There
are so many miracles that have happened this last week, but with a lot
of miracles also comes a lot of changes. Right now as I am writing this
email I am in the car leaving Brookings, and I am so sad about it! I
have been so grateful for all of the people that I have been able to
meet while serving on the Oregon Coast. And I am excited for my next
adventure in life, but more on that later!
This
week we had the amazing opportunity to put 2 more people on date, which
means here in Brookings they have 3 people on date for the next two
months. One in Shelly and she is on date for February 18th, then there
is Ginny who is on date for March 18th and then Danny is on date for
March 25th. We had an amazing lesson with Ginny, she is an investigator
that Sister Datwyler and I actually found, and we haven't been able to
meet with her since then! But on Tuesday Ginny, after 60+ days of not
meeting and us calling 3-4 times a week, texted us! And said I have
ovaltine, come over on Thursday at 1! What a miracle. We met with Ginny
and had a member with us, everything was going super great, then
randomly the member started talking about baptisms for the dead.... okay
no that's not okay with new investigators. Anyway we changed the
subject and brought it back to the Book of Mormon and the promise that
it gives us. In Moroni 10:3-5 it talks about having a real intent when
looking for the answer, meaning that whatever answer you receive, you
have a real intent to act upon it. So we asked Ginny, if you found an
answer to knowing that the Book of Mormon is true, what would you be
willing to do. Well she said she would want to be part of it! So BAM!!!
We put her on date for March 18th, I am so freaking excited for her!
Then we were able to have a lesson with Danny just last night, the last
night of the transfer. We talked about baptism and the promises that we
make with our Heavenly Father at baptism and ways that we can and have
received blessings from these promises. We then shared Mosiah 4:27 which
says:
27
And see that all these things are done in wisdom and order; for it is
not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength. And
again, it is expedient that he should be diligent, that thereby he might
win the prize; therefore, all things must be done in order.
This
week we had received a phone call from Catherine, Danny's wife who is
also a recent convert. And she told us that since we were able to teach
Danny the word of wisdom last week that his issues have decreased
significantly. And Sister Heaton and I knew at that point that we needed
to put Danny on date. So then in the lesson we started talking about
how we are so excited and we recognize the steps that he is taking in
progressing towards baptism. But that Heavenly Father wants him to
continue to progress towards a date. We had been praying about March 25th
and so we asked him what he thought about that date, and he told us it
was his grandmas birthday so it was meant to be! We were over joyed.
Seriously so excited for Danny and Catherine! Missionary work is so
awesome.
The
other exciting thing about this last week was we were able to have our
worldwide missionary broadcast, which I am sure by now everyone and
their dog has heard about. Everyone kept maki a big deal about the new
mission schedule but really, they are just making it so we can exercise
our agency, which I am pretty excited about. It shows the difference
between the higher law and the lower law and how they are beginning to
have us stretch ourselves in beginning to show our Heavenly Father that
we are here for the right reason. They gave 4 reasons as for why they
are changing these things, 1. Be more productive 2. Set inspired goals
and plans 3. Be healthy 4. Use agency. And I really think that is going
to happen with this new schedule. We basically have a little bit longer
time to get ready, then we are able to pick when we do companionship
study so we can get out and do more work. Then we are able to plan in
the mornings now so when we get home for the night we can just go to
bed, so we have the opportunity to get more sleep. It has only been in
place for a few days but I am excited to be able to see the changes it
brings into the mission. We also had changes in what numbers we report
now, so we are able to focus more of our efforts on teaching repentance
and baptizing converts. We are focusing our efforts in on baptizing,
finding and putting people on date for baptism.
So
funny story, this week we had a mission wide conference call to discuss
the new changes to the schedule and to see how it would effect our
mission. Well President Russell was going through and answering a lot of
questions and then at the end he said, "I would like to invite Sister
Harrison to bear her testimony." Um what??? He gave me no warning! So I
might have freaked out. But really I have gotten a lot of compliments
and thanks yous from other missionaries so I think it was good! Luckily I
really don't remember what I said so I know that the Holy Ghost really
guided that testimony!
So
after President asked me to bear my testimony I really felt like I
wasn't going to be staying in Brookings, and every time I would say
something about it to Sister Heaton she would tell me to stop, but
really I wrote about it in my journal and everything. So once I got the
call on Friday night, I really wasn't that surprised. I have been called
to be a Sister Training Leader in Klamath Falls. My companions name is
Sister Gregory, and I have only heard good things about her. I am a
little nervous about my leadership position but I am excited for the new
adventure that my Heavenly Father has for me out here in Oregon. I was
so sad to leave Sister Heaton but I am excited for her and her new
companion. She is getting Sister Wilson who I actually came out to the
field with. So it will be awesome!
On
Thursday we got a call from the Elders asking us to teach District
Meeting. Um okay, thanks for the heads up since District meeting is on
Friday. But it was good, and I think since I have been a missionary I
have been able to find things to teach about a lot easier. I was able to
talk about our purpose as missionaries, helping people prepare for
baptism, daily Contact and establishing the church. And out of all of
those topics I spent a lot of time talking about Establishing the
Church. Whenever anyone talked about establishing the church before I
studied this I figured they were talking about less active work and
helping people become active again. Well that is part of it but it is
also a big part in missionary work, helping people become established in
the church by going and teaching repentance and baptizing converts.
During the missionary broadcast they talked about establishing the
church more when you are off your mission because you will get married
in the temple and begin to grow and establish your family and that will
establish the church. Well that was really weird to talk about and it
made me think about the future and my head starting hurting soooo I
stopped!
For
my spiritual thought this week I wanted to share a scripture that
Sister Heaton shared a lot this week that has to deal with how we can
understand when the Holy Ghost is speaking to us. The scripture is found
in Galatians 5:22-23
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
When
we feel these feelings and emotions we can know that the spirit is
speaking to us. This last week during the broadcast Elder Bednar talked
about how some young missionaries, and I feel like anyone can be put in
this situation, don't know when the spirit is talking to them. And he
told us that when we have a good thought, don't question it. Just do it.
I know this is true, and when I have a thought that I think might be
coming from the spirit that I should be listening to it. I am so
grateful for the spirit in my life and I know that the Holy Ghost is
always guiding me through my missionary work.
Well,
we are almost to Klamath so I guess I will send this off! There is a
lot of snow, and I am sure that it is cold outside. Pray for me! Thanks
for all the love and prayers!! Have a fabulous week!
---Remember who you are and who God expects you to become---
Love, Your Favorite Sister Missionary,
Sister Harrison
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