Monday, April 21, 2014

April 21, 2014

This week was full of SO many miracles! We've been working really hard to get 30 lessons a week, and it's taken a lot of hard work! Especially cause we've been going to a lot of meetings lately. But it's been awesome to see people's hearts and minds turn to the savior during this Easter week.

One experience was when we went to stop by a referral from the zone leaders. She wasn't there and we decided to knock around. Every door we knocked on was slammed in our face. And I was starting to get frustrated; I just wanted to be able to go where God needs me and to be able to share this great message with someone! Well then we went to turn onto a street to go stop by a less active and I decided we should go and knock on just one more door. As we went there we started talking about being representatives of Jesus Christ and told her that this message will bless her life. I then told her that God had directly sent us to her because this message is so important for her to hear. She then told us about how the past week she had had crazy cool spiritual experiences feeling like she needs to spark back up her relationship with God and how she's looking for a church. It was SO cool to see how open she got as she felt the spirit testify that our message was true.

We also met with Sabrina (our German Friend) and the week before we committed her to pray about being baptized on May 17th. When we met with her we were super nervous because she mentioned that she had a lot of questions from what we taught last time (namely, Baptism, holy ghost and endure to the end) But when we got there she said that she prayed and she knows this is what God wants her to do. It was such a miracle! I was so impressed by her great faith and desire to follow God.

It's been such a great time in being able to work with Sister Tingey. Training certainly is SUPER difficult. And I mess up. A lot. But I'm so thankful for the Savior and his infinite love. And even though it was difficult for him, he never stopped doing what he knew was right. And I pray that we can all follow his example as well.
A week ago we were able to see the Minnesota Mormon chorale perform the Lamb of God. And the last song has a few lines that I love:

He who healed our sorrows, Rose with greater healing. He whose love no end knows, Lift up our burden carries our grief... Here.... He who was rejected. Rose with power and glory. He, so long expected come to redeem us, come to deliver. Here is hope

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation or distress or persecution, or famine or nakedness or peril or sword? Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

Here is love unbounded here is all compassion here is mercy founded o great Redeemer o prince of Glory. Here is hope.

And I know that it is true. This is a gospel of Hope. The atonement gives us all hope. Hope for a brighter future, and hope that we can continually change to become more like our savior.



Love, Sister Terry

Tuesday, April 8, 2014

April 7, 2014

Well this week has definitely been a great one! We have been working super hard in sharing shorter messages but having the spirit with us ALL the time, and involving it in everything that we do. It's nice to be training a new missionary, because then all the ideas are fresh from the eyes of a member, and we don't get in a rut of how things just are with missionary work. So we are trying to be creative as well.
This week as we were teaching, we met a fantastic teenager named Ranisha. We were teaching her a doorstep restoration lesson and as we got to the end and committed her to be baptized, she fainted!! no joke. It was terrifying. So we stayed for a while and made her some mac and cheese to feel better. haha. It was definitely a crazy experience, but she seemed super excited for us to come back and share more of our message!

We also met with one of our investigators named Regina! Regina has been investigating the church for several years, but she finally knows it's true; she's just waiting for a day when her brother can come from Utah to baptize her! As we met with her, I was SUPER nervous because we had to let her know that a friend that she has been bringing to church is slim shady and some of the members know her and are not comfortable with her being there. It's so sad that although the church is for everyone, some are not able to attend because of past choices and the consequences for them. But I was worried that Regina wouldn't understand, and that she would question if the gospel is true if we tell her that her friend isn't allowed. But as I shared with her my testimony of the plan of salvation and the plan that God has for her friend it was amazing to see the spirit of God descend upon her. Understanding just flooded into her, and she accepted the things that we told her. It was quite humbling to remember that it is God that does the teaching, not me. And that my job is to place our investigators in a situation where they will be open to the teachings of the spirit!

WOO! and then of course, CONFERENCE! It was FANTASTIC! I loved the inspired messages given by the prophet and his councilors. I'm hugely looking forward to reading them for the next 6 months, and for many years to come! It reminds me how important that we have a prophet on the earth today, with priesthood keys to lead and guide the children of God. This really is a one of a kind church. And it is God's church here on the earth today.

I hope you all had a fantastic time watching conference, and that we can remain true to the faith until we stand at the judgment bar of God to account for the things that we have done in this probationary state.



I lOVE YOU!!
Love, Sister Terry