Hello friends!! Another amazing week here in Lawrenceburg! Lots and lots of miracles out here. I’m telling yall this is the promised land and if I get transferred next week I’ll be absolutely distraught. I’m just happy I’m having my birthday in this area at least because the members have been so excited about it and I’ve been feeling lots of love!!! And it’ll be my only birthday on my mission so I’m happy it’s going to be in the greatest place in the world!!!
☆lots of progress with unbaptized children of record!! 2 preparing to be baptized in the next couple weeks!!
☆we spent months and months preparing for this ward fireside and ALL DAY it was pouring rain with predicted 30mph winds all night. The place we were having it at was only partially covered so that combo would not have been good. BUT we moved forward with faith and prayed very very hard that it would work out. And it did!! The second people started showing up the rain went away!!! The event went so much better than planned and was a blast for everyone involved!
☆fireflies????
☆we got back in contact with a part member family that we were teaching very regularly who literally fell off the face of the earth for an entire month! And now we’re helping them with their family history!!
☆had our first ward coordination in over a month and a half, very happy day and very big miracle!
☆exchanges in Columbia!!! I could write a whole letter on this alone but it’s enough to just say it was a miracle. Lots of lessons with people who genuinely want to come closer to Jesus Christ
☆we got a message from a friend we recently started teaching and he went on and on about how excited he is to learn more and how grateful he is that we met him!
☆blessed with lots of 2nd moms here in TN that we could celebrate Mother’s Day with!! And an amazing momma of my own!!
☆lots of people want their own Book of Mormon!! Luckily we’ve got lots
If you haven’t read 3 Nephi lately go do it!!! Reading about Christ’s ministry on this continent is amazing. A part that especially stuck out to me was in 3 Nephi 12, verses 21-48. In this section Christ tells us essentially that he doesn’t want is to just change our actions, He wants us to change our hearts. Not just filter ourselves but purify ourselves. Now that’s a lofty goal but guess what, He doesn’t expect us to do that all instantly!! As a wise missionary once told me, we are like babies trying to use a toothbrush. Have you ever seen a baby try to use a toothbrush? Doesn’t work too well. God will help us to be a little more christlike in this area or that area but we are babies who need some help.
Here is a C.S. Lewis quote I love,
“Christ says, Give me all of you!!! I don’t want so much of your time, so much of your talents and money, and so much of your work. I want YOU! ALL OF YOU! …I don’t want to only prune a branch here and a branch there; rather I want the whole tree out! … Give me yourself and in exchange I will give you Myself. My will, shall become your will. My heart, shall become your heart.”
That sounds great right?? God wants all of us! He also works line upon line. He will help us to do that but it can be discouraging when it’s not instant. I’ve had to learn to trust God and give myself credit for the things I’m doing right! God will help you turn your weaknesses into strengths, but this does require some effort on our part. We need to desire it, pray for it, and then work for it. This means reading the scriptures, serving and experiencing some discomfort. Anyway, God loves yall!!! You’re all amazing and huge examples to me!
