Hey family!
I seriously cant believe that I have been here so long either! It just hit me this morning that a year ago at this time would be the day I was calling Dad as I sat on the lawn of the Institute Bldg at SUU asking what on earth I should do as far as my major and if I should take the internship or not. After we talked for a bit, he told me not to ask him,but to ask my Heavenly Father who had all the answers. That weekend was conference, just like this week and I went to Conference with those questions in mind. Well, I got my answer and 3 days later on Oct. 10 I started my papers. Now here I am a year later and 9 months into the mission. Time is flying by all too quickly,but I am loving EVERY second of it! :)
We have had a great week this week. We have had
some setbacks with some of our top progressing investigators and that
has been a little disappointing, but we are working hard to get them
back on top and progressing to baptism and the temple! We will NOT give
up! I seriously cant believe that I have been here so long either! It just hit me this morning that a year ago at this time would be the day I was calling Dad as I sat on the lawn of the Institute Bldg at SUU asking what on earth I should do as far as my major and if I should take the internship or not. After we talked for a bit, he told me not to ask him,but to ask my Heavenly Father who had all the answers. That weekend was conference, just like this week and I went to Conference with those questions in mind. Well, I got my answer and 3 days later on Oct. 10 I started my papers. Now here I am a year later and 9 months into the mission. Time is flying by all too quickly,but I am loving EVERY second of it! :)
I have been pondering a lot what the Book of Mormon means to me, how I know it is true, and how I can do better at making it that link between my investigators and their true conversion. I know that through simply reading the Book of Mormon we can receive the assurance that it is true by the Holy Ghost, as is promised us at the beginning. A lot of our members who aren't actively helping with the work, our less-actives and those of our investigators who aren't progressing are not progressing because they are not actively reading the Book of Mormon. It's not the keystone of our religion just so it can sit on our shelves and collect dust. It is the keystone of our religion because through it we can know for ourselves that Jesus Christ lives, that we have a Heavenly Father who loves us and that has provided a way that we can have happiness in this life and the life hereafter, and many more gospel truths that will guide us through this life. My favorite quote in Preach My Gospel states "As our understanding of The Atonement increases, so does our desire to share the gospel." All through The Book of Mormon we are encouraged to be missionaries and are shown how to do exactly that in so many ways. I know that our testimonies will be strengthened and I have seen conversion come through reading from The Book of Mormon. We must continue to read each day to continue that conversion process.
This week it has been evident to me the power the Book of Mormon holds. As I have read it this week my mind has been expanded so much upon so many simple truths that are so powerful! We have some investigators that want to hear our message, but have a hard time accepting that The Book of Mormon is true, and they refuse to read it. It has been frustrating because we can explain things over and over again and give them all the answers, but we know that isn't what matters. What matters is that we read and pray about The Book of Mormon to know for ourselves that it is true. As a missionary I'm not there to convince others of my words, but to invite them and to help them to be able to recognize for themselves the blessings that the gospel brings to them and their families for the eternities through the Holy Ghost as they read and ponder about The Book of Mormon. Over the course of this week as well as my whole mission I have truly learned how important it is to read from The Book of Mormon each and every day.
Elder Christofferson has some wonderful videos on lds.org in which he talks about the Bread of Life and how just as important as our physical well-being is our spiritual well-being. We must be nourished daily by the word. It doesn't have to be for hours at a time, but it does need to be a time set apart from the rest of the day when we can ponder on the things the Spirit is teaching us through the Holy Ghost. As I have studied from The Book of Mormon each day I have come to know of it's truth and have felt of the Lord's guiding hand in my life each day. The Book of Mormon is SO important and I know that ONLY through reading The Book of Mormon can we truly be prepared for all that lies ahead of us each day and feel of the Love of our Savior as we show Him our inward desires through our outward expressions. May we all continue to read from The Book of Mormon each day and seek for opportunities to share the wonderful truth that we have!
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