Dang Good Week!

Sept 14, 2015

We are doing better. I have no idea about transfers. We don't hear anything until the Sunday or Monday before transfers. I would like to be transferred. Not because the area is hard or that I don't like the people. I love the people and the area! It isn't hard either- no area is golden. It's more that's it's very stressing. I know the people and their lives. I'm very attached to them- they've become like family. It won't be the end of the world if I'm here another transfer, because it means the Lord knows what I'm capable of. 

This week has been pretty good. On Tuesday morning, we had district meeting. Two of the elders and I instructed because we had attended the MLC. (I mentioned it two emails ago.) It was one of my favorite district meetings! We talked about FAITH: what it is and why it's so important, PLANNING: why it's so important and how to make the best of it, and PRAYER: what it is and how to make it real and meaningful for us and those we teach. They all go hand-in-hand, just like all the principles of the Gospel. Simply put (and this applies to all of us with our various Church responsibilities and callings, not just missionaries): we need to have faith that God will help us teach and meet their needs. Faith is the first principle of the Gospel and the stepping stone to all we do. Then we need to plan according to our faith. Planning isn't just scheduling time to fill pages in our calendars. Planning is about people. President Uchtdorf said that oftentimes love is spelt t-i-m-e. We love the people we plan for. Then we need to pray to insure that we are doing God's will and confirming that we haven't let our personal desires interfere with His work and glory. 

 We had another scare with a member. She doesn't have the best health. We saw her the other day to visit and had to call the ambulance. She is doing much better!! We actually found her about a month ago collapsed. But she's doing better and both times the elders were able to come over and give her a blessing. I know I've talked about it before, but I love priesthood blessings!!! There is such a great power in them. What was mentioned in this last blessing was specific to her needs. Only our Father in Heaven knows that. This is an example of seeing the Lord's hand in my life. Both times I can gone to see her where we've helped is based on a prompting. The Lord knows He can trust us. I don't ever want to lose that trust. 

 I was studying the Book of Mormon today. I was reading in 1 Nephi 17 about Nephi building the ship. In verses 8-11, it mentions specifically how the Lord tells Nephi to build the ship in His manner. Nephi then asks where to find the ore to build the tools he needs. This made me think of 1 Nephi 3:7 where it talks about how the Lord will give no such commandments to the children of men except He gives us a way to accomplish them. Sometimes we are the way to accomplish His commands. 

 We have met more elect people. We are working with them to see if they are prepared at this time.  I still struggle with the discouragement of them not being ready, but I've been remembering what someone said at MLC that we are teaching those who are ready. So we have planted the seed. Sometimes we are the sowers and not the reapers. But the role of the sower is just as important as the reaper if not more. If no one sowed, there is nothing to reap. 

 The elders had a baptism yesterday! And he is on fire! He had an interview with President Milne during Sunday School about getting ordained and receiving a calling. Nick also wants to serve a mission! The fire of the Gospel is incredible!!! The church is true!

 Scripture of the Week: Ether 3:4-19
4  And I know, O Lord, that thou hast all ^apower, and can do whatsoever thou wilt for the benefit of man; therefore touch these stones, O Lord, with thy ^bfinger, and prepare them that they may shine forth in darkness; and they shall shine forth unto us in the vessels which we have prepared, that we may have ^clight while we shall cross the sea.

5  Behold, O Lord, thou canst do this.  We know that thou art able to show forth great power, which ^alooks small unto the understanding of men.

6  And it came to pass that when the brother of Jared had said these words, behold, the ^aLord stretched forth his hand and touched the stones one by one with his ^bfinger.  And the ^cveil was taken from off the eyes of the brother of Jared, and he saw the finger of the Lord; and it was as the finger of a man, like unto flesh and blood; and the brother of Jared ^dfell down before the Lord, for he was struck with ^efear.

7  And the Lord saw that the brother of Jared had fallen to the earth; and the Lord said unto him: Arise, why hast thou fallen?

8  And he saith unto the Lord: I saw the finger of the Lord, and I feared lest he should ^asmite me; for I knew not that the Lord had flesh and blood.

9  And the Lord said unto him: Because of thy faith thou hast seen that I shall take upon me ^aflesh and blood; and never has man come before me with ^bsuch exceeding faith as thou hast; for were it not so ye could not have seen my finger.  Sawest thou more than this?

10  And he answered: Nay; Lord, ^ashow thyself unto me.

11  And the Lord said unto him: ^aBelievest thou the words which I shall speak?

12  And he answered: Yea, Lord, I know that thou speakest the truth, for thou art a God of truth, and ^acanst not lie.

13  And when he had said these words, behold, the Lord ^ashowed himself unto him, and said: ^bBecause thou knowest these things ye are redeemed from the fall; therefore ye are brought back into my ^cpresence; therefore I ^dshow myself unto you.

14  Behold, I am he who was ^aprepared from the foundation of the world to ^bredeem my people.  Behold, I am Jesus Christ.  I am the ^cFather and the Son.  In me shall all mankind have ^dlife, and that eternally, even they who shall believe on my name; and they shall become my ^esons and my daughters.

15  And never have I ^ashowed myself unto man whom I have created, for never has man ^bbelieved in me as thou hast.  Seest thou that ye are created after mine own ^cimage?  Yea, even all men were created in the beginning after mine own image.

16  Behold, this ^abody, which ye now ^bbehold, is the ^cbody of my ^dspirit; and man have I created after the body of my spirit; and even as I appear unto thee to be in the spirit will I appear unto my people in the flesh.

17  And now, as I, Moroni, said I could ^anot make a full account of these things which are written, therefore it sufficeth me to say that Jesus showed himself unto this man in the spirit, even after the manner and in the likeness of the same body even as he ^bshowed himself unto the Nephites.

18  And he ministered unto him even as he ministered unto the Nephites; and all this, that this man might know that he was God, because of the many great works which the Lord had showed unto him.

19  And because of the ^aknowledge of this man he could not be kept from beholding within the ^bveil; and he saw the finger of Jesus, which, when he saw, he fell with fear; for he knew that it was the finger of the Lord; and he had ^cfaith no longer, for he knew, nothing ^ddoubting.

 

(Book of Mormon | Ether 3:4 - 19

Love,

Sis Pochop