We have had some amazing lessons and miracles finding new people and starting to see investigators progress and working with members. It's been exactly what people hope missionary work is like. The members are SO willing to work with us and feed us and give us referrals and feed us and feed us and feed us. I'm probably going to gain a bit of weight here... But it's really been a missionary's dream come true (minus the food part).
Monday night we had an awesome lesson with Arizbeth. She's been a bit scared to be baptized, and it seems like baptism has almost been a contentious conversation in many of her previous lessons, but we had such amazing spiritual lessons with her this week. We really focused on her relationship with God and personal revelation. The spirit truly worked within her and she was able to discern and understand what it is that the Lord wants her to
On Tuesday, exchanges with Hermana Cuevas, we literally saw miracle after miracle after miracle. We tried to take every opportunity and help others recognize us as servants of the Lord and the Comforter as a teacher of truth. My favorite part of the day was the last part. We had about 15 minutes before we needed to meet up with the other Hermanas and we decided to retry a member referral that hadn't been home earlier in the day. His name is Athualpa Urbano. He's very Catholic and at first tried to push us away, but we got him talking and had a good conversation. As we were exchanging contact information, I felt impressed that we needed to give him a Book of Mormon. I looked down and had one in my hand. Perfect. We'd found out that his name is Inca or Mayan or something, and told him that we had a book that talked about his ancestors. Hermana Cuevas explained beautifully how the Book of Mormon is a history of their ancestors and how the Book of Mormon heroes inspire her to defend God's church. It was SO POWERFUL. In the end, we gave him the book and he said, "Gracias, este libro es un gran regalo para mi." The spirit was amazing. We are going to follow up with him this week and I pray that his heart will be softened!
Another miracle. Sorry, last one :) There is an eternigator in our area. His name is Juan. Cool because he almost almost almost got baptized when my trainer was here. But then she had to leave to train me :) Sorry bout it. Anyway, we met him and he had this "if you stick with me and help me, I'll get baptized" attitude. Well, we went over this week and he told us a story about work and how he overcame his fears to do some project that was in the dark and underground and it took a lot of faith and courage, but he did it. The lesson continued on and then he said, "You know what. I think me getting baptized is the same. I'm scared and I doubt if I'm worthy because I say bad words, but I can overcome that. I can be brave. I'm going to be baptized. I'm going to do it. I'm going to be baptized." It was so cool! He had so much conviction when he said it! His attitude is changing and he's really starting to progress on his own. Last night we went over to visit him and his wife (she is a member) and we invited him to pull out his calendar and pick a day he wants to be baptized in August. He's so excited!
So, yes, it's been a good week :)
This week I had a little imagination meditation session and it helped me to put things in perspective, especially about the hastening of the work and urgency. I was imagining something that might have happened in the premortal life. Imagine this. Christ has called us into a great hall in heaven. He sits us all down and prepares a presentation about the dispensations of time. He tells us about Adam, Moses, Noah, Joseph...what the world will be like during their days and times and the temptations that will surround the people living on earth at that time. Then he gets to the great apostasy, he describes the temptations and evil that will develop and grow, the drugs, alcohol, and pornography that have now filled the world in our days. Everyone becomes very quiet, a few are sinking into their chairs. We all listen intently. And then He tells us about the light that will come through a new prophet, in a new dispensation. He tells us about temple work, family history, missionary work, and family home evening. We lighten up, sitting un that great hall. Christ pauses again. Looks out into the distance and says, "Now, I know that this dispensation won't be easy. Trust me, I know." Then looking directly at us, "But I need warriors. I need an army who will fight for the cause of Our Father. Do I have any volunteers?" This is the moment that is the most clear to me. It's the moment where I jump to my feet, thrust my arm into the air, and cry out, "SEND ME!" Surrounded by brothers and sisters in that great hall in heaven, so many of us jumped to our feet and declared our determination to serve in the name of Christ. And here we are, surrounded by so many people who don't know that they cried that same thing, who yearned to be here in this dispensation of the fullness of times. They don't know! And we have to help them remember. When an opportunity to serve, love, pray, obey, and testify comes, do we still jump to our feet and offer ourselves as warriors in this cause? I hope that I never shrink from an opportunity to volunteer to be my Savior's hands on the earth.
I hope that all made sense. I'm just so grateful to be serving the Lord. He is the best. I love him. :) :) :)
Okay, that's all!
LOVE!
Hermana Clark