March 3, 2014
ok, second things first. I am officially going
to be here in the same ward for another transfer. Woo Hoo! Sadly, Hermana Wong
will be transferred. same ward, different area. I'm going to miss that
girl!
First things second, we
had an amazing week full of miracles! Would you like to know why? Members, my
friend. members.
We had a goal this
week to have a member of the ward with us as much as possible. Our week
exploded. We had many of the best lessons that we've ever had with
investigators, one less active committed to try and get Sundays off at her job
(and then actually asked her boss!) we were able to have 3 lessons with an
investigator who has been pretty lukewarm, and he is excited for our next
appointment. One thing after another just haaaaapened to work out perfectly!!!
One miracle in
particular especially touched this little sister missionary heart. So,
backstory: Two or so weeks ago we were having a lesson with a woman in our ward
who hadn't been to church in a few weeks. We figured that it was just because
she was sick or on a trip or won the lottery and moved to the Caribbean. Not
so. At the end of the lesson we asked her if she was going to go to church the
following week and she looked at us and said "no." - at first we
thought she was kidding, but then she started to explain that since her husband
didn't want to go to church, she was going to give up trying. She bore her
testimony that she knows that this church is true and that she knows that God wants
her to go to church, but that she wouldn’t go. This Woman has two children
preparing to serve missions, and all three of her kids have been attending
church by themselves. My heart broke as I thought of them losing confidence in
their mother's faith. She has been so strong for years and years and now she
has finally reached a tipping point. Hermana Wong and I were devastated. You
could see her grief as she quietly cried, knowing what she should do, and yet
resolute in her decision.
We visited her a week
later and read the Book of Mormon with her. She enthusiastically testified of
it's truth, and then again refused to go to church. We set up an appointment to
go visit her this past Saturday, but at the last minute something came up,
and she said that she wouldn't be able to make.
One day later.
It was fast Sunday
yesterday, when members of the congregation elect to go to the pulpit and bear
their testimonies of Christ and His church and the scriptures etc. I was trying
to entertain two kids of an investigator when I saw her go up to the pulpit!
She began her testimony with "I know that there is no better place to be
on Sunday than at church."
Shock.
Surprise.
Synonym for shock and
surprise.
We have no idea what
changed her heart, but it was one of the sweetest miracles I have seen on my
mission. Some people think that missionaries only care about converting people,
but that is absolutely false. we are here to invite others to come unto Christ
by helping them receive the restored gospel. And that includes everyone. It's
like the story of the Prodigal's son in the bible. The father rejoices over the
one that was lost, and had come back. His joy was full, as it always is when we
decide to come back to him.
-Hermana Thomas
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