This week was a bit frustrating because we have been working really hard and coming home exhausted (and happy!) every day, but when it came to Sunday, no one was at church! LAME! But it's okay because the little things we did are still of worth. It's just disappointing when everyone decides it's not their day to come to church. The branch presidency was disappointed as week because so many people walked out of sacrament meeting after the sacrament. It was really weird. We're trying to brainstorm together what we can do to help the members understand the importance of honoring the Sabbath day. Open for ideas if anyone has any!
Also, we re-dropped Jose Luis, unfortunately. It's sad because he really wants to be baptized and wants to be part of the church, he knows that it is important and he wants more than anything to know Jesus Christ. But he has some grudge against the Book of Mormon for some reason. He refuses to read it and we find ourselves revolving around his dislike of it again and again. It gets in the way of everything we teach because he only wants to learn
A few disappointments this week, but we are working hard and happily! So all is well! Miracles in pending :)
Hermana Johnson is just so great. She has been a bit sick, as I'm sure you have heard, but she is so tough. It hasn't stopped us from working and it's so cool because the moment we get into a lesson, you wouldn't have any idea that she was feeling unwell. She's amazing and so confident in her testimony, which reflects her understanding and gratitude for the blessings of God.
Okay okay okay. I have had some awesome studies this week! I'm really excited about them!
Oops. I left my scriptures in the car. Hmm. Hopefully this makes sense.
I was reading in Helaman 11 (verses 6-18ish) and I noticed something really neat. So Nephi, amazing, faithful, unwearingly working prophet, has asked that God send a famine on the land to stop the pestilence of the sword, or the wars. After a while, the people begin to humble themselves and recognize God as a prophet in the land, and ask that he will pray for God to turn away his wrath and send rain. This is in the 75th year of the reign of the judges. So then Nephi recognizes that the people have repented and begins to pray. What I found to be so interesting is that Nephi prayed four times for God to turn away his wrath, using very similar wording. To me, it sounds like a series of prayers, like he was praying for the same thing again and again. About 2/3 of the way through his praying, he recalls the promise that God has given him and expresses that he has faith God will hear this prayer, too. Well, finally, in the 76th year of the reign of the judges, God sends rain, and the people rejoice.
Maybe I'm wrong, but to me it sounds like Nephi was praying for a long time. Days, weeks, months, who knows exactly. I know that for me, I pray and pray and pray for people to change or for something to happen, and it seems like all I'm getting is radio silence on the other end. Even though I know it's not true, I have felt that prayers have gone unheard before, and maybe even now. But, persistence, faith, and diligence yield miracles. We can't assume that a meager request will yield the same results as truly laboring in the spirit.
Another thing that I loved is in D&C 123 the last two verses. My sister pointed it out to me. It talks about how a large ship is guided by a small helm. The importance of this small helm is undeniable, and to me, represents the small acts that we earnestly perform. A little earlier in this section it says that we must waste and wear away our lives doing good. I know that as we do the little things, the prayers, the studies, the obedience, we will be able to guide and conduct much greater "ships" through stormy seas. Especially if we allow the Savior to be our captain.
I love the scriptures :)
Hermana Clark