What a week this has been!
Sounds like for you too. I could just imagine Alexa pulling that tube
out. I remember all too well the last time. Is Tyson taller than me yet?
Someone should measure him:) Yes I did get the package, thank you sooo
much! And yes my favorite was definitely the letter from dad:) I'm not
even sure where to start with this week. We have been so
busy organizing the area book and meeting people and doing our best to
find new investigators. I think coming back from being
full proselyting to little Mormon town Laie is hard for my companion
because it takes a lot of patience and faith in the Lord knowing that he
will eventually lead you to someone to teach. In the meantime we have
been working with the less actives in the wards and with Franchesca. Its
so amazing to be able to feel the spirit working with you as you teach,
whether it be members who need the spirit more in there lives, recent
converts like Brandon who are now preparing for a mission:) or
investigators like Franchesca who are waiting for an answer. The spirit
and the gospel really do change lives for the better. David O McKay once
said, "The purpose of the gospel is...to make bad men good and good men
better, and to change human nature." That is what the "redeeming and
enabling" power of the atonement is for. in Mosiah 3:19 is says to "put
off the natural man" (bad men good) and "becometh a saint" (good men
better) "through the Atonement of Christ the Lord." It is a wonderful
experience to be able to share this with others and to watch that change
take place as they learn more about the Atonement of Jesus Christ.
So yesterday for our training in the morning,
we learned some good news. The Lord is hastening His work in Visitor
Centers! There is a new form of accountability that we are doing here
where instead of having goals for how many people agree to meet with the
missionaries, we have a goal of how many baptisms we want to see! This
means that instead of getting people to meet with the missionaries and
then sending them to them, we get to count them as our investigators and
be the missionaries who teach them until the missionaries from their
area get there and then after we still stay in contact and help
encourage them until baptism! Oh how wonderful technology is. Not sure
why it took this long to get it to this point but as of right now, the
average percentage of converts who join the church because of visiting a
visitor center is 1/3. They are now expecting that number to go way up.
Not sure if any of this really makes sense to you but be assured it is
so exciting for us!:) It helps me to know that these people I meet from
all over the world and have spiritual experiences with here in the
Visitor Center get to become my investigators and I will get to help
them further to baptism!
I think something that I've been learning this week
is how much the Atonement is really for everyone. How it's the Atonement
that really gives us strength to do things that we can not do on our
own. How there are countless instances in the scriptures when the
prophets have prayed for strength to endure or change their situation
rather than for their situation to be changed. Nephi prayed "O Lord give
me strength that I may burst these bands with which I am bound." Alma
and Amulek prayed, "O Lord, give us strength according to our faith
which is in Christ, even unto deliverance " and Alma prayed" O Lord,
wilt thou grant unto me that I may have strength, that I may suffer with
patience these afflictions which shall come upon me." In all these
instances, their afflictions were not removed, but they were granted
strength according to their prayers and faith. The Savior suffered for
us so he can know what we need. So he can run to us and strengthen us as
we go through this life. So he can know how to comfort us and lead us
through our afflictions. So we can put off the natural man and become
more like a saint.
I love you so much. I think and pray for you always.
Thank you so much for your love and support for me. It really does mean
the world to me. Any time I have a rough day I just remember how much
my family believes in me:) I try to count my blessings every day and
pray for strength through the hard stuff. Love you all so much! Ill try
and get some pictures to you soon and I'll finish up that recording and
send it:)
Les Amo!
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