07. 14. 2014

Howdy Y'all!

Sister Wahlen and I are just so excited for Sydnee's baptism, it really is all we can think about it haha. We changed the date to Tuesday the 22nd and it is going to be the event of the year for the Woodlands 2nd ward. Truly. The ward has been so wonderful and just poured out their love to Sydnee. Also Sydnee's grandparents are going to fly in from Saint George to be here for the baptism. This is wonderful because the relationship with her grandparents has been strained and for this relationship to start to heal is just another blessing that has come from Sydnee's conversion to the gospel. So the plans are all set and now this week we will just teach Sydnee a few more lessons to help her prepare and count down the days until next Tuesday!

We also were able to have a powerful lesson with June and Nancy. I love those two. Now backing up a bit I need to tell you some background on them sense I don't believe I have yet. So how we found them we felt like we needed to go visit a member who lives by them. We were in our service clothes that day (this was a few weeks ago) and we asked Sister Chowdhury if she knew any of her neighbors that would need some service. She than directed us to June and Nancy. June is Nancy's mom. they are both raising Nancy's grandson Dash. They have truly made the best out of a hard situation. Dash's mom has emotional disorders and isn't allowed to be around Dash alone. So Dash's parents will come and visit but he lives with his grandma and great grandma. Anyway, Nancy is a teacher at the Woodlands High and she has said that she can always tell the kids who are "Mormon" She thinks they are the most wonderful kids and notices the difference in them. She wants that for Dash so she got Dash involved in Scouts a couple years ago. It was just a matter of time before the Lord lead missionaries to this sweet family. That is where we came in. Here and little and there a little the Lord provided a way for us to teach them and we have been able to teach about the restoration and the plan of salvation. The cool thing of this all is that one of the young women in the ward had Nancy has her teacher and at the end of the school year felt inspired to give her a Book of Mormon. that was about the week after we met them. How cool is that? It built my testimony that we truly are all missionaries! The Lord is going to use His servants to move along this work regardless of their age, title, calling. What He looks for is the willing and the faithful.

I was able to spend Saturday in Conroe. It was great to be there! Every area is so different than the Woodlands haha it definitely helps me open my eyes. We had an amazing lesson while there though. We taught an investigator who is having a really hard time forgiving herself. She just can't let go of things that she had no control over. I can't remember the words that were said but I can and will always remember the Spirit that was there. I knew the words I shared were not my own and I felt with all my heart the Lord keeping is promise that if we open our mouths the words will be given to us. This is something that I have really been working on... pausing! Y'all know me, I talk a lot!!! This is a strength but also a weakness because sometimes I talk so much I don't take the time to truly listen to the Spirit. I don't want those we teach to hear my words...they need to hear the Lords! So I have been patiently (or trying to be patiently haha) learning the language of the Spirit and how the Holy Ghost speaks to me. Friday night teaching Jane was a boost of confidence that the Lord gave me. I felt reassured knowing that as I diligently try to learn He will help. He will always help.

Really this week has been a week of learning for me. These last two transfers have been weeks of learning for me haha and I bet that this learning will only continue...actually I hope it continues forever and ever. I never want to stop learning how I can improve and become more.

I have been pondering the past few days of repentance and grace. I think I often fall into the trap of thinking that I have to "work" my way. That is the opposite of grace! We can't "work" our way to Heaven, we need the Savior! For he is the only way. So then what's the point of doing it all? why go to church? keep the commandments? why do it all? I love the way the Brad Wilcox put it "we aren't earning Heaven, we are learning Heaven." and that is Grace. Grace is the way that we show our appreciation for the savior's mercy, for his paying fully the price of justice. The price is already paid for us. It is done. The point is for us to learn how to be like Christ, for us to become perfected through Him so in the end we will be comfortable to be in His presence. That is the why. That is why we keep the commandments and go to church and do it all, it is the way we can practice and learn to become like our Savior Jesus Christ. What an amazing blessing!

AHHHH sometime does your heart just want to burst out of your chest because you are so happy?! Mine does right now.  

Okay so your homework assignment is to read the talk "His Grace is Sufficient" by Brad Wilcox. If you have already read it, read it again.

I love you all. This is the Lord's great and marvelous work. Don't forget that, because the minute we start to focus on our hand in it all, what is in it for us, we forget His.

XOXO

oh p.s. Michelle finally admitted to us that she has decided to go to the Catholic Church. That was hard. But like President Uchtdorf said "We search for truth wherever we may find it." Michelle has decided to search for truth some where else, and as long as she searches for truth she will be lead right back to Jesus Christ's true church, where all the truth is restored, the Chruch of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.