Narooma
Week #4
Hey yous!
What a
great week! Even if I always say that, I do mean it! :) But first off,
everything was so crazy last week I left out a very important shout-out to the
newly engaged Kate Thornock! Well, the soon to be Kate Eddington!
Congratulations and I am so excited that I finally get to be a Maid of Honor ;)
haha But, to follow up, the ultrasound showed.....drum roll... NO STONES.
Yay! I am just staying healthy to avoid any other flare up, which is also a
good excuse to lose the rest of this mission weight haha! But I enjoyed looking
at all the results from it. I guess I am still a nursing student at heart, even
though I forgot everything and registering for school again is the weirdest
thing ever! It was so funny though when President Back was down here for
interviews, we were having some difficulties trying to endorse me and then
typical President was like, "Oh lets just call your mom!" How random
is that! But it was fun talking to you for a bit and happy to hear that you
aren't trunky!
Once
the ‘endorsing me’ craze was sorted through we had our real interview where he
pretty much pulled up the transfer board on his computer, reminded me my
current companion is going home in 2 weeks and asked me "So who do you
want for your last one?!" Of
course, I said whomever the Lord wants me to be with, but he then carried on to
say that I have been requested by a sister I absolutely adore but I'll stay
quiet until transfers... But I LOVE the Backs so much. They are doing so much
for the mission. We are finally breaking out of the whole culture of
disobedience and it is amazing. I wish you all could see the great things and
changes that are happening for this mission. It is incredible.
But to
the work...SO MANY MIRACLES THIS WEEK!
The old
atheist man we tracted into our first week is definitely having a softened
heart thanks to the spirit and some persistence. He thinks he is a lost cause
but wants the belief and hope that we have. We even managed to give him a plan
of salvation pamphlet under his locked screen door where he opens it up and
asks, "What’s the celestial kingdom? Where am I going? What is the purpose
to life?" And told us he will read this and to come back. It is never too
late to find the happiness that the gospel can offer your life.
Also the
less active that stopped drinking and smoking for 2 months with his unbaptized
niece and nephew? We went back and he wasn't there but that house is a gold
mine. His partner was and she is SO nice and open, and the kids were there and
their nonmember dad who said he knows a lot of Mormons and loves them and feels
like he will look into it and maybe join... one day, not today, but one day. We
can work with that!
My
favorite has to be Brother Clinch though. He was the guy from the first week as
well that I really saw through God's eyes and the potential he has to become.
We planned him later in the day to stop by but for some reason we kept taking
the wrong turn towards his house. I took it as a sign to see him first and
lucky we did! We found him home (miracle number 1) and then he said that he knew
we were coming (miracle number 2) because he has been having thoughts about the
church and the missionaries throughout the week! Man, I love the spirit don't
you?! It is so evident how unsuccessful we would be without it because it is
what does all the work. We were just the vessels to be on his doorstep at the
right time. Also, we had church up at a community center in Bateman's Bay that
Sunday (to make it more convenient for those that live far away, like Brother
Clinch) So he knew he had no excuse to act on the promptings he has received.
So Sunday, he showed up! (Miracle number 3). We were SO happy. I love the
rescue. I love seeing those that are already on the covenant path back home
obtain all the blessings that Heavenly Father is so anxious to give them.
But
Bateman's Bay Sunday... Lets see. I was
so nervous at first. A community center with posters everywhere, crazy aboriginal
art, didgeridoos, the whole sha-bang. How were we going to feel the spirit in
there? I was so looking forward to the sacrament all week since conference and
promised all these less actives it would be such a spiritual experience. BUT
where was my faith?! I ended up having the most spiritual sacrament meeting I
think I have ever had. The spirit was so strong; every prayer, every talk,
every hymn and especially the sacrament. I love that it doesn't matter
where you are, and that you can create a little bit of Zion everywhere and
anywhere.
We also
taught Gospel Doctrine, so we bonded yesterday/today (yay time difference)
without you probably even knowing it Dad!
So what
else... to focus more on weekly planning we are now suppose to get away from
our flats (and fridges) and go to the chapel or the park to plan. And when all
your parks are by the ocean, we get pretty spoiled. Since conference, Sis.
Hoeft and I decided to memorize the Living Christ... we will see how persistent
we can be there :) An investigator just had the ah-ha moment we were Mormons
and NOT seventh day Adventists. Tuesday was a massive rainstorm with lots of
closed roads and flooding. Or study room carpets are still drenched but the
house owner is coming down from Sydney today to check it out (sorry I took like
NO pictures this week mum). And I think that is about it!
But
seriously this week was incredible, such a focus on the spirit. I want to make
sure I am always relying on it and not myself. What an amazing gift it is, and
I want to make sure I am relying on and using it 100%. As I did so this week I
also saw how my prayers became so much more real and sincere. I also noticed
how I felt every time I spoke, listened, answered questions, and testified. I
love taking the time to recognize its still, small voice, and quiet promptings.
And to actually not be so loud (just sometimes haha) to feel its peace and
warmth that we each have the potential to constantly feel guiding us as we do
our best to follow the Savior and his perfect example.
Love you
all and hope you have a wonderful week :)
Sister
Rushing
No comments:
Post a Comment