(Sister Thomas did a fabulous job cutting Melissa's hair today. She cut off 2 inches and then layered it with some layers up to 10 inches off.)
Hey hey! It was so good to hear from some of you this week! Like always, this week was a good one. I just love being a missionary so much!
I came to learn something really important yesterday during Sacrament Meeting... I was just sitting there writing something in my planner and I heard this elderly woman sitting probably 5 feet behind me whisper to her husband, "I didn't know that Sister Anderson is left handed." Of course this wasn't meant for anyone but her husband to hear but since she was elderly all of us could hear her. I was just so thankful that I wasn't doing something inappropriate (not that I would be). But what I learned from dear Sister Kincaid is that everyone really is watching and it is up to us to make sure that we are doing what's right. We need to follow the direction in Matthew and in 3rd Nephi 12:14-16 which ends by stating, "Therefore let your light so shine before this people, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven." Now, I wasn't doing anything that is worthy of glorifying Heavenly Father for but hopefully one day someone will catch me doing something good and be thankful for seeing it.
Yesterday we saw a huge miracle, someone that is confused about church just showed up to church. Before church I saw this girl that I just knew wasn't of our faith. So after sacrament meeting I went and introduced myself. This girl is 20 years old and going from church to church looking for the right one. Apparently she noticed the example of a teacher at her high school and decided to see what our church is all about. This teacher wasn't even her teacher but she noticed that she was different. It was amazing as she shared with us her desires. She sounds just like Joseph Smith. Unfortunately she lives in Phoenix during the week and comes home on the weekends so we have to wait until next Sunday to talk to her again. Another miracle is that the ward mission leader's wife recognized her as one of the girls in her kindergarten class and was able to talk to her. There is no such things as coincidences with the Lord. I'm so excited to talk with Gabrielle again on Sunday!
Things are continuing to go well with Sandra and her family. Some people you can find, teach, and baptize in 3 or 4 weeks but this family just isn't one of those. They're going to take a lot of time and I'm ok with that. I don't think that it matters how long it takes for someone to make it to the waters of baptism as long as they're progressing every day and putting forth their best effort. Don't get me wrong, I know that it's important to do it with urgency and as fast as possible but sometimes there are just some obstacles too big to overcome in 3 or 4 weeks. Since the missionaries met Sandra back in June she has refused to pray with us. Well, since we've started getting her sons involved she has started to make some great changes. She's realized that she needs to be a better example because they really know nothing about Heavenly Father and Christ. At the beginning of last week both boys had prayed and they really put some pressure on her to pray. It was amazing because she gave up her desires to be an example for her family. At the end of her prayer I think that I must have yelled "amen" out of happiness and I jumped in the air and gave her a high-5. I was so happy because I knew that she was one step closer to Heavenly Father and making commitments with him. Every little thing counts. Just thinking about how she prayed makes me want to cry. I was and am so happy. I can't even explain to you in words how amazing it was.
Grant an 8 year old from aninactive fam that got baptized.)
I love the Gospel so much and I just know that our Heavenly Father is so happy every time we talk with Him and show Him our faith. It's incredible. I think that I've really started to come to understand our Heavenly Father's love. I can't comprehend how amazing it is but when I feel something for someone that I don't even know and just want them to be happy I know that Heavenly Father is teaching me something. I'm so thankful that He's letting me serve a mission so that I can learn these things.
After church yesterday the yw president approached me because none of our investigators came to church. She was so worried because she knew that I must be discouraged. I thought a lot about that and how I wasn't discouraged. I think that as we come to understand agency and that it is a blessing not a hindrance, we don't get discouraged. We may be disappointed because we know that people are missing out on blessings but we don't get discouraged. Discouragement is one of Satan's tactics. He wants us to feel down but we can always feel uplifted. We have a Savior and as we follow Him we can not and will not fall. There's not a chance. We will be safe and we will be happy. We have to remember the promise in Helaman 5:12.
This morning we got a phone call from a faithful brother in the ward. He stated that he thought that we needed to go visit this part member family because we left an impact on the wife. A few weeks ago we went to their house and the wife said that she had a testimony of the Book of Mormon but just didn't see how the church could be true. We just looked at her for a second and then I read to her the last 2 paragraphs of the introduction to the Book of Mormon. After pausing for a second I just looked at her and boldly stated that I knew that she had a testimony that the church was true and it's up to her to follow that testimony. Afterwards I was a bit concerned that maybe it came out too harsh but I'm excited to go back and to see what she has to say. Sometimes we have to be really bold to put the point across.
(Best of friends after volleyball)
Lastly, I've been thinking a lot about Ether 12:27 lately. It talks about making weak things become strong. My whole mission I feel like talking to everyone has been one of my weak things. I've really prayed and put forth effort to change that. Well, I'm starting to see this weak thing become a strength. I'm so thankful for the prayer because it is only through prayer that I've been able to work at overcoming this weakness. I still have a long way to go but I know that as we truly apply the scriptures to our lives we can and will see miracles.
Well, I hope that you all have a great week! The church is definitely true. There is no doubt about it. There is nothing more liberating then the Gospel. Live worthy of the blessings that come from it and don't let Satan subtly pull you down into discouragement and sin. I love you all lots!
Love, Sister Anderson
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