April 29, 2013
Hey Family,
How are all of you!?!?!?? I hope you're doing so great! I wish you would all update me a little more on your lives. Colin was just in Santa Barbara....so if he had jumped over the mountains he would've been in my back seat. CRAZY! Don't ever come so close again! That's making me feel weeeeiiirrrrrrd. haha. Actually, it was fun to see a picture of him there by the pier in Santa Barbara. Anyway, what's everyone else been doing?
I'm running short on time, so on to the update.
I had a really great personal study this morning! I'm going through Preach My Gospel again from cover to cover and right now I'm in chapter 6 – Christ-like Attributes. This past week I've been on the section about Charity and it's been very rewarding as I've studied it. Today, I was reading in 1 Corinthians, chapter 13. Paul is teaching the Corinthians about seeking the best gifts and now teaches what the best gift is. I realized as I was reading verses 4-8, which describe charity, that those verses really describe the Savior, Jesus Christ. When we gain the Christ-like attribute of charity, we will be like Jesus Christ because it means that we have also obtained all of His other attributes, as taught in 2 Peter, chapter 2. Basically, our goal in life is to obtain the pure love of Jesus Christ, because Paul said that it is the greatest gift (verse 13). The reason that it's the greatest gift is because it's the gift of becoming as Christ is. I just loved that so much! I had never thought of it in that way, but I know that I was being taught by the Spirit this morning. I know that it's through Christ that I will someday obtain that perfect, true charity and be like He is.
Well, this week we taught Jose, Mike, the Heaths, Brother Dumond, Aubrey and Tyler (twice), and Stephanie. So we didn't have as many lessons this week because we still had exchanges and other things that went on - service project and a BAPTISM! It was still such a great week.
First I'll talk about the exchange I went on this week. I went to Moorpark! I worked with Sister Kiyotani there and we had a super busy day. We went from one appointment to the next all day long. It was a very spiritual day for me, because they had appointments with most of the people I've taught there. We had a lesson with Kayli at the Lutzs' home with Brenna. That was a very powerful lesson, because there were two of the people that I've grown to love so much sitting on this couch and I get to teach them about the gospel at least one more time. I just felt so proud of them, because they've both grown so much since I've been gone. Kayli just seemed older and more mature. Brenna just has a glow right now and when I looked into her eyes I could just see such a bright light that the people in Provo are going to recognize and see the Savior in her eyes. Sister Kiyotani said that it was amazing how much they trust me. She said that they really took in every word that I was saying to them. I'm not sure why they trust me so much, but I'm grateful that Sister Kiyotani pointed that out. The people that we teach are trusting us to show them the way to a better life. I know that as missionaries we have walked that path and are capable of being the ones to lead people in the way to becoming like Christ. I'm not sure if I'll even get to see Brenna again before her mission, but I know that the Lord used me to help her while I was in Moorpark. I also know that He used Brenna to help me grow as a missionary. It's crazy that one of the reasons that I was in Moorpark was not just for non-members, but I know that I served there so I could meet Brenna as well. Anyway, it was a great day. We also taught Tonya and Caitlyn. That was another treat. Sister Kiyotani is doing so well. She is a really great teacher. The way she teaches is so simple that I can tell that those we teach understand her well. We just talked about opening up more to those she teaches so they can feel her love and so they can feel that they can relate to her. She doesn't really share personal experiences with people, but she recognizes this. She said it's something she has struggled with, but she's going to work on opening up more with people. She's an awesome missionary and she's doing really well with training.
We had a really great baptism on Saturday! Marnie and Melanie Heath were baptized. It was a fun baptism. The Heath kids are very active and hard to keep sitting still. There was a very sweet spirit present at the baptism and the best part was when Melanie and Mariah stood up together and said that they were grateful to be baptized. I know that it was a big day for Sister Heath and the ward came and gave the family a lot of support. That was a major answer to our prayers. It was a great day.
Baptism of Marnie and Melanie Heath
We got to teach Aubrey twice this weekend. We taught her Saturday after the baptism and Sunday before church. We had a really fun lesson on Saturday. We taught her about the plan of Salvation and with someone that's deaf, we need to teach her in a way that she can see things and understand them. We started on the stage in the church and taught about the pre-earth life, then, we went through the curtain (the veil) down onto the gym floor (earth). We then had Tyler and her put on a backpack (their bodies) and taught about agency. Then we put rocks (sin) in their backpacks until the bags were pretty heavy. We talked about Jesus Christ and who He is as our Savior. We taught about the atonement and how through Him we can have our sins taken away and become clean. Then, we took the rocks out of their bags and said that it's only through Jesus Christ that we can be relieved of those things. The best part was asking Aubrey questions at the end. She really is understanding the things that we've been teaching her. It's amazing! Both Sister Burwell and I have been praying that her understanding will be widened and her ability to learn will be enlarged. That has happened! It's been amazing. The best part for me is that the Lord is still blessing me to have a relationship with Aubrey even though I can't totally communicate with her. I feel close to her and I can tell she enjoys being around me. I just love her so much and I'm so happy about the changes that I'm already seeing in her. She just seems so much happier and excited about everything. At the end of both of the lessons we had with her this week, she said she just wants to keep learning more. She wants to know all that she can. I love this work!
We also found a super golden investigator yesterday. Her name is Stephanie and she was a referral from Church Headquarters. When we got there she told us that she wants to change, she wants better morals, she wants to have support, she wants to be closer to God, and she told us that she was committing right then and there to come to church! How amazing is that! We didn't even have to say a word ... don't worry, we did, but we probably didn't need to. I'm excited to see what happens with her.
Well, another week under my belt. It seems like there are too many under that belt. Time is flying by and I'm loving every minute!
I love you all so much! When you write me, share a missionary
experience that you've had lately! I love those!
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