For any of you, who are trying to come closer to your Father in Heaven, I want you to know that it is possible and it is worth it. Feeling the Spirit in our lives from doing the little things each days is a life changer. I know that conversion is a life long process. I know that daily prayer and scripture study is what keeps me converted. I love this gospel so much. This is how we find true happiness and it is how Liz is finding true happiness. It is the best!!
That was definitely the highlight of my week. Other things include:
- Having a lesson with our stake president with a part member family in the ward who lives very very humbly. She was so grateful to have the stake president in her home. He extended the invitation to church and she came this Sunday
- Having a million people at church on Sunday! It is normally a struggle and a half to get one or two people to come to church (investigators or less actives). This week, 7 investigators came to church and 3 less actives came to church. It was pure craziness and bliss. Two members even brought their friends to church yesterday! like WHAT! secret: if you want to make the missionaries in your ward so happy, bring a friend to church and introduce him/her to them. :)
- going on exchanges with the sisters in Clinton MO
- working with our fabulous members. This family is one of my favorites. I hope I stay enthused about member missionary work as this family has. He also taught us how to make Italian pasta from his mission!
- my sweet companion (who doesn't like sushi), alllowed us to get sushi the night we didn't have a dinner because I was craving it and hadn't had it in a year! #truelove and I figured it deserved a picture :)
also, look how gross this dead rat was outside one of our investigator's house!
I love you all!
Sister Morgandear family,
I wish you all could be out here on a mission with me and experience
these wonderful things with me each week instead of me trying to tell
you a glimpse of a quarter of the feelings and stories I have. For
now, this will do though.
I know I probably say this every week, but more than any other time in
my mission, SO much has happened this week. And I am aware that I
share miracles with you all every week. I want to share a story with
you all this week, but first, I love this scripture in Moroni 7:29
"My beloved brethren, have miracles ceased? Behold I say unto you,
Nay; neither have angels ceased to minister unto the children of men."
Miracles are going on around us every day. Heavenly Father is reaching
out in love to His children, helping them along and answering their
prayers. all. the. time. I love how it says that angels minister to
the children of men. It is through these ministering angels that
people are converted to the gospel of Jesus Christ. The Spirit touches
their heart enlightens their understanding in a way that only can come
from God. That is exactly what happened with Liz this week.
Tuesday morning, we had a lesson with Liz at the Visitors Center. We
have taught her pretty much everything. We have read parts of the Book
of Mormon with her. She has come to church. She has prayed. Everything
in the books, but she still had concerns about the church. Social
concerns, family concerns, political concerns, doctrine concerns. You
name it. We decided to watch Meet the Mormons with her. We finished
the movie, the Spirit was of course so strong. (If any of you haven't
seen that movie, go watch it.. pretty sure it's on Netflix or
YouTube.. it's the best). We talked for a little bit but not about too
much.
Thursday morning, we got an email from Liz. Here's a short excerpt from it:
"Where is all this coming from? Tuesday, after that movie, I was kind
of speechless. Not me, right?! I had an overwhelming feeling of peace
and ease that I would "do this thing," i.e. be baptized, and it would
all work out. All the issues I have had with the church, that you both
have heard me voice my concerns about, all that did not matter. I
cannot even really remember what we talked about after the film
because I was trying to understand what was going on with me and what
it all meant. The words I spoke were certainly not my own. Something
was talking through me, at least that is what it felt like. On the
ride home, that serenity continued. Something about you two, what we
just watched and what I have been learning about suddenly made sense.
It suddenly clicked and I could see clearly. Does that even make
sense?
Anyway, I was wanting to catch you up on that aspect of things and
maybe chat about that baptism plan you had for me and if even though I
adamantly declined at first, could we maybe be able to reinstate it? I
know. I am all over the place. hahaha "
I wish you all could have been with Sister Hixon and I when we read
that email!! haha. We were freaking out.
We met with her on Saturday for like 2 hours and just talked about
everything. Made plans for her to be baptized on June 11 (the day that
we tried to set for her 2 weeks ago). When we were setting her date,
we decided to kneel and ask in prayer what day for her to be baptized.
She has to give up some things cold turkey to be baptized on June 11
so we wanted to know if that was the right date for her. She finished
the prayer and just said, "June 11 it is!" Ah! It was incredible! One
of the things Liz is giving up is tea, which she loves! We made an
agreement that we would give up soda for the rest of our missions with
her, so no more Dr. Pepper during our p-day chick-fil-a visits, but
for someone that we adore :)
She came to church on Sunday and ran down the hall as soon as she came
in to give us a hug and was just beaming all day. That sacrament
meeting in the YSA was so catered to her and the things she is going
through it was incredible. She was sobbing throughout it all. She is a
miracle. Conversion is a miracle.
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