BE HAPPY

Hi everyone,

Hope you all had a happy week - we sure did. 

I learned a valuable lesson on the power of simple and specific prayer.  It was Thursday  and we had been unsuccessful in receiving any referrals for the entire week despite our asking almost everyone we saw. In desperation we prayed that Heavenly Father would allow us the get a referral that afternoon and we bound ourselves to do everything in our power to receive an answer. Our first plans fell through so we moved on to our backups. We went and visited a lady who is so kind, she absolutely loves the missionaries but she is not exactly interested in joining the church. We were not sure why we felt prompted to go and see her but it soon became clear......After a short visit we stood to leave. Before we had even asked, she said "You know, I have someone that I would like for you to visit..." We walked to the car AMAZED. Heavenly Father is so good to us. We couldn't believe how clear the answer came and how quickly. I know that as we promise to do everything in our power - God will provide the miracles. 

Sister Coleman and I have been reading the "Power of the Everyday Missionary" again as a companionship - there are such valuable lessons contained in it. Clayton Christensen writes, "Sharing the Gospel does not require that we have the power of God unto the convincing of men. He gives us this power...He doesn't demand purity. He will help us be pure. For those of us who struggle with sadness, sharing the gospel will give us great joy. He will make us become holy men and women who have great revelations and are borne up from our burdens as on eagles' wings, begetting glory and honor to ourselves and unto the Lord's name." I think those statement are so important for us to realize. God works through the weak and the simple. When we share the Gospel we receive greater blessing than we could have ever imagined. 

I have experienced that reality time and time again. I have sat with older, more experienced people who have looked into the eyes of my companion and I and have said, "But you are so young. How do you know all of these things? How can you speak with such conviction?" That is the Spirit of missionary work. It is not us (the young missionaries with little life experience) it is the power of God working through us and it is incredible. 

It was Sunday night and the week was almost over, we still hadn't found a new investigator but we were not ready to give up. We finally found MacDonald road and went out to visit a former investigator that we knew little about. She invited us in and told us about the many questions she had never found answers to. She has faced immense trials in her life, trials that I cannot even imagine yet she has a strong faith in God and her greatest desire is to find peace. She told us that she was unsure of who she was, she wanted to be able to leave her house with her head held high but couldn't because of the terrible things that people said about her - they tore down her confidence. As we answered questions through the Book of Mormon and bore testimony of her divine potential as a daughter of God, tears filled her eyes. She knew that God had sent us. She knew that her prayers were being answered and she was so grateful. It was a beautiful experience. 

I spoke in church yesterday and shared this quote from President Uchtdorf's talk, Living the Gospel Joyful - 

"Yes, God loves you this very day and always.

He is not waiting to love you until you have overcome your weaknesses and bad habits. He loves you today with a full understanding of your struggles. He is aware that you reach up to Him in heartfelt and hopeful prayer. He knows of the times you have held onto the fading light and believed—even in the midst of growing darkness. He knows of your sufferings. He knows of your remorse for the times you have fallen short or failed. And still He loves you.

And God knows of your successes; though they may seem small to you, He acknowledges and cherishes each one of them. He loves you for extending yourself to others. He loves you for reaching out and helping others bear their heavy burdens—even when you are struggling with your own."

I am so grateful for the love of God. I am so thankful for the knowledge that I am a daughter of God - that we are all children of God - with a divine nature and destiny. I am thankful that God gives each of us the power to do His work. Let us be anxiously engaged!!

Have the best day ever, I love you!!

Love, Sister G