~Lisa
Monday, April 20, 2015
Hello, everyone!
It's been a greeaat week! I'm learning to love the mission and the people so, so much! I'm amazed each day by the things I'm able to learn. I overcame a few obstacles this week as well, and I'm continually inspired by the love our Heavenly Father has for us. I love that he sent us here knowing full well that we would make mistakes. How great is his wisdom that he provided for us a way to overcome our imperfections and mistakes! Jesus Christ's Atonement and grace make it possible for us to learn and to grow. If we put our trust in him, he truly blesses us with abilities beyond our own.
One example of this happened at the end of our week. Our district leaders called us to ask for our OYM ("open your mouth") totals. This has been something that I had a hard time with, and the numbers we reported weren't... um... very good. Haha! As a result of this, our district leaders gave us an assignment to read D&C 85:6 and invited us to ponder what we can do to improve our efforts and to set a goal that will make us stretch. I certainly didn't know what to expect, but what we discovered exceeded my expectations. The scripture says, "Yea, thus saith the still small voice, which whispereth through and pierceth all things, and often times it maketh my bones to quake..."
For me, that scripture poignantly described what the Spirit feels like when it prompts you to do something right. It was a huuuge tool in helping me to understand how we could tell what exactly goal we needed to set as a companionship, and we committed to shoot for 10 OYMs daily. The next day, we hit 11 and had great conversations with people— a lot of which I was able to initiate. Me. Someone who was SO afraid to open my mouth! But as I took that leap of faith, I could feel strength beyond my own. As it promises in D&C 88:3, "Open your mouths, and they shall be filled." As I've been preparing myself with the knowledge of the scriptures and the prophets, and especially with what's taught in our pamphlets, I've been able to remember them when I open my mouth. And the conversations I'm able to have, honestly, don't even feel real. Sometimes, in my head, I look around and try to figure out who was teaching all of those things! What a great promise! God's grace really does lift us up past our own abilities, and I know that as we exercise faith in him and the promises he makes us through our obedience, we are truly, truly blessed!
Another example was something else about missionary work that intimidated me entirely too much for my liking. We took one of our part-member-family investigators, Tim, with his family to the church for a church tour. He's been going to church for yeears, but we were hoping that perhaps the Spirit in the building would be able to help him understand the faith he already has and that we could help him understand a little more some of the things he's already been doing in church for so long. I don't know if we did exactly what we set out to do, but we testified and testified about how church helps us find answers. We were able to explain a little more about the significance of the sacrament and invited him to pay closer attention to the sacrament prayers.
We took him afterward to the baptismal font and explained that the purpose of baptism is to follow Jesus Christ's example so we can return to live with our Heavenly Father. We asked him if this was something he wanted and he said it was. We afterwards invited him to be baptized. (Or, well, you know, I might've choked down my fears and managed to let a baptismal invite fall out of my mouth.) The Spirit was so strong and the faith I was filled with was an overwhelming feeling. He accepted the invitation, but wasn't willing to set a date. He said he still doesn't know if Heavenly Father has a plan for him, and he wants to know for himself before he's baptized. We're praying and praying to know how we can help him. I was overwhelmed, again, by how the Spirit was able to help me do something that I didn't think I had the strength or courage to do on my own. How great the goodness of our God! My success, our success, truly comes from him!
I know that he can bring us up to places we cannot go on our own. I'm so grateful to be his missionary. What an honor! What a blessing! I know this gospel is true. Our Heavenly Father is real, and he loves us! His plan for our happiness and salvation truly is the way to return to be with him. What a glorious thought: to be with him! He has made it all possible through the atoning sacrifice of his son. As we follow Jesus Christ's example and keep his commandments, acting in faith and trusting his will, we are truly, wonderfully, and overwhelmingly blessed.
This gospel is true!
Sister Melanie Nielsen
P.S. Please keep Tim in your prayers, and pray that we can know how to help him. Thank you.
This is a family we had dinner with. The McLaughlins were so great to let us share our experiences with them and to testify of the Lord's hand in our lives. What a great family of missionaries— past, present, and future!
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