October 28, 2013
Buonos Dias!
Esperamos que todo esta bien con ustedes y que estan feliz :)
We started off the week with a GREAT start and had 2 member present dinner lessons on Monday
in the course of 3 hours. We were SO full, but it was SO worth it! :)
We average 2 member presents a week usually, so it was definitely a
MIRACLE! By the end of the week we came out with 6!!!!!!!!!!!! That
probably doesn't mean a whole lot to you all, but it means the world to
us! :) The best part was-the members invited our investigators to there
homes. We didn't have to coordinate anything, we were just invited. That
is just how the work is supposed to be, and THAT is how people become
CONVERTED members, THROUGH the members! I have SUCH a strong testimony
of the power of members in missionary work. The past 8 months that I
have been in this area we have been trying to get our members involved
in the work. Now they are! First we had to start with showing them that
if they don't have "friends" that we can teach (which is a lie-EVERYONE
knows someone who doesn't have the gospel in their lives, or who is
less-active and needs to be brought back into the fold. Remember as was
said in Conference over and over again "It's not our place to judge if
someone is ready to receive the gospel, but it's our job to invite
EVERYONE") we told them we had investigators that we needed them to
fellowship. As they have done that their confidence in themselves as
"member missionaries" grew, they helped our investigators to progress to
baptism and feel like they have a part in the church (this is HUGE in
conversion), and they themselves had the courage to invite their friends
over and they trusted us enough with their friends that we are now
teaching them. Our investigator pool skyrocketed! Even better than that,
on Tuesday
we had my favorite family N and J invite us over for dinner.
They also invited her 2 best friends and their families. We had a great
time with them and shared what we do as missionaries and what we
believe. Then on Friday
they all came to the ward Halloween Party with their families, and now
want to learn more and start coming to church! We had more investigators
than members from our branch at that party, and we had 5 investigators
at church compared to our usual 1. We also had a less-active we have
been working with for months come back to church on Sunday
as well. Our other less-active couple just found out that she is
pregnant!!! :) And we are still teaching both of their best friends-one
of which we should set a baptismal date with this week. He is already
sharing the gospel with his family and just found out that his roommate
is a less-active member, so they are going to start coming back
together! YAY!
On top of that, J was baptized on Sunday and they were all able to come and see how we do baptisms in the church. The spirit was wonderful, and all were edified.
On top of that, J was baptized on Sunday and they were all able to come and see how we do baptisms in the church. The spirit was wonderful, and all were edified.
Between
the members and our investigators, the work is progressing so well
here! It has been such a blessing for me to be able to see this area
grow and really catch the spirit of missionary work.
Yesterday during sacrament meeting, our branch president
stood to give his talk and thanked me specifically for all of our hard
work and dedication in the area. That is SO unusual for him to do, and
really meant a lot to me to hear that from him. His sweet words brought
me to tears (and I haven't cried yet this transfer! ;) hehe ) He
continued his talk and compared our work as missionaries to stories in
the Book of Mormon and how we need to be humble and not stiff-necked. I
really appreciated all of his kind words. After the meeting, he told me
he was sad to see me go, but that he wasn't because he knew I would be
back sometime soon- he was going to send in his requests to President
Cusick. Honestly, I know that this work here didn't progress because of
me. I had a great trainer who taught me to work hard and never give up.
When people try to stop your work from progressing, you just "look up"
and keep on pushing through. She taught me to be strong, physically,
mentally, and spiritually. My companion now taught me how to truly love
people and to see everyone as Christ see's them, PERFECT! And to love
them through anything. The Lord has blessed us so much in this area as
we have been diligent and sought to do His will "at all times, in all
things, and in all places". Hermana D and I find ourselves looking
and each other while laughing and saying "Yeah! The mission really IS
supposed to be this fun!" We have been so blessed each and every day!
It is such a privilege to have the Lord's hand in our lives
guiding us and directing our every step. It's very humbling to know that
he trusts me with his precious children here in this area, with the
little spanish I know. I can testify that the Lord truly does love each
and every one of us, and he has a work for each of us to do. If the
missionaries there haven't reached out to you, reach out to them and
give them your hands to love and support the investigators/less-actives
that they have. There is NO greater happiness to be found than in
sharing the gospel with those you love. You help them grow and you grow
so much yourself. It IS the work of the Lord, and we are promised
numerous times in the scriptures- more blessings in sharing the gospel
than by any other means. AH! The work of the Lord is SO wonderful and it
is indeed being hastened!!!
Oh, I almost forgot, lol. I am being transferred! :( I don't' know where I'm going until tomorrow,
so if you need to send me anything, send it to the office and they will
fwd it to me. The girls here in my apt will also fwd anything to me as
well Hermana D is staying here and training 2 new people. She will
have her hands full, but will be wonderful! They are opening up another
Spanish area here again-Sisters too. YEAH! I kinda have a
feeling that I might stay in the area as they are opening that and
also a Z in H (all within our stake on the peninsula), but they
didn't say I was opening, so who knows. Maybe that's cause it's already
my area. That's be super funny if I ended up just moving north or south
of here though, especially cause we took SO many pictures and said SO
many goodbyes (well, not goodbyes cause I don't believe in that, only
"see ya laters") with everyone yesterday. I will attach some. It was so
fun! I LOVE it here and I am SO sad to leave, but I know I am leaving
the area in great hands, and I can't wait to hear how things continue to
progress.
I love you all and hope you have a GREAT week! Remember to
get in daily scripture study and prayer. Without those 2 strings, every
thing else comes unwoven. They bring such strength and power to our
everyday lives and help prepare us for the opportunity that the Lord
WILL provide us to share the gospel each day. I love you!!!
Hermana Gillett
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