sister.ali.lloyd: FAITH: NOTHING CAN BE WITHHELD

Hello Beautiful Family!!!!!!!!

How are you doing?

What an incredible week!

This was the first week of the transfer; can't believe that I have been in Oz for 3 months. Y’all, I’m hitting my half-way mark soon ... gulp.

Don't worry mum, I’m never coming home. hehehe

This week the zone leaders called me and said:

Sister Lloyd! We have some rice and sausage! Tell us how to make gumbo...

Another funny thing happened yesterday...

Brother M said, "You know those girls that you see on TV? The true American nice girls that you don't think exist? Well, they didn’t until we met you! Oh, and Hi! Welcome to the ward! I made you cookies!" What an awesome welcome!

This week Elder Nelson is coming to our mission! He's speaking to the combined north and south missions!!! Ah! Sister B is singing and I am accompanying her! Wish us luck.

Okie Dokie -

I love you heaps- here's my letta!

My core experience with God this week was from the miracles that came from going out teaching with M. She is leaving for her mission in 3 weeks so we are trying to teach with her as much as possible! There really is something powerful that comes from teaching with a member and adding another testimony and witness. After our first lesson, we hopped in the car and she was just beaming! She was close to tears and kept on saying how amazing it was. Honestly, I don’t see many people who get more excited than me and it took me a little by surprise! But it was just what Sister B and I needed.

Our next lesson was with an investigator who is getting ready for baptism. We invited him to close his eyes and picture his baptism day and how he felt. I imagined he could see himself acting in faith and following the Savior because he had the biggest smile on his face. He described every detail and the spirit just flooded the room. So, eyes still closed, we said the closing prayer. It was an experience we will never forget.

We had another huge miracle this week. A person asked us to start teaching the lessons to her four grandchildren and their friend who are past baptismal age. Last time we saw the girls at church, we asked, “what impressed you to have the lessons?” They said, in wisdom, “Jesus has a plan specifically designed for us.” Awesome. We decided to build on that and teach the Plan of Salvation first. I have never met more mature, in tune and intelligent and submissive pre-teens. The entire lesson, they kept asking questions to understand everything perfectly. It is just another way God is blessing the people of this area.

While we were at the shops this week, we both noticed the crude music playing in the background. I felt like my spirit was literally wrestling because I was so uncomfortable with what was being played. I was reading in Mark how the Savior and the apostles sang a hymn before he went into the garden to pray. Music can be powerful and spiritual, but Satan has twisted it so those messages seem normal, nonchalant and just “background music.”

This week, it was reaffirmed that this is where I’m supposed to be.

I get asked by people back home if I’m gong to be different when I return or if I’m going to be awkward! My answer: “Yes-sir-ee! Through and through!” Just like I should be after sanctifying myself for 18 months!

We had a powerful lesson this week as the scriptures spoke to her personally. As we were reading, we invited her to picture the Savior saying the words directly to her. Her eyes filled with tears as she read “blessed are ye because of your faith.” We didn’t say anything- but the spirit taught her and confirmed how pleased God is with her at this time through his words in the scriptures.

I love the scriptures! I love the Book of Mormon -- I love it, I love it, I love it! It has changed me and I feel so passionate about it because I know it can provide a change in others as they ponder the teachings. We have focused on pondering and likening the scriptures this week with those we teach. For me, I had the experience of picking up a book about the history of a town in Germany and at first glance, it meant nothing really, until I realized that it was the same town where Bach was first commissioned to write his prelude and fugues. Now that it is relevant to me, it means so much more and I WANT to study it!

Same with the Book of Mormon. We have a man we are teaching who has read the entire BOM, but felt nothing other than it’s a “good history book.” He doesn’t see how it applies and can help him personally. It reminds me of the story in 1 NE 18. I liken the scriptures to the liahona. We know that the guidance and direction was wrought according to their faith. To some, they could have held a “chunk” of metal or a foreign tool, and said, “yes it’s nice! Fine workmanship!” But to those who believed, it was the miracle that guided them to the promised land.

I also think about the story of Naaman in the Bible. (2 kings 5). In the story, we know that Naaman had to try a couple of times before he was humbled enough and actually did as the Lord asked. First, he went to the king, and the king couldn’t heal him of leprosy. Second, the messenger from the prophet tells him to wash in the river 7 times and Naaman is angry that the prophet didn’t tell him himself. Finally, Naaman is humble and submissive enough to go down to the river Jordan where he is made clean. If our hearts and minds aren’t always open and receptive to change or revelation, we won’t be able to understand God’s will.

Because the Lord is patient, he often gives us a couple of chances to get it right. In the BOM (1 NE 3) we know that Nephi and his brothers had to go back three times in order to get the plates. Of course, after the long trip, the Lord could have just placed them in their path. Or, after they showed that they were willing to give up all their gold and silver. No. He still made them go back again to prove their commitment and obedience.

Before my mission, when reading the scriptures, if it didn’t make sense to me, I would skip over it, or just keep reading. What would have happened if Nephi gave up the first time? Or, if Naaman had said “oh well!” after the king couldn’t help him? We have great potential to understand the Word of God. Of course, right now, we aren’t going to understand everything. I am comforted in 1 NE 22:1, when Nephi’s brothers don’t understand and he explains to them again -- it always takes me reading it a couple times to understand! However, if we are diligent, we will learn all that we need to at that time.

A scripture that inspires me to great heights is found in Ether 3:26. It reads:

“For he had said unto him in times before, that if he would believe in him that he could show unto him all things- it should be shown unto him; therefore the Lord could not withhold anything from him, for he knew that the Lord could show him all things.”

This verse is toward the end of one of my favorite stories in the BOM when the Brother of Jared sees the finger of the Lord and he converses with him. In vs 9, the Lord says these things are all possible because “never has man come before me with such exceeding faith.”

Because of his faith, nothing can be withheld from him! What a beautiful inspiration!

I want to be like the brother of Jared whose faith was so great, that anything and everything was possible.

“And in that day that they shall exercise faith in me, saith the Lord, even as the brother of Jared did, that they may become sanctified in me…” (ETH 4:7)

I love you to the moon and back!

Just keep swimming - swimming!