Wow, it's been a long week! Lots and lots of tracting! Sister Gariki and I are starting to get tan lines on our feet from our shoes because we've been out in the sun so much! We're really trying to build up our teaching pool this transfer with people who earnestly desire to learn about the gospel. We're doing our best to talk with everyone (at least 10 people everyday). Even though it's not easy, it's amazing how talking with people actually helps us to feel happier because we know we're fulfilling our purpose as missionaries.
We started out the week by going on exchanges! I stayed in Brockville with Sister Crawford (Sister Gariki's old companion). We had some really good lessons and we were able to talk with a lot of really cool people. At one point, we were walking down the sidewalk and some missionaries from another church walked by. They stopped us to ask us a bunch of questions and I was freaking out! I was so grateful I had a Sister Training Leader with me, haha. Then they wanted us to pull out
our Bibles so they could ask us more questions, and inside I was like, "AH! Is this Bible bashing?!" They were super nice though and we got to share a little bit about the Plan of Salvation with them. Overall, the exchange was super fun and I learned a lot! We did have to stop teaching two of our investigators though, Will and Marsha, during the exchange. It was so sad and so hard for me to watch them turn away. I've really come to love both of them and I really wanted them to receive the blessings of the gospel in their lives. It's crazy how much people come to mean to you as a missionary!
On Thursday, we had Skills and Interviews, so we got to meet our new mission president and his wife, President and Sister Shields. They're super laid back and we love them! You can tell they love the gospel and we're so excited to learn from them. In my interview with the mission president, he gave me some really good advice for conquering feelings on discouragement. He shared a scripture with me in Doctrine and Covenants 123:17, "Therefore, dearly beloved brethren, let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God, and for his arm to be revealed." President Shields told me that I need to go about and cheerfully do everything I can, but then let God take care of the rest. He told me that as missionaries, we do things in the name of Christ, which means according to His plan. His plan includes the agency of others, which I cannot control. I must do everything I can, but then let other people have their agency.
This week, my testimony that prayers are answered through the Book of Mormon has been strengthened so much. The past two weeks, I've been feeling discouraged with lessons falling through, investigators falling out of our teaching pool, tracting with no success, etc. A couple days ago, I came across a scripture in Helaman 10:3-5. "And it came to pass as he was thus pondering-being much cast down because of the wickedness of the people of the Nephites, their secret works of darkness, and their murderings, and their plunderings, and all manner of iniquities-and it came to pass as he was thus pondering in his heart, behold, a voice came unto him saying: Blessed art thou, Nephi, for those things which thou hast done; for I have beheld how thou hast with unwearyingness declared the word, which I have given unto thee, unto this people. And thou hast not feared them, and hast not sought thine own life, but hast sought my will, and to keep my commandments. And Now, because thou hast done this with such unwearyingness, behold, I will bless thee forever; and I will make thee mighty in word and in deed, in faith and in works..." Sorry, I know it's a long scripture, but it really helped me to remember that I am here to declare the gospel to as many people as will listen, but the ultimate measure of success is not in how many people we baptize or how many new investigators we find. If we are obedient, diligent, and and full of love for the people we have been called to serve, we are successful missionaries.
I love you all so much! Have a great week!
Love,
Sister Dille
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| Exchanges with Sister Crawford! |
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