The Savior lives!

Wow! I am so grateful to be a representative of Jesus Christ! This week has been incredible! We have seen so many miracles and the Lord has blessed us so much! After having dropped a lot of people, things were a bit tough, but the past two weeks have just been amazing and I'm so grateful for the tender mercies from our loving Heavenly Father!

 

I just want to share my testimony that Jesus Christ lives! That we are nothing without him! Just having God in the picture is wonderful,  Jesus Christ makes it possible for us to not only stand in the presence of God (Brought to pass because of the resurrection), but live in his presence (through the atonement/when he overcame spiritual death!). We have so many people in our area who just believe in "God" and "being a good person" and that's it!...Those things are important but as I have bore testimony of the Savior and studied about Him and the "need for a redeemer" my testimony is strengthened ever more! His atonement has played such a large role in my week! I can't even begin to explain certain experiences, but I'm almost brought to tears as I write this, at infinite sacrifice our older brother made for us so that we do not have to suffer alone! He has not only helped me so much, and changed me so much while serving in Wembley, but also so many others we have taught! Speaking of Wembley, I'm getting transferred to Greenwood with Sister Tapuna (a Samoan sister from NZ- I'm so excited she is amazing) and we are staying Sister Training Leaders..hahaha. I've been sister training leader my whole mission except one transfer and I know that I have been in this position, so I could learn from the other sisters! They have taught me so much, and I'll be eternally grateful for them and the examples they have been to me!

 

Speaking of exchanges, I got to go on my FIRST ONE with Sister Wyatt! Thank the Heavens! I have been with her companions like 3 times, and so finally serving with her was amazing! She is such a good missionary and I love her so much:) We were able to teach some really powerful lessons, find new investigators, eat super spicy rice from one the investigators that Sister Wyatt took one bite of and almost died haha, get pet rocks from this older man who is mentally hill from getting hurt sky diving (yes Hunter I thought of you when he told us, I'm so grateful you are not going any more before your mission haha) and experience one of the sweetest tender mercies I have experienced all transfer! So that morning we were working and of course...randomly got dropped by one of investigators who had a baptismal date ;) haha (as you know the trial always comes before the triumph) and all of a sudden we get a text from President Metcalf (EQ president) about Abraham....OK,  do you remember Abraham! The miraculous man who had  a dream about us the night before the morning we met him...he read 300 hundred pages of the BOM in like 5 days, passed his baptismal interview and then...MOVED TO SYDNEY for work and then we unfortunately lost contact with him after about 2 weeks of him being gone...saddest thing....Well,  President Metcalf sends us a message that ABRAHAM IS BACK IN PERTH AND WAS TRYING TO GET A HOLD OF US! I read this and just dropped my head and cried...I was speechless! I had lost hope the first few weeks after he left because he said he wasn't returning to Perth...but for some reason (which reason I now know) the past two weeks I have been praying so hard for him and for some miracle to happen! Sure enough he is back! Sister Wyatt and I got out of the car and knelt to pray a prayer of gratitude! I know with no doubt that Heavenly Father hears our prayers and cries, and he is anxious to answer us...but that he has His own timing for everything! Greatest tender mercy ever!

 

There have been so many experiences this week when the Lord has told us to go talk to someone who is out of our path, but within sight...that has led to miracles! These were miracles that not only happened in our own area but IN THE SISTERS!!! As zone leaders and sister training leaders we decided to do everything we could to help our zone not get transfer trunky, so we went and worked in almost all the sisters areas, helping them keep their fire bright! While with Sister Billy  ( a sweet, short, quiet sister from Micronesia whom i love dearly) we had been to see many people, and have some REALLY good contacts..and just as we were driving home to meet the sisters...I saw this man with a big head of hair ;) walking down this side road....we quickly pulled over the car and MIRACLE!!! This boy Niu (21 yr) is from the Islands and is cousins with one of the elders here!!! HE is way keen! He is excited to read the Book of Mormon and come to church, so I can't wait to see how he progresses! He will make a wonderful member of the church..I can already see it:) I was really grateful that the spirit told us to go talk to him and told us many other times to go talk to random people because it led us to new investigators, as well as less actives who have "gone missing" from church records who are now, no longer "lost sheep"! I am so grateful for the gift of the Holy Ghost! IT is the greatest gift we could be left with, here on this earth! IT truly is the guide to everything we do in this work, and we would be nothing without it!

 

Well when I first got to this area I saw this family of a single mother and teenage daughters at church who looked...unhappy to say the least. I asked them where they lived...and it was in the elders area so I was bummed! Well each Sunday i would look at them and think...."they need our help"...well finally I just asked the District leader for permission and we got to go this week! oh.my.goodness! miracle! This family was in dyer need of a visit and so I'm so glad the spirit told us to go! The oldest daughter is 17 and is now less active! 4 years ago she was on a motorcycle with her dad when they were hit by a car, and he was killed. Ever since she has lost her faith, but boy is she willing to try things again! She says she really wants to know is God is real, and if the Book or Mormon is true! We will begin teaching her and also her family! That night we shared with them about prayer, and speially family prayer (something the Savior himself taught- 3Nephi 18:19-21) and when we had finished the mum said to us, "Ya know somethign has been missing in our house, and we have all just felt off...And family prayer is what has been missing!" They are so willing to try things again and to bring the spirit more into their home. Another tender mercy with the family, is the step dad is a non member...so with full confidence I know he will feel something change as the family begins to live the gospel more fully which will in turn rub off on him. Speaking of a similar story, In Kwinana we worked with a less active family (whose dad was not a member)....some of my greatest misison memories were with the White-Wallace family because they changed so much...well whenever sister bailey and I went the dad was never there, but in the mines...well I just recently heard taht the family is doing incredibly well and that the dad is reading the BOM and recieveing the Misisonary discussions! When each family member progresses in the gospel, it truly has an effect on the whole home and family! It lifts other family members and others around you! So many miracles every day, that I am eternally grateful for!

 

I wish I could tell you of so many other miracles but my time is out! Just know that I am feeling all your prayers now more than ever and i am so grateful for them! I want you guys to know that you are some of my greatest motivation and I can't wait to hug you again! The Savior lives, and is the greatest source of help...he shouldn't be our last chance...but he is our only chance! Heavenly Fahter loves us as his children so much! As I have born testimony of this this week the spirit has again testified to me, that that statement IS TRUE! We are literally.....His children! We are much more glorious that we even realize!

 

Love always,

Sister Ensign