Hello!!
This week has been good. It's always hard to sit down and email because I try and think back over what has all happened that week and so many different things happen each day. It's difficult to try and accurately represent everything in a short email!
One thing I have learned is how totally and completely dependent we are on Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. Last week, it felt like NO ONE wanted to hear what we had to say. It was hard because we hadn't changed anything we were doing, just everyone was using that lovely thing we call "agency."
This week was better and it's made me realize (again!) how much every contact, every investigator, and every lesson is truly a gift from Heavenly Father. Our efforts are insignificant. However, when we do act and become "anxiously engaged" Heavenly Father blesses us. Even when things don't go how we want, just like Lehi promised Jacob, we have the promise that Heavenly Father will "consecrate [our] afflictions for [our] gain".
One example of that, is a man we contacted. We were going to go teach him, but he had given us a fake address. (I'm always impressed with people's abilities to confidently give us fake addresses!) Anyway, we went to the address. While we were in the parking lot, we contacted a man whose wife was a member and wasn't on the
church rolls. Also, we knocked on the apartment number he'd given us, and although it was the wrong address, the woman who answered the door, was a former investigator whom we'd lost contact with. What are the chances? It's neat that no matter how others choose to use their agency, when we use ours righteously Heavenly Father magnifies our efforts and more good is able to be accomplished, than if we had done nothing, or simply given up.
Missions are incredible! It's the hardest thing I've ever done. Sister W and I were talking about it last night and how there are those few times on your mission that you realize "It's me. It is 100% me and I have to change," which is not something I realized before my mission. I have had some really humbling experiences that made me realize how utterly dependent I was on God and not on myself. Sometimes, we unconsciously give ourselves WAY too much credit. Reminds me of King Benjamin's address "Of what then, have ye to boast?" I love my mission though. If I knew everything I would experience as a missionary, I'm not sure that I would have had the courage to do it, knowing that I didn't have to. But, now that I know what I know, and have felt what I've felt, I will be so, eternally grateful for this time. I wouldn't give it up for anything. I know my Savior so much better than I did 13+ months ago and that is worth any "price."
Have a great week!!!
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| We were about to knock on this door until we realized it had a tree growing in it! |
PS: President B told us that our area won't be closed this next transfer, afterall. I have work to do here, so I was thrilled/relieved to hear that.
Note from Mom: Ashlyn reported that during her hour of family history time, she discovered that John Galloway, one of the founders of Henderson, Kentucky, is in our family history line! It's interesting that the Lord has her serving in Henderson where there might be some Galloway kin and that she can testify and teach about the Gospel of Jesus Christ to them!
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