Stand as a Witness of Truth!
Dear Friends and Family,
This week has been difficult, not because people have been mean or rude, but because we have given service everyday this week. Last Saturday we went to help out with a 5 mile road race. It was super fun just helping out. This week I don't really remember what happened which day, but we have helped out on a ranch, helped several people move as well as help clear out a storage shed. We also had two very different lessons this week. On Tuesday, we met a lady who we taught the first discussion and she was very engaged and excited to read the Book of Mormon. She asked several questions which led to the next thing we were going to discuss. It was like she knew the lesson almost! The discussion went very well and near the end, we felt prompted to invite her to be baptized. We invited her to be baptized on June 4th and she said that if she gained a testimony that the book was true, then she would be baptized on that date. We have a lesson with her on Tuesday and prayed about who we should invite to the lesson with her. Our prayer was answered and a name from our congregation came to mind and we invited her to the lesson and she will be there! This is all super exciting! She is in love with us and is very excited to hear more about the gospel. We took pictures with her and will send them once I receive them.
This is just an example of people who are ready to receive the gospel. Some may think that none of their friends are interested, but there are people being prepared to hear this message that we have that the Gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored! I can't wait to meet with her again on Tuesday!
Spiritual Thought:
This week it is pretty short, but I was reading in the book of Mormon in the Book of Mormon. During the chapters I just finished reading, there is a lot of contention between the Nephites and the Lamanites. They meet at a hill called Cumorah and fought. The Nephites were destroyed except for 24 and then those were also found and killed. The Lamanites were very obsessed with bloodshed and murder that they continued to fight amongst themselves. The plates had been passed down from Mormon to Moroni, his son and Moroni was kind of like The Lone Survivor. He was the only righteous person left save a few who possibly escaped. He was commanded to write down the things which he has seen and heard. This took place around A.D. 385. There is a hill in New York call Cumorah which is where Moroni buried the plates as well as where Joseph Smith pulled them out of the ground as commanded to do so by Moroni himself!
It's incredible to read about these places in the Book of Mormon. Moroni was an incredible leader and stood for truth in all things. This really did happen, I testify of that. The Book of Mormon is a book compiled of many different prophets and authors recording the spiritual things in their lives. I testify to you that if you will read it, you will find peace and if you pray with a sincere heart and a contrite spirit, you will come to a knowledge of its truthfulness by the power of the Holy Ghost and "by the power of the Holy Ghost, you may know the truth of all things!" (Moroni 10:5)
I am so grateful for all the miracles that have occurred in my life thus for and most importantly for the blessings those we are teaching have received. It is incredible to see people come closer to Christ. I am so blessed to be a tool in the hands of the Lord to further his work.
I thank you all for the influence you each have played in my life and I can't tell you enough how much that means to me. You all have played some part in making me who I am today and am so very grateful for each and every one of you!