L.O.V.E.

ELLO BEAUTIFUL FAMILY!

Alofa Atu !!!  (My new comp is Sister N from Samoa!)

Here are a few highlights and my fave quotes from the past week.

Baptism!

Mon- well, I wept HARD as I sat behind the piano and played Called to Serve to send away my best friend Sister B. Hardest thing I’ve done in a while.

Tues-  we are creating visions with the YW in our ward! (right now about 5 active) and it’s been amazing to work with them and see their maturity. They also saw a pic of Elder Lloyd and all turned bright red- including me! 

Wed- "The fact that you are here and followed the spirit is a miracle. Each day is a miracle" Sister Howes during our training

Thurs-  Q: "Would you like to learn more about Christ and his church?" A: "Yes, that is what I’ve been searching for my entire life!" LIKE THAT REALLY HAPPENED!!! 

Friday-"Oftentimes we are too busy driving to fill up on petrol." Pres. Howes

Sunday - ate curry and rice with my hands with our Sri Lankan family!

I also gave a talk in sacrament, taught YSA class, RS and conducted a baptism … all in what.. 4 hours?! Wow. I’ve come a long way, y’all!

Amazing, amazing week! xx

I think one of my favorite miracles this week were the referrals that we received.  We met three people on the street, and each one of them said that they have been searching for a church, and would love for us to teach and meet their families! One lady was pushing her trolley home from the shops w her daughter. We offered to help, and I guess she had run into the Harbord Elders about 3 times on the street. We asked her why she wasn't interested in learning! We also asked her about the rest of her family.  She said, "Give me your address, your number and your blue book! Will you come over on Tuesday and teach my whole family?!"  We were giddy we were so happy!  The Lord has blessed us with several experiences this week that came from us listening with love, and then people wanting us to share that love with those THEY love. Love, love, love!  It is the key to this work, isn't it?

I loved when Sister Howes said, "Each time I felt the Spirit before I was a member, it was because someone mentioned the Saviour's name."

I have been thinking about the power that comes from saying Christ's name with love and reverence. I have been very careful and reverent when I have used his name in bearing my testimony and introducing myself over the last couple of days, and it has made such a difference.  Not only do I feel different when I put on my name tag, but I feel the spirit, and so do those we are teaching.

This week, my companion and I both felt that the Assistant's training on centering every lesson on Jesus Christ was specifically for us!  The next morning, we had a lesson with our baptismal date, Luke. He is set for next Saturday, and we were planning on teaching the word of wisdom with a member to him. The entire morning was a complete disaster!  Our fellowship cancelled about 3 different times, the time had to be changed then we were planning on teaching at the park, and it started to rain.  Finally, we found a place, time and a fellowship that was what the Lord intended for that day. It turned out to be an amazing opportunity to teach Luke about the Adversary.

  

I also had a very personal and tender experience that emphasized the power of love. With an investigator who is planning to be baptized, but who is facing some opposition, we shared something where I think for the first time in my mission, I deeply understood the pure love of Christ.

My core experience with God this week was provoked by a lot of thoughts that I had during our zone conference. At the beginning of my mission, we received a training on "burning our boats," leaving behind the things that were still holding us back from the work.  I remember that a huge list of things came to mind, and every single time that I have done a 40 day fast on my mission, they have been big things that I’ve tried to forsake.  Things that have been really hard to give up, and caused a lot of change in how I think and live.  However, as I sat there in our meeting last week, I felt this sweet peace, that I had really been obedient to most every prompting that I received when I had asked for guidance on sanctification. 

Sometimes it took months, sometimes it only took a few days, but I heard the spirit whisper to me that my Heavenly Father is pleased with me.  This week I have felt a different kind of joy than I have ever felt during my mission.  I feel at peace- I feel settled, and I have this burning desire to love and serve like I never have before.

What I have decided to focus on the next 11 weeks is to always put my companion first. Sister N is incredible! I will work with all that I have to ensure that she learns and experiences the things that I wish that I would have known at the beginning of my mission. I am so blessed to be her trainer. 

I thought back to all of my favorite heroes in the Book of Mormon:  Nephi, Ammon, Helaman, Alma, and what really stood out to me as I have been reading lately, is not only their boldness and power, but the compassion that they had for the people over which they had stewardship.

It reminds me of a scripture in Jacob 1:

 4 And if there were preaching which was sacred, or revelation which was great, or prophesying, that I should engraven the heads of them upon these plates, and touch upon them as much as it were possible, for Christ’s sake, and for the sake of our people.

 5 For because of faith and great anxiety, it truly had been made manifest unto us concerning our people, what things should happen unto them.

 6 And we also had many revelations, and the spirit of much prophecy; wherefore, we knew of Christ and his kingdom, which should come.

 7 Wherefore we labored diligently among our people, that we might persuade them to come unto Christ, and partake of the goodness of God, that they might enter into his rest, lest by any means he should swear in his wrath they should not enter in, as in the provocation in the days of temptation while the children of Israel were in the wilderness.

 8 Wherefore, we would to God that we could persuade all men noto rebel against God, to provoke him to anger, but that all men would believe in Christ, and view his death, and suffer his cross and bear the shame of the world; wherefore, I, Jacob, take it upon me to fulfill the commandment of my brother Nephi.

I take it upon me to make the last two transfers of my mission transformational for my soa, or companion. I can't think of a better way to end my mission! To help start Sis N’s with her! I can only imagine what the Lord has in store for her and the rest of her mission!

I love being a missionary, I love each day! Each day is a miracle and a blessing. 

I LOVE YOU TO THE MOON AND BACK! AND THEN ON TO ETERNITY!