bangs right?" Yep she said. CHOP! nooooooooooooooooooOOOOOOOO!!!
R!!!! Is doing amazing. I love him to death. We taught him the law of Chastity this week and he said he understands and that he know in order to be baptized and a member of the church he's going to be making a lot of changes in his life. He's still working on the Word of Wisdom step by step. We've gotten so comfortable with him that we got talking at the end of the lesson and miiiiight have forgotten to committ him to live the law of chastity. As we were driving to our next cita I said "Hna Jones! We forgot to committ him to live it! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO" She got out the phone and I kid you not texted him "R! Vivira la ley de castidad?" bahahahaha that happened. We committed our investigator to live the law of chastity via text. At least now we have proof? lolz He was able to come to stake conference yesterday. Twas bonita. He loved it. It was in english so he wore the headset for translation and ever every talk he would take of the headset, look at me and say "wowwww" Afterwards he said it was beautiful and he was happy. He was so excited to tell me he hadnt drank coffee that morning. He's so great! Before Hna Jones left he told us that we both have a piece of his heart and that we are noble women sent to him to help him find the right path. He told us he's full of affection and love towards us and is thankful for all we've done. He made us promise to come back to visit him. I told him I would but I didn't know when because I live pretty far. He said how much is a plane ticket from Florida? $600? I told him I didn;t know and he offered to pay for my plane ticket to come back. hahahaha He's so sweet!
We finally found a doubt that C has (the first person I committed to baptism back in April) Shes been taught EVERYTHING even the after baptism lessons. She just wont act on her faith to come to church because of work. She finally told us that she had a doubt about the Priesthood because she came to baptism and it seemed like all the Priesthood holders were young and she feels like they should be older than her. Totally by the spirit because I know we wouldn't have been able to explain it let alone in another language but I drew out the priesthood offices for her and used scriptures and also explained the order from the prophet down to the bishops. It was stressful but we were able to resolve her concern through the power of the Spirit.
We had a lesson with some inactive boys yesterday (17 and 19). They break my heart every time we see them. They're just so closed off, when they start to feel the spirit they change the subject and don't allow themselves to feel it. I asked N if he prays and he said "No, I've tried and tried and Hes never answered me so whats the point?" Man. I just lost it. I testified to him of what I know and how I know it and with tears in my eyes I told him God loves him and hears his prayers but if he's not willing to feel the spirit he will not recognize his answer.
Its so hard. I cant make anyone listen. I cant make anyone understand. All I can do is teach and testify but still I feel like it's not enough. It's hard when you come to love these people so much but they refuse to follow Christ, no matter what you say.
We've had some rough contacts/tracting lately. 6 months in and I got my first door slammed in my face! Woohoo! hahaha This one lady opened the door, I stated who we are and she said "YOU'RE WRONG. You're all WRONG. I wish I had some time to show you the REAL GOSPEL." I was like well... you can pray and ask God. And she said she didn't have to because she already knows we're wrong. She was a little scary bless her heart. Then a few door down this young man said "I don't believe in God. I hate God" I wanted to ask him why but I was a little afraid it would be too personal and pushy but I should have asked. I should have testified to him but I didn't. I beat myself up the rest of the night. I should have told him there is a God and He loves him. I failed in my purpose as a missionary that day. :/ But that's what repentance is for. It's a new day, a new week, and I will try harder to not fear man and fulfill my purpose as a missionary in every opportunity. We've ran into some really nice JW's lately. We knocked on one lady's door and she offered us water, told us shes thankful for what we do, and offered us a pamphlet. (Now I was trained in my home to offer literature back to them haha even though it's against their religion to take it.) so I automatically said well if we take this and learn about your faith would you be willing to accept a card with a website? She took it! Yeah! hahahaha Then I contacted a table full of people at the park yesterday and one guy said he knows all about our church and has a BOM. I asked him if he read it. He said a little bit. I asked if he prayed about it he said no, I don't have to because the Bible says not to add to it and went on some tangent about how the Bible doesn't say Satan and Christ were brothers and cant believe we believe that. I didn't really have anything to say to that because I honestly had no answer for him. But I had a testimony! I told him I respect his beliefs but have to disagree with him that I'm not there to convince him of anything but that I do know that what we teach is true and invited him to read the BOM and pray and ask God because Hes the only one who can make it known to us if it's true or not. He said okay fair enough Ill take that. I think he respected the way I handled it so that's always good.
That's about it for fun times this week!
I know this is the only true church on the face of the earth. I know Joseph Smith was a prophet. I know the Book of Mormon is the word of God. It is confirmed to me every day, more and more, as I teach and testify to the people here in California. I don't need to have all the answers to every question. I don't have to be a scriptorian or know the ins and outs of the Bible or BOM. I don't have to have millions of scriptures memorized to spute off at any given moment. Because I am an authorized representative of Jesus Christ. I have a testimony that He lives. That through the Atonement we can return to live with our Father in Heaven, to become like Him, to progress with our families for eternity. Christ suffered so that we don't have to, so that we can be forgiven, so that we can find peace in this life when things are hard. Christ died on the cross and overcame death so that all people to ever live on the earth will receive the gift of the Resurrection. I know that the message I teach is true and I cannot deny it. I will not be ashamed of it. Even as the worlds standards continue to decrease, even if it's not "cool" to be religious, even if people laugh and mock us as we share this message, I will not be give up. I will glory in my God. I will be faithful. I'm a representative of Christ, and I can't help but think that if He were here doing the same things, people would treat Him the same exact way. They wouldn't recognize Him. You can be well versed in the Bible, know Christ's life from beginning to end in every detail and still not KNOW Him. I know my Savior. I know my Heavenly Father. I know They love me with a perfect love. I will continue about my Father's work to find those who are ready to accept the gospel. I know its true. I have a testimony that I worked hard to get. I worked hard to be able to know the things I know. I will continue working hard in this work because my testimony and the Spirit of God is all I need to bring souls back to Christ.
