We had so much to do this week it was ridiculous. Tuesday we had MLC, Wednesday we went to the temple, Thursday we had exchanges, Friday was Zone Meeting and, Saturday and Sunday was Conference.... AND WE STILL MET OUR GOAL FOR LESSONS TAUGHT! With a lot of faith we were able to make through alive! Actually, more than alive, we conquered this week. I've never taught so many lessons in my life.. seriously.
Speaking of.. I guess this whole week was really focused on one of my biggest weaknesses: PRAYER. As most of my companions can attest to (and my whole family) I have always struggled with the concept. We have been asked to study about the atonement, seeing as Easter is coming up, and I ran into 1 nefi 7:17. As we studied in one of Elder Bednar's talks from October 2001 he made the observation that when Nefi prayed he did not ask for his problems to be resolved, rather, he asked for the strength to be able to get himself out. in the GEE we learn that prayer is not to change the will of God, instead it's to ask for blessings that heaven has in store waiting for us to petition. What does this have to do with the Atonement? well, when we use prayer as a means of obtaining that Grace that we so desperately need, it gives us the strength to accomplish things that we could not do on our own... much like this week! Well, here I was thinking I was finally able to understand prayer, when out of the blue a dinner appointment rocks my world. Here was this tiny 10 year old with a question: "why do we need to pray? Even when we don't pray things turn out okay, I don't see the point." Oh heavens. It was like looking in the mirror. So the mom turns and looks at us and says "why don't we ask the missionaries? I bet they have a GREAT answer for you!". Seriously lady? If only people understood how imperfect we are! So my boss of a companion answers with scripture and some solid testimony on prayer. And here I am sitting there like a bump on a log not feeling like I had any right in answering that question when I had spent most of my life doubting it... So out of no where and I share an experience about me not wanting to pray and all that fluff stuff that brings the spirit really strong. Well, here I am crying like a boob because I had FINALLY received a testimony of prayer. What was the out come? the kid shuts up and is like, "that makes sense". so I commit her to praying every night for a week and asking Heavenly Father to help her see the blessings that come from prayer. All those years for me to realize I really did have a testimony of prayer? WORTH IT.
This testimony was tested all week long. On days when I really didn't feel like I could make it, it was prayer that got me through. Whether my prayers or your prayers, either way, I felt the strength that I needed for the week.
One of those answers came through listening to conference. On my mission I have found that there are 3 things that I'm CONSTANTLY looking forward to in order to make it week after week: 1) the Sacrament, 2) the Temple and 3) conference. By the end of the week I am DYING to take the Sacrament. It gives me the strength I need. The assurance that I can take it and be even better the coming week that I was before. Amazing how it works. This week we were super blessed to have 4 investigators come to the sessions of conference. It was amazing to hear their response to hearing the prophet speak. One of them walked away saying that without a doubt they knew that Pres. Monson was a true prophet of God.... My jaw dropped. It was so crazy. I have been so full of the spirit all week, it has been amazing.
My companion and I had some really awesome door approaches. We have been teaching the "simplified" version of the restoration at every door and we have seen some incredible blessings. Yay for new investigators!
A really cool experience we had this week came at the tail end (doesn't it always). If there is one thing I have learned on my mission is that blessings wont come when we want them because we won't know how to appreciate them. Last night, when we had 45 minutes left in our day, we prayed to know where to go. We had a member with us and she said she wanted to see one of our investigators. So we went. We taught about one of the messages we had heard in conference just hours earlier, the spirit was so strong. We talked about the atonement and how we can leave everything behind. We talked about prayer and the power that it has to let us know the will of God. Long story short, we walked out with a baptismal date. Why? oh only because we have been praying for weeks that her husband's heart will be softened and will let her get baptized. AND HE DID! It was amazing.
I hope conference was able to change your life like it just changed our investigator's life. She has made the choice to be baptized and come closer to our heavenly Father. I know that conference isn't just a day off of church (as one of our other investigators so lovingly put it), it is the word of God through His mouthpiece. If the savior was here Himself to teach us I don't have a doubt anyone would miss it, so why do we not give conference the same importance?
Speaking of learning. I got some wonderful Geography lessons from my companion. I now know where all the states are in Mexico! haha.
anywho. this week was great. so full of blessings.
I love you all and hope that This week is filled with opportunities to share the gospel and to review our conference notes!
PICTURES:
temple
kids trying to steal a car with their bike... NICE.
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