some of them have literally just cried in our arms..............

This week has been so good for me! Zone conference was just what I needed to have an additional boost to continue to give all my heart to our Lord and this work! As we left the zone meeting, all excited to begin working again and helping our Lord in hastening it we barely made it around the corner when we saw a lady walking...she was maybe 200 m from the chapel and we pulled over to talk to her! As we did, we were able to share about the Restoration and wow...the spirit was sooo strong as we were able to testify of our loving Heavenly Father and older brother Jeus Christ who were able to restore their pure teachings. She committed right then and there to learn more with her husband and to come to church! Miracles truly are wroght when we have faith, act, and expect them! As we have continuted to not only testify of the gospel but of our Savior Jesus Christ, I have been so overcome with emotion...I am soooo grateful for Him, and just honestly feel so blessed that I am able to testify of Him to the people here! 

 

This week the assistants asked me companion and I to host some more mini misionaries, and the one I have, Sister Pemberton is wonderful! :) She is just from another stake, here with me for 5 days, is 16 years old, and is EXTREMELY QUIET haha,  I love her! It was actually really cool, because just the day before I got her, I prayed for more charity and love, as well as patience, and serving with her has helped me grow in those areas in the past few days! From the beginning she was so quiet and didn't even want to tell people her name ;), but wow.... as we are able to strengthen our testimonies together and role play lots, we both have grown a lot and it's cool to see her change! She gets very emotional when she shares he testimony and from just the past 2 days, she has had some really special experiences! I felt like Heavenly Father needed me to help her how to turn to Him through prayer, and also through using the scriptures so we have been working on that! Yesterday, because it was such a nice day we went outside for our study! I invited her to think of a question she had, and she came up with this, "how can I not be so shy to talk to people?". She then randomly opened the Book of Mormon and we began to read together! The answers came like crazy and we just cried! After having the spirit with us we then role played...oh.man...it took my sweet companion a really long time (I  won't tell you how long haha) to gather her emotions to respond to the "investigator"...but when she did, the spirit was so strong that when she finished I just stood up and held open my eyes and we cried together! She has such an amazing testimony and yesterdays study cracked the ice to where now she feels so much better about sharing her testimony with those we talk to- I am so happy for her! As I thought about how happy I was for her when she was able to grow a lot, I caught a small glimpse of how happy our father in heaven is when we grow spiritually! Again, if we are not moving forward, we are moving backwards! This life is all about growing and becoming like the Savior!

 

Adam is doing sooo good! We taught him the Word of Wisdom and the Law of Chastity this week (2 things pretty much everyone struggles with here in Australia!) but he has been doing amazing! He is repenting as we lives these commandment, and is having such spiritual experience throughout the week that is pushing him to keep moving forward! My favorite thing is to see people live the gospel and repent, and that is exactly what Adam is doing! He is so excited for his baptism in just over a week! He already wants to serve a mission like all his other mates who are already out serving,he is amazing!

 

We got to help Natalia take her Dad's name to the temple this week to be baptised for him!...It was one of the best experiences i have had at the temple! Her and Phill there, and I saw Brian there (another RC from my first area), and so was some of our ward to support Natalie and Phill! Seriously, nothing is better than seeing RC's in the temple! (p.s. I talked to the coyle family this week and Justin (the dad) told me about his experience of going to the temple for baptisms for the dead. He said, "I can't put words to it, but it was just really....special!" :) :) :) I love it! I love them and love hearing about their growth! Just this past Saturday Justin baptised his mates family! The mum, dad, and the daugther! Recent converts truly are the best missionaries!) But as Phill was baptised for Natalie's dad, I felt the spirit SO strongly and knew that Natalie's dad was with us, and was so happy! When Natalie was baptised 3 weeks ago, she not only got herself onto the path back to her Heavenly Father but she now is able to help her other family do the same! Last night at our potluck dinner, Natalie shared her testimony with us all and how happy she was that she was able to help her dad get baptised so that he can live with our Heavenly Father, and her again! I love this gospel! It truly is one that always remember the eternal perspective, and I love that!

 

The spirit has guided us so much this week! We randomly end up at peoples houses, just to hear them say, "this week has been so hard............, what you shared is just what I needed!" as some of them have literally just cried in our arms. It is the gospel that helps us through trials..it is our only hope, and I feel so grateful that my companion and I are able to stand in behalf of Jesus Christ, and remind people of that!  I, like the sons of mosiah have all reason to boast in my God. He is almighty, and the very reason we are able to see miracles and help his children, and I glory in him!

 

I am so grateful for the experiences I am havingt right now, and am grateful for the strengthening and enabeling power of the atonement! It has saved me  and will continue to carry me through everything throughout my life! Love you all!

 

Love,

Sister Ensign