(This morning we helped renovate a home from the 1800's)Hey everyone! I know that I always say this but time is just flying bye. I can't even believe that I'll be home next week. It's so weird.
This week was really great. It's been a roller coaster to say the least. I feel like missionary life is always a roller coaster. Just when you think that you have everything figured out and everything is going perfectly something happens. That is whats happening to us.
On Thursday we had the baptismal interviews lined up for Candi and her 2 daughters and Rycca. Unfortunately, Candi is the only one that had an interview. Her daughters, Brianna and Alicia, still need to get permission from their dad. He is kind of under the impression that the Candi is forcing this on them. It's amazing to see what her 4 daughters learn at church though. Every time we see them they sing us songs that they learned at church. Their favorite is "If the Savior Stood Beside Me." It's funny because they'll be singing it while they're acting up and Candi says something like, "would you really be doing that if He was beside you?" and it gets them in line. Candi's interview went really well. She's so prepared and amazing.
Shortly before the interviews Rycca's grandma called us and said that Rycca doesn't want to get baptized yet. It's sad because she is ready but she feels pressure about it and what it involves from the whole ward. It's pretty sad. But the ward has realized that they need to make some changes in order to help her and others like her out. So all of that happened on Thursday and on Friday night Candi texted us and said that she didn't know if she was ready to make a covenant yet because she's afraid of breaking it. Great!
We haven't been able to see her since then because she's been out of town but Joshua 1:6-9 keep running through my head. I especially love verse 9 which says, "Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed; for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest." To survive the test of life we must be strong and of a good courage. We can't let our fears get to us. Fear is from the adversary! Joseph Smith once said, "I make this my rule, if God commands do it." Our Heavenly Father is loving and will not ask more of us than we are able to give. Yes, sometimes it does take us be strong and of a good courage but we were sent here to do hard things. We're not here to just sit idly by until our time comes. We're here to follow God to show Him that we will follow Him even if it is hard or scary. Life is a battle but if we want to make it we have to be strong. That's just how it is.
So we're praying that we'll be able to see Candi today and help her through some of her feelings. I keep thinking that I just don't have time for her to be doing this but it isn't about me. I just know that I'm supposed to be teaching her and that I need to do all that I can to get her baptized before I leave. So please pray that everything will work out.
Our 11 year old investigator Wesley is getting himself into trouble as well. He's been getting in lots of fights lately. I've put a lot of thought into what's going on with him and have realized some things. His family has him reading an anger management book. Now, that's a good idea but I don't think that it is the best thing for him. As I've been studying and contemplating the scriptures I've come up with some things. There are countless stories of people who changed their lives around. They went from being evil to the best people in the world. After hearing his address, King Benjamin's people "cried with one voice, saying: Yea, we believe all the words which thou hast spoken unto us; and also, we know of their surety and truth, because of the Spirit of the Lord Omnipotent, which has wrought a might change in us, or in our hearts, that we have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually." What made this might change of heart happen? They became truly converted. They learned for themselves who their Savior was and that He was mighty and able to save them.
So the conclusion that I had this week is that it is a good thing to study behavior but the best thing is to come unto Christ. As we come unto Him we naturally become like Him. His wants and desires become our wants and desires. I know that as Wesley continues to come unto Christ he will have "no more disposition to do evil but to do good continually." We are so blessed to have a Savior and to have the opportunity to become more like Him everyday.
The Gospel is such a great blessing. As we live it and let it really be who we are, it changes us. It makes us better people. It makes us more worthy to be called the sons and daughters of God.
The Gospel is definitely true.
Have a great week everyone! I love you all lots!
Love, Sister Anderson
No comments:
Post a Comment