03_03_14
Hello everyone :)
This week I worked on the Christlike attribute of Charity & Love. Wow. What a week it was :) We found new investigators, and lost them. Loved them, and had to respect their agency. For the first time in my mission, I think I really understood for a brief moment how mothers feel towards the wayward child. I have never known what it is like to Love someone with Christlike love. It's a deeper love. A purer love. A love only disciples of Christ, and Christ, truly learn to give.
Now I will be working on Obedience!
Sister Krauel and I both got a little sick this week. :P It was a loooong week but SOOO great :)
We did tabbling on the namestie and it was SOO great :) We were adversiting for English (we teach free english here) and people were talking with us and signing up to come, and it was a great experience. Thanks to starsi Brousseau for the idea :) went well! and to starsi bailey for encouraging me to be crazy. Sister Krauel was embarassed by me shouting "free english free english"on the namestie :) but that is okay
(oh btw. the namestie is like the town square)
One of the memebers we have been meeting with came to church this sunday and he passed the sacrament!!!! And gave one of the most BEAUTIFUL testimonies!!! Waw. waw waw. I am so grateful that the Lord lets us be a part of His work.
I once read a quote by C.S. Lewis. He said that there are "no ordinary people" and something to the effect of we are all gods and goddesses in embryo. That means every person we meet on the street, at work, at the store, in our homes, is on a pathway to Godhood. They are all worth getting to know and helping them along the path to becoming perfected. Uplift and motivate, encourage and build their faith! As a missionary, I think I have come to understand this more than I previousily did. We have a great mission as members of the restored church to spread the gospell, and to do so by helping people to reach their potentials.
We contacted a man on the street here a few days ago who is a professor. We spoke about the book of mormon and how it can influence our lives. He wasn't really interested. But then we began to ask him about his work. Found out he was a professor at the local technical school. Turned out we just needed to butter him up a little bit before he was willing to hear the message :) We talked about how his students really value his opinion, even if they dont say so. Sister Krauel and I testified of how we were once students and our professor's examples meant a lot to us. We then connected that to how all of us influence others around us and the gospel is what helps us to influence others for the better. He isn't from here, but he gave us his number and said he'd like to meet so we were able to give him as a refferal! Once we tried to show him charity, the contact changed.
Miracles this week! 2 member lessons!!!!!! (more than we've had all transfer! woot)
Also member came and taught with us and brought her daugther to the lesson (who isn't a member) she felt the spirit.
Spiritual food:
I had an interesting thought this week. I'm going to use a life story...
Last valentines day. "someone" went through a lot of effort to make dinner for me. He went to the store (despite not having a car) bought pans, ingredients, supplies etc. everything he needed and walked a long walk home. If any of you have ever carried home plastic bags for a long period of time, you know that they start to cut into your fingers. So, there was a lot of sacrifce involved. Then there was the time spent making the dinner, the element of surprise. The fact he has spoken over and over with my friends grandmother to get help on how to make the dinner. All in an effort to just help me feel loved and appreciated.
I, however, arrived at the "dinner" without a knowledge of any of the previous details. And I, in my blindness, with sentiments of dissapointment simply saw a prepared meal.
Not proud to say, I probably really hurt his feelings. Then, as he proceeded to explain all the efforts he had gone through just to help me feel loved, my heart was softened. I realized just how selfish I had been. And I wanted to change, to be more willing to appreciate and love the efforts.
What can be learned from this story in a gospel context?
How many of us are, like me in this story, seeking to feel love from a Father in Heaven? How often does he go to great lengths of efforts just to give us a little piece of His joy? While we may not know what went on in the pre-existence while he was planning, gathering supplies, and preparing soo much for us; nonetheless the effort was there. Though we did not see Him send His son, or have the privelage of seeing him face to face, nonetheless it was real. The effort was there. I think that sometimes, we are guilty of placing "pavillions" between us and God (like Elder Eyring once talked about) that blind us from seeing the Love he gives us. There are sooooo many thing to be grateful for. SOO many proofs of his unending love. Our choice is if we are willing to see His efforts. I know that as we respect our Father in Heaven, and are grateful for all that He was given us, we can learn to love Him and feel His love :) and what a precious gift it is to feel His love. Nephi even spoke of that :)
How and when do you feel God's love most? Have you "felt to sing the song of redeeming love?" do you feel so today? I encourage you to find all the ways God loves you today. Acknowledge His efforts and thank Him for them :)
Love you all!! Wish you the best week ever!
I am still chugging my way through the Old Testament :P Almost done with Leviticus. Quite an interesting undertaking to try and read the bible all the way through.
Vylet with one of our investigators
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