I can't believe that it is December and that it is already Monday. I remember this time last year like it was just yesterday. I was sitting in class at Weber State, hanging out with my YSA, and probably spending countless hours on my iPhone. Now I am in Ohio, serving a mission, and helping people come unto Christ every single day. It's a
180 twist and I feel so privileged to be here. It's incredible to watch people take steps to come closer to our Savior. When I was home things that made me happy were sleeping in, hours on Netflix, over 50 likes on Instagram, lazy days...now the things that make me happy are people feeling the spirit for the first time, personal study, people coming to church, and reading the Book of Mormon with my investigators. It is a huge privilege to share the gospel every single day and help others come unto Christ.
This week has been incredible with K, D, and B. They are progressing every single day. K had told us that she wasn't getting much out of reading the Book of Mormon and didn't understand it so we decided we would read at our next lesson to help her. When we got there to read, she explained that the night before they sat down as a family and read 3 chapters from the Book of Mormon. She said they each took turns reading, explaining what they read, and they got so much out of it. We've had so many incredible lessons with them. One lesson D told us that it feels like we are family to them. B then turned to him and sweetly said, "they pretty much are, in Gods eyes." How cute?!? B and Darrell were pretty excited when they heard that they could get the priesthood (B has 4 yrs until he can get it). We talk about B going on a mission all the time and it's so fun. What would have happened if I didn't act on the spiritual promoting to go visit them? Yesterday K text us in the morning saying the baby was up all night throwing up so they wouldn't make it to church but she really wanted to be there. Well, we were greeting people as they came into the church building and I spotted K and B. She gave me a big hug and said, "we thought we'd surprise you and come. D stayed home with the baby though." Later, she was talking to a member of the ward explaining that she was meeting with us. She said "the day they knocked on my door and came in, they changed our lives. They may not know it but they are life savers." We also had the opportunity to watch the First Presidency Christmas Devotional with them all at the Strodes last night. I am so incredibly grateful for this sweet family. They have changed my life for the better. I am so grateful that I followed the spiritual prompting to go visit them. Always follow spiritual promptings, you may be an answer to someone's prayer.
We are teaching a new family that speaks Spanish and English. The wife has a hard time understanding English sometimes so it's definitely been interesting. We watched the restoration in Spanish a couple days ago and it was different. It's been a really cool experience though.
We finally got to teach D again. She isn't progressing as much but she still has a desire to be baptized. She has some challenges to overcome so hopefully we can help her.
We got in contacted with B and J once this week but we haven't been able to teach them. It's been a challenge to find them so hopefully we can get in contact and teach them again.
We are so excited for this Saturday because E and C are getting baptized. We have once lesson left this week with them and then we will be done with all the lessons. Emma will be a convert baptism for us and C will be a child of record baptism. We have come to love the Campbells family so much. C is just like my nephew Paxton so it's been a lot of fun to work with him and Sister Campbell is just like my sister Jen. They have become a family who I've become super close with it.
We've been working off and on with a less active named C. She use to not be a fan of missionaries but she has changed. We visited her this week and she told us that it always makes her happy to have us over. She said that she wants to start going to church again AND to work towards entering the temple. This made my heart so happy. I know the blessings she can receive from the temple so I can't wait for her.
I am serving in one of the best wards. I love my ward here. The people are so willing to help in lessons and do whatever/give whatever to us to help in any way they can. They have shown me what the pure love of Christ is. I was reading a talk by Elder Uchtdorf called "Your Wonderful Journey Home" and he talked about the pure love of Christ and explained how it is a language we all learned in our pre-mortal life. He said "the pure love of Christ is the most powerful language in the world. It brings about REAL change in character. It can penetrate hatred and dissolve envy. It can heal resentment and quench the fires of bitterness. As you become fluent in this language and use it in your interactions with others, they will recognize something in you that may awaken something in them, a long-hidden feeling to search for the right way on the journey back to their Heavenly Father. After all, the language of love is their true native language too. This true deep and abiding influence is a language that reaches the very soul."
I have come to see how true that is as a missionary. The pure love of Christ can touch the hardest of hearts.
My Savior was born so that I can make it back to my Heavenly Father.
Without Him, not one of Gods children would make it back to the Heavenly Home. We all can overcome human mistakes because of our dear Savior. Through unspeakable suffering, Jesus Christ become our hope, savior, and redeemer. He is my strength and motivation on the path back to my Father in Heaven. I know that my Heavenly Father knows me and guides me every day. Where I see 10 feet down the road, my Father in Heaven sees 10 miles. I am an instrument and the instrument can't work without the hands of the Master. I know this is the Lords work and I see His hand in it every day. This is Christ's church once again established in the earth again. He lives today and guides us today through a living prophet, Thomas S. Monson. I know these things to be true. 3 Nephi 5:13 "Behold, I am a disciple of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. I have been called of him to declare his word among his people, that they might have everlasting life."
Until next week, I love you all so much and thanks for the support and love! (We will not have p-day next Monday because of transfers so you will be hearing from me on Wednesday next week.) XOXOX, Sister Detamore
Oh so; my hair is dark brown/purple again. #blessing thanks to Sister Rossi for coloring my hair today. ☺️ before and after shots!
BEFORE….
AFTER…
No comments:
Post a Comment