SO I'M STAYING IN WANNEROO (thank the heavens haha) and also staying with Sister Kanee and are both serving as Sister Training Leaders. Yes this means that Sister Beckstrand got transferred and yes that means part of my heart broke! Gosh, she was such an amazing companion and such a hard worker! It was sad to see her leave, but everything happens for a reason;)
This week has been so good! hahahhaha I'm laughing because it was super hard, but soooo good, seriously! Mother...oh.my.gosh! Between yours and Collie's letters and emails, AND OF COURSE talking with Heavenly Father...my life was literally changed. Your advice, love, testimony, along with Nicolles' and her personal experiences helped and lifted me more that you will ever know! Just after I finished reading the things from the 2 of you, i decided to go kneel and talk with God. Lets just say that quite a few tears were shed as i pleaded with God, but it was literally one of those experiences that i am so grateful for as a missionary! The quote, "The greatest battles you will ever fight will be within the silent chambers of your heart" (-David O. Mckay) is so true, but through prayer I KNOW THAT WE CAN COME OUT ON TOP! We don't have to "wait" to overcome hard times, but rather, if we IMMEDIATELY fall to our knees with real intent and sincerity, we can loose those heavy chains and be lifted up IMMEDIATELY! As i prayed with God my heart was softened tremendously and I felt, almost more than ever, God's sweet mercy and endless love towards me. I am grateful for a Heavenly Father who doesn't expect us to be perfect (thank you mom for helping me realize this even more) and grateful for my Savior Jesus Christ who made EVERYTHING possible. I have come to realize even more than ever, the reality of the atonement and the cleansing power within it- and that it can literally CHANGE lives. Christ was the ultimate teacher who taught out of pure love and that is something i have done my best to apply this week. I said it last week, but I've realized it even more this week, my real purpose of why i am here...I AM HERE TO BRING OTHERS TO CHRIST! The Gospel is true! Every single part of it! it's simple and it's beautiful! It is what brings us lasting and eternal happiness, and I will NEVER.EVER.EVER be able to deny these things!
Yesterday at church I felt the spirit almost stronger than I have felt in a really long time! We had an amazing fast and testimony meeting- and Wendy and her kids were there (which was awesome). Afterwards, the spirit so easily carried over as we went into our Gospel Principles class...wow...that's all i can say! Ha, k, not really but it really was the best Sunday I have ever had! Our mission leader is the most amazing teacher ever, because he teaches purely by the spirit. He does not even say that much, he lets the spirit do it, and that's why his lessons are some of the best ones I have even been in! As he taught about eternal families the spirit was almost stronger than I have ever felt before! Literally like almost everyone in the class, members, less actives, and investigators were just overcome with tears. At one point Wendy turned to Sister Kanee and I and Said, "I haven't cried in 3 year, I dunno why I'm crying, the tears are just like coming out and I can't help it". k seriously...how cool is that?!?! My eyes were wet as well, and i couldn't help it ha. We helped Wendy recognize that it was the spirit she was feeling. The power of God was so strong as we discussed eternal families, our loving heavenly father, and how the gospel had changed the lives of many of the members (converts) who were in the class. It was amazing and Wendy is really starting to "get it" more and more each time we teach her. She is still on date to get baptized on the 31st of August, and her 2 children (alex, 14 years old, and Jennifer 11 years old) will most likely be baptized with her!!! I am just so excited for this family:)
Vicki is progressing well, and we are hopefully going to commit her this week to be baptized on the 31st of August! She is stronger than most members, and her prayers are more sincere than any other prayers I have ever heard! This week after our lesson on the Plan of Salvation, we knelt down around her table in her cozy front room, and she prayed (what i love is that we don't even have to ask her to pray any more, she just starts praying when we all kneel down). She offered a beautiful prayer and TRULY talked with God, (how we all should, ya know without using "vain repetitions", but rather speaking from our heart) and as soon as she finished- we sat for just a bit longer and she said, "i feel warm" in her cute Chinese accent! GOD ANSWERS PRAYERS! The power of Prayer is real! He may not speak in words to us, but rather "warm feelings" (as vicki describes;)) and also through peace, comforting, and happy feelings! I love that I no longer have to explain to her what it's like to receive answers from God, but now SHE KNOWS! SHE HAS CONNECTED WITH GOD! 2 months ago she didn't know if God existed, and now she has one of the best relationships with him. Vicki loves the Book of Mormon, she treasures it and can't get enough of it! My heart honestly couldn't be more happy. When i hear her bear testimony of it, my own testimony of it is renewed and strengthened again. Missionary Work is the best, especially when you see that light switch go off in the investigators mind and eyes. The message contained in the gospel is real! if it wasn't, people would not be changing their lives, and having these remarkable spiritual experiences...I love it. i love my Savior and Heavenly Father who do the work in missionary work. It is not us missionaries, all we do is open our mouths with the things we know to be true, and God, Christ and The spirit do the rest, it's the best thing ever!
This week has been so good! hahahhaha I'm laughing because it was super hard, but soooo good, seriously! Mother...oh.my.gosh! Between yours and Collie's letters and emails, AND OF COURSE talking with Heavenly Father...my life was literally changed. Your advice, love, testimony, along with Nicolles' and her personal experiences helped and lifted me more that you will ever know! Just after I finished reading the things from the 2 of you, i decided to go kneel and talk with God. Lets just say that quite a few tears were shed as i pleaded with God, but it was literally one of those experiences that i am so grateful for as a missionary! The quote, "The greatest battles you will ever fight will be within the silent chambers of your heart" (-David O. Mckay) is so true, but through prayer I KNOW THAT WE CAN COME OUT ON TOP! We don't have to "wait" to overcome hard times, but rather, if we IMMEDIATELY fall to our knees with real intent and sincerity, we can loose those heavy chains and be lifted up IMMEDIATELY! As i prayed with God my heart was softened tremendously and I felt, almost more than ever, God's sweet mercy and endless love towards me. I am grateful for a Heavenly Father who doesn't expect us to be perfect (thank you mom for helping me realize this even more) and grateful for my Savior Jesus Christ who made EVERYTHING possible. I have come to realize even more than ever, the reality of the atonement and the cleansing power within it- and that it can literally CHANGE lives. Christ was the ultimate teacher who taught out of pure love and that is something i have done my best to apply this week. I said it last week, but I've realized it even more this week, my real purpose of why i am here...I AM HERE TO BRING OTHERS TO CHRIST! The Gospel is true! Every single part of it! it's simple and it's beautiful! It is what brings us lasting and eternal happiness, and I will NEVER.EVER.EVER be able to deny these things!
Yesterday at church I felt the spirit almost stronger than I have felt in a really long time! We had an amazing fast and testimony meeting- and Wendy and her kids were there (which was awesome). Afterwards, the spirit so easily carried over as we went into our Gospel Principles class...wow...that's all i can say! Ha, k, not really but it really was the best Sunday I have ever had! Our mission leader is the most amazing teacher ever, because he teaches purely by the spirit. He does not even say that much, he lets the spirit do it, and that's why his lessons are some of the best ones I have even been in! As he taught about eternal families the spirit was almost stronger than I have ever felt before! Literally like almost everyone in the class, members, less actives, and investigators were just overcome with tears. At one point Wendy turned to Sister Kanee and I and Said, "I haven't cried in 3 year, I dunno why I'm crying, the tears are just like coming out and I can't help it". k seriously...how cool is that?!?! My eyes were wet as well, and i couldn't help it ha. We helped Wendy recognize that it was the spirit she was feeling. The power of God was so strong as we discussed eternal families, our loving heavenly father, and how the gospel had changed the lives of many of the members (converts) who were in the class. It was amazing and Wendy is really starting to "get it" more and more each time we teach her. She is still on date to get baptized on the 31st of August, and her 2 children (alex, 14 years old, and Jennifer 11 years old) will most likely be baptized with her!!! I am just so excited for this family:)
Vicki is progressing well, and we are hopefully going to commit her this week to be baptized on the 31st of August! She is stronger than most members, and her prayers are more sincere than any other prayers I have ever heard! This week after our lesson on the Plan of Salvation, we knelt down around her table in her cozy front room, and she prayed (what i love is that we don't even have to ask her to pray any more, she just starts praying when we all kneel down). She offered a beautiful prayer and TRULY talked with God, (how we all should, ya know without using "vain repetitions", but rather speaking from our heart) and as soon as she finished- we sat for just a bit longer and she said, "i feel warm" in her cute Chinese accent! GOD ANSWERS PRAYERS! The power of Prayer is real! He may not speak in words to us, but rather "warm feelings" (as vicki describes;)) and also through peace, comforting, and happy feelings! I love that I no longer have to explain to her what it's like to receive answers from God, but now SHE KNOWS! SHE HAS CONNECTED WITH GOD! 2 months ago she didn't know if God existed, and now she has one of the best relationships with him. Vicki loves the Book of Mormon, she treasures it and can't get enough of it! My heart honestly couldn't be more happy. When i hear her bear testimony of it, my own testimony of it is renewed and strengthened again. Missionary Work is the best, especially when you see that light switch go off in the investigators mind and eyes. The message contained in the gospel is real! if it wasn't, people would not be changing their lives, and having these remarkable spiritual experiences...I love it. i love my Savior and Heavenly Father who do the work in missionary work. It is not us missionaries, all we do is open our mouths with the things we know to be true, and God, Christ and The spirit do the rest, it's the best thing ever!
Well i have to get going, but thank you for everything! Seriously...(my companion says i say seriously all the time..i know i do...agh, shoot) haha, but really I'm so blessed to have an eternal family in the gospel, there is nothing more i would ever.ever.ever want! WE are so lucky and i owe this great blessing to you mom and dad. love you to the moon and back. always and forever, to infinity and beyond. xoxo
Love you so much:)
love,
Sister Ensign
p.s.
mom you would like this:) Mosiah 28:7
"and the Lord said unto the Ensign's ; let Nicolle and Diondra go up, for many shall believe on their words, and they shall have eternal life; and I will deliver thy daughters out of the hands of the Auzzies and Koreans"
- I hope you like my "likening" of the scriptures;)
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