I have to say this week
has been rough. I think it's rough because we have had to hand over a
couple investigators to the other sisters since they moved to their
ward. We have also had to hand over some less actives who want to go to
the college branch. Almost all of our investigators are no longer
progressing and its hard. We have definitely had success in
other ways, like with less actives and our ward but they have had 6
baptisms in the last 3 weeks. It's hard because I know that I can always
try harder, and I am trying hard. So I tend to think "What am I doing
wrong?" even though I know it's not just our fault. I can definitely do
better though. It's hard to see other missionaries and their success and
not get too down on myself. That has really been stressing me and
sister Austin out. Therefore we have been driving each other crazy!
Oh my
goodness its been a hard week. But about 2 days ago we had a really good
companionship inventory. I remember Travis and others always saying how
awkward those were. Maybe it's cause I'm a girl but they are not
awkward hahaha. They really help a ton. After being complete girls and
expressing our feelings we went to go see the Taylors. Who were
reactivated last week :)
Brother Taylor still will not read his
scriptures, he is so stubborn and we had one of the best lessons ever
with them. We have tried to talk to him about the Book of Mormon before
and he always gets upset. This time we still tried to talk about the
Book of Mormon and talk to them about how we must read it every day, and
study out of it. The Book of Mormon will bless us. We learn from it, we
gain testimony from it about the gospel and all the parts of the
gospel. Well we asked him to study from it. He then said "I know I need
to, I understand it is a good thing, and I will" We were taken back, and
then he said, "I will study it, not read." That was the difference.
Heavenly Father has us say study instead of read. Such a simple thing
and it clicked for brother Taylor. He didn't want to read from cover to
cover but he was willing to study out of it. How amazing is that.
Heavenly Father saw we were struggling and we really tried to just let
Heavenly Father use us as instruments and by doing that Heavenly Father
helped brother Taylor understand. That was so special to experience. :)
This man who was and is stubborn, finally decided he needed to study! :)
Yesterday we spoke in church :) I am not a speaker and we
had to speak on 3 Nephi 9:15-22 which is not very missionary related
but I decided to make it missionary oriented. We only had 7 minutes each
cause a missionary just came home and spoke, and they wanted to give
him most of the time. I was so grateful it was only 7 minutes cause well
like I said speaking scares me. I have born my testimony in sacrament a
ton, and that is fine, but speaking scares me so much. Plus we had no
time this week to prepare really and so we prepared it the night before.
Luckily it turned out decent..but still it was scary! Rylee, the RM
spoke last and oh my goodness he is what I want to be at the end of my
mission. I have grown up a lot spiritually but oh my I have so so so
much more to grow. He served in Fort Worth Texas. His homecoming talk
was different than most. Most share lost of stories, and he shared a
couple. But what he talked on was what a preach my gospel missionary was
and what a disciple of Christ was, and how there was no difference. If
we are trying to be a disciple of Christ we can be a preach my gospel
missionary. He talked about how we all can be a preach my gospel
missionary, we don't have to have a badge to say we are. He shared some
experiences and bore his testimony and I was glued. I want to be like
him when I come home. So I decided to change up some things. For my
personal study instead of just reading out of the Book of Mormon and
squeezing a few things in. I decided to start studying the lessons more. I
have taught them a hundred times and am used to them and Sister Austin
pointed out that sometimes I teach them the same way to everyone.
Therefore I have decided to study them more so that when I teach I can
fully teach by the spirit and teach the person rather than teaching a
lesson, which it talks about in Preach My Gospel. I had gotten in a rut
and hearing Rylee talk, and the last two weeks of my mission really got
me thinking and I have started to try harder and learn more. I tried
hard before, but it was time to up the level. Like when you get used to
running 2 miles and yes your working, but you're used to it, and so you
have to bump it up to 3 so you can continue progressing. That is kinda
how I feel right now and I love pushing my self more. My studies have
become so much more purposeful and Sister Austin and I are learning
more. I am so thankful I had that eye opener.
Today while I was making my bed I started thinking about what
my friends might be doing right then, and I realized it's probably just
their usual thing. I am on a mission, and yes making my bed and having
my daily routine is usual, but right now, our lives are different and my
life is not the same as theirs, at least not right now. I am on a
mission for the Lord. I have learned so much and have never been so sad,
and never so happy and full of joy. I am so thankful to my Heavenly
Father and my Savior who help me every day. They help comfort me, they
help guide me, they help strengthen me. I was not a very courageous
person before coming out, and oh boy I have a lot to learn. But these
last two weeks I have been trying to be courageous and just asking
people straight up about why they don't read, or come to church. I know
that, that strength is not mine at all. It is my Heavenly Father. I know
that I am only able to do what I am doing here as long as I am letting
the Lord use me for an instrument. Just like Ammon in the Book of Mormon
when he talks about how is is not his strength but his Gods and he will
boast of his God. I love Ammon, he is so cool. Anyways I just rambled
on.
I love this gospel. I love seeing the miracles the Lord
performs on a daily basis. I love my Heavenly Father and I love His
children. I know that the Book of Mormon will provide us with the
strengthen we need to get through the day, to helping us learn Christ's
teachings. I know that with God all things are possible. I know that
Jesus Christ is my Redeemer. I know Heavenly Father is my Father. I know
that we can be a family together forever if we keep our covenants we
make in the temple. I love my family so much. I love all of you. I am
grateful I have an eternal family :)
Love Andrea
No comments:
Post a Comment