Hey people!
SO many miracles this week! I love being a missioanry. so the work is pickin up! We had an awesome primary program and this little boy named tyler that is a non menber has been coming with a member family in our ward and he invited his mom! she went to all three hours of church and now wants to meet with us!! they have been through a lot and she described the church as "feeling like home" to her. Music to a sisters ears.
One day we went to the gas station to check oil and fill up the tires with air (I can do that now cause im awesome) we were strugglin a bit getting the hood open and this suuper nice man comes up to us and says hey "your sister missionaries right"? we said ya! and he said "well let me help you out!" He has tatoos all over(which means he's elect) and a giant beard (even more elect) so i was reaching in my bag to grab a book of mormon to talk to him and even before I could turn around he was gone! I was heart broken cause I really felt we needed to talk to him! Me and sister Johnson made a VOW that day to not pass a single person and talk with everyone. Later that day we were driving to a Less actives and we see this man raking his leaves...we had already stopped at 5 others homes that were outside and nothing had come from it..I looked at sister johnson and said, "one more..we can do it." We ended up talking to him for almost an hour. He is a recovering alcoholic and had been through a lot in the past 5 years and we talked about the savior and his atonement and how he has felt every pain and affliction He has and can lift any burden he has felt. We read from the Book of Mormon in alma 7:11-12 and mosiah 24: (my favorite verses to read to people). He said "Wow i need to get one of those..those verses are beautiful." We gave him the book of mormon and he has been reading everyday since! We have a church tour with him today at 6:30 so im sooo excited to start teaching him! I know without a doubt tho that we would not have stopped if we didnt have that experience at the beggining of the day with the tatoo man! We would not have made that vow and we would not have stopped and met tim!! The Lord is behind everything and He is always leading us to those that are ready.
Halloween was so awesome! We met a lot of crazy people and ate at a place called pizza train! its literally a train. we have a recent convert in or ward that has lived in this government housing his whole life and is the maintenance man in the apartment complex. He is one of the hardest workers i have every met and has sacrifices so much to join the church. Just as he was about to get off work his boss told him to clean up 8 giant piles of leaves before he went home. He was going to miss his halloween party and would have had to spend the whole night alone. On halloween i felt we needed to go see him and we brought our gloves and ended up helping him. It was such an awesome halloween talking with him and how he keeps a posistive attitude always, deticating everything He does to the lord. "It makes everything better and then I dont feel like im doing it alone" such a tender mercy for me to hear.
I have really been making that my moto. Opposition is how we learn and grow. Thats what has brought the greatest change in me is when I've experienced hard times and become completely reliant upon my Savior. The power the atonement has to lift burdens is real. It is the only way to progres and experience the greatest happiness in becoming more like Him. It increases our natural capacity to overcome all opposition. I feel so much stronger and capable than I have in my whole life and I know thats because of Him.
" The purpose and central blessing of life is change. it is to move from one degree of intelligence to the next, and from there to the next until you see God face to face and know Him as He knows you. "48 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, apray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true bfollowers of his Son, Jesus Christ; that ye may become the sons of God; that when he shall appear we shall cbe like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may have this hope; that we may be dpurified even as he is pure. Amen. He doesnt see us in terms of yeaterday and today. He sees us in terms of forever. and as we pray and keep that communication with Him, He can direct us to true and lasting happiness. I KNOW THIS TO BE TRUE! i have never experienced a harder and happier experience in my life than my mission and I know its because this is when I've been the closest to Him. I love you all and will see ya'll soon!
-sister scott
As new'ish member in Simi Valley, CA there was a less active family down our long winding street. The boyfriend of one of the daughters was literally a Hells Angel. Interestingly enough he was the one who took the lessons, was baptized and became one of the best member missionaries in the stake. That was 30+ yrs ago now. I don't remember his name now, as we moved out of state shortly thereafter, but I do remember his countenance & his enthusiasm. We never know, because we look with our judging eyes, but the Lord does know, because He knows the hearts of his children.
ReplyDeleteYOU are soooo awesome!!
I love reading your letters.
They make me smile...& remember.