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| Sis Barnes and Sis Dente... training Sis Brewer |
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| Zone Conference |
Seems to me that
change brings miracles! We learn from the scriptures and PMG that change is
really repentance. So what I can gather from putting those together is that
adding a third new companion, changing the way we do our missionary work, means
that we are repenting. I would invite you all to repent, or to change your life
a little bit and to try to be a little bit more like our oldest brother Jesus
Christ.
I will get all
spiritual in just a minute. Last week, I feel like I should probably admit this
now… my letter was a little bit of a wreck, because just like five minutes
before we got to the library, I got pulled over!!! AHHHH!!! Actually, it wasn’t
even scary. So I was driving, like always, and all of the sudden I saw a cop
behind me with its lights on, and Sister Dente was like "I think he is
pulling you over.” So I pulled over and took out my license. He asked me if I
knew what the speed limit was on the road and I was honest and said no, because
I had just turned on from a different road and with all the construction didn’t
see the sign saying 25, not 35 :). So he went and processed my license. The car
was silent. I was praying so hard that God's will could be done, and if it was
His will, that I wouldn’t get a ticket. And..... God answers prayers!!!! He
came back and said have a good day, so I said YOU TOO, and thank you for doing
your job!!! Anyway, made my day, and helped me remember to go the speed limit
always. So ya, Heavenly Father blesses his missionaries.
This week has been
a little challenging only because we have had to learn how to teach with three
people. It is hard because your whole mission you get trained and practice with
two. But we have been doing great. We have had to evaluate and adjust, I have
had to talk a little less at times and others talk a little more, but we are
great! Our lesson outline is about faith. We use Alma 32:21, 1 Nephi 3:7, and
Dan 3:17-18. We each picked one; I picked Daniel because I love how they say
"but if not." I believe and know God does miracles; I am trying to
work on my faith that if he doesn’t it is still a miracle. Otherwise known to
me as "but if not" faith.
Last Sunday, I gave
a talk and used the scripture Romans 8:26-28. But it describes in amazing
detail that if we pour out our hearts to God, and have the spirit in our
prayers, he will understand our deepest desires, and concerns. We just have to
try, I think that is amazing!!!!!! Also while up on the stand waiting to give
my talk last week. I was a little nervous and a little bored without Sister
Dente with me. Then in walked the V. family kids!!! Then I couldn’t stop
smiling, and I felt a little embarrassed because I had a huge grin on my face
during the opening hymn and first talk. Hopefully everyone wasn’t too confused
or concerned at this crazy happy missionary who is giving a talk. Anyway, that
was a huge miracle to see them there, even without their mom! I love this
family!!!
We had Zone
Conference this week, it was amazing! Zone conference is where several zones
come together and the APs and President and others speak to us. The main thing
we learned is to first follow up on our last commitment, then ask how they are
progressing towards baptism, then use points from how to begin teaching (PMG)
and then briefly explain how our lesson is going to help them get closer to
Jesus Christ and help them towards baptism. It has been working amazingly
well!!!! Here is what happened...
First, last Sunday
we had an 18 year old kid come up to us and ask if we could teach him, of
course we said yes! So we taught him this week, it was amazing! We did
everything preach my gospel tells us to do and it went really well! We invited
him to be baptized and..... he accepted! He will be baptized on September
14th!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It was amazing and the spirit was so strong, he is
SO prepared by the Lord! On Saturday we invited him to come to a baptism, and
he came! He loved it! After he started asking us questions like, who is going
to baptize me, and who is going to speak?! Then on Sunday he asked several
people to pray and speak and baptize him! This kid is amazing! So of course,
being me, and being the 2nd ward, he is not in our ward and we are passing him
off this week to the other sisters. But it is still cool. We also have this
other guy who has been coming to our ward. He is the one that could see the
light in my eyes (just to make reference). He is also getting baptized in a few
weeks!!! Basically our ward is amazing at finding amazing people to get
baptized, but they are all in other wards! Someday I know I will find someone
in our ward boundaries who wants to get baptized. We just got to work and be
patient. I love the people
of this ward, especially the Relief Society presidency. Just wanted to throw
that out there :)
We had our lesson
with the old German lady, who has been taking lessons for 3 years, and whose
husband is a recent convert of a year. But this lesson was different; we used what
we learned in zone conference and big things changed. First she told us that
she was going to have to move the date for her baptism (the date is in her
mind, but we know it is in October). We were all devastated. But after
testifying, sharing personal stories, and using the scriptures, we committed
her to ask Heavenly Father what day she should be baptized on, and she said
that she might be baptized sooner than October. It was a "cross road"
lesson, which means that she was at a fork in the road, she was going to either
progress or digress in that lesson big time. I could feel the intensity, and
the importance, but I think we did a good job, or rather we let the spirit take
over and the spirit did an amazing job!
We have been
helping a lot of active members recently, we make one cry at least a few times
a week. It is really great to be able to help the members come closer to Christ
too. A lot of people are going through a lot of hard times. I hate PTSD
(post-traumatic stress disorder).
We had a
"cross road" lesson with M. this week. I can’t go into details, but
basically she believes that she will never be able to go to the temple in this
life. Which makes my heart hurt, I was devastated and heart broken. That is the
worst thing I can ever think of. But we are still helping her and we testified
and found scriptures that helped her. I hope and pray that she will make the
hard but right choices in her life to help her get to the temple someday. And I
want to be there when she goes!
We miraculously saw
P. again (less active), and the Lord continues to show us how much He loves
her. And for the first time in years- she came to church!!! It was amazing, and
she loved it!
There are a lot of
other little miracles and amazing things I have learned, but my pinky is
starting to cramp, so I am going to just end now.
Well first I am
going to say, I love Sister Walter, who trained me so well. It is hard to try
to teach a new missionary everything you know. But I have tried, and focus on
loving her and following the spirit. I am pretty impressed with myself in how
well I can understand Portuguese though; I think the gift of tongues can work
the other way when you are trying to listen to your new little baby and trying
to understand what she is saying. Anyway, we all get along great, I love Sister
Dente so much and we both love Sister Brewer. We are all getting along great,
and she has helped us so much! It is amazing, and I love our little trio!!!
Above all, I still
love putting on my nametag, I love everyone I meet, and I love being a
missionary!!!! I love you all!!!!!!!!!
Love, Sister Barnes
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