SO this week I hit half way! What???? Hoooowwwww. But let me tell you, I am so so grateful for the past 9 months. The experiences I have had and the people I have met and the ways God has taught me and helped me. Man, the list goes on. For the next half I am committed to focusing every aspect of my life on Jesus Christ, and enjoying every opportunity I have to testify of Him. The testimony I have of Christ isn't huge, but it has come from God, and for it I am so grateful. I know that by reading the Book of Mormon we can really come to know Christ personally. Also by being happily and cheerfully humble as we go about to serve God and love Him with everything we have.
Today I'm going to start with a funny story, that may or may not turn out funny in email form. But here it goes. So we knock on the door of a potential investigator's house. And this woman answers. She looks at us and sort of goes big in the eyes and says to wait. We wait, and through the crack of the door way we can see her searching frantically for something. And we get the feeling that she's really just looking for anything so that she doesn't have to talk to us. She finds her phone and looks at it, puts it to her ear and walks back with this smug little smile "I'm in a call right now, sorry". And then we continue to have a 5 minute conversation with her with her phone to her ear. As we were getting ready to leave, another man walks up and we have a 10 minute conversation with him and this lady is just standing there with the phone to her ear not saying a single word. I am kind of sad to say we actually were laughing through our whole conversation with her, we couldn't believe it! And it had been a long day. She wasn't offended, she was just so pleased that she had found a way to not talk to us....or something.
Sunday was the primary program! It was beautiful! Two of our investigators with baptism dates came and said they felt the spirit testify of the truth through those kids. #precious. The stake president was presiding and he told me for a long time he was concerned I was skipping church, until a particular moment when I couldn't find the right page and the whole program was at a standstill for several long awkward moments, and that's when he realized I was playing the piano and not less active.
Really cool experience this week. One morning during studies I got the distinct impression that I could pray to God to allow me to be the answer to someones prayer that day. I've never done this before, but I did, and during the whole day I was wondering at each contact and lesson if that was the moment when we went to answer their prayers. Towards the end of the evening we were going about our plans and we would get to a persons house, pray in the car, and then feel really not great about going in to visit that person. So we'd go to the next and the same thing would happen. Until finally we didn't have any plans left! And so we decided to go and visit a member whose husband is less active, who the bishop asked us to go and visit. We got there and this member lady was sitting on the couch by herself watching a movie. We sat down and started talking and eventually it came about that she was going through a very hard time, and had felt very very lonely and tempted to do something not good. And that's when we showed up! We just listened to her, and when prompted by the spirit we shared our love and testimonies. The next day we went with the elders so that she could get a blessing and without knowing anything about her situation, the elders gave her a beautiful and personal blessing. I know that that was God's power and His words reaching out to His beloved daughter.
I know God loves us. I know we are precious in His sight. What we decide to do matters, and it matters eternally. Especially if that decision involves us accepting Jesus Christ.
One more story!!
Sunday night we felt impressed to go by Cesar and Bricia's house. We walked in and told them we wanted to go to the temple with them. Immediatly, almost without conversation, they started putting their shoes and coats on and getting their little girls ready to go. We drove with them over to the Ogden Temple grounds. Sadly, and also kind of symbolically, the grounds were closed, and we walked around the gates around the temple grounds. We testified of God's love, of His vision and hope for His children, and of the Restoration of the Gospel. it was really simple, it was really beautiful. Their hearts were touched. We are going back again on saturday to see the christmas lights and nativity! Please pray for them. I feel so strongly that they are a family i was sent here to know, to teach, and to help make the covenant of baptism. I desire it so much for them. Honestly one of the things I wanted to learn from my mission was how to love people, how to serve them. And with this family i feel it. I love them so deeply and so permanently. It brings me so much joy to hope and pray that they will one day be in the temple. I know God loves them more, and when they are ready, He will bless them more than they could ever imagine.
He's waiting to bless us. Really.
I testify of Jesus Christ, He is the light of the world. He loves us. Saying these words, believing these words, and living these words, it makes me so happy.
mucho amor,
Hermana Ogden
Today I'm going to start with a funny story, that may or may not turn out funny in email form. But here it goes. So we knock on the door of a potential investigator's house. And this woman answers. She looks at us and sort of goes big in the eyes and says to wait. We wait, and through the crack of the door way we can see her searching frantically for something. And we get the feeling that she's really just looking for anything so that she doesn't have to talk to us. She finds her phone and looks at it, puts it to her ear and walks back with this smug little smile "I'm in a call right now, sorry". And then we continue to have a 5 minute conversation with her with her phone to her ear. As we were getting ready to leave, another man walks up and we have a 10 minute conversation with him and this lady is just standing there with the phone to her ear not saying a single word. I am kind of sad to say we actually were laughing through our whole conversation with her, we couldn't believe it! And it had been a long day. She wasn't offended, she was just so pleased that she had found a way to not talk to us....or something.
Sunday was the primary program! It was beautiful! Two of our investigators with baptism dates came and said they felt the spirit testify of the truth through those kids. #precious. The stake president was presiding and he told me for a long time he was concerned I was skipping church, until a particular moment when I couldn't find the right page and the whole program was at a standstill for several long awkward moments, and that's when he realized I was playing the piano and not less active.
Really cool experience this week. One morning during studies I got the distinct impression that I could pray to God to allow me to be the answer to someones prayer that day. I've never done this before, but I did, and during the whole day I was wondering at each contact and lesson if that was the moment when we went to answer their prayers. Towards the end of the evening we were going about our plans and we would get to a persons house, pray in the car, and then feel really not great about going in to visit that person. So we'd go to the next and the same thing would happen. Until finally we didn't have any plans left! And so we decided to go and visit a member whose husband is less active, who the bishop asked us to go and visit. We got there and this member lady was sitting on the couch by herself watching a movie. We sat down and started talking and eventually it came about that she was going through a very hard time, and had felt very very lonely and tempted to do something not good. And that's when we showed up! We just listened to her, and when prompted by the spirit we shared our love and testimonies. The next day we went with the elders so that she could get a blessing and without knowing anything about her situation, the elders gave her a beautiful and personal blessing. I know that that was God's power and His words reaching out to His beloved daughter.
I know God loves us. I know we are precious in His sight. What we decide to do matters, and it matters eternally. Especially if that decision involves us accepting Jesus Christ.
One more story!!
Sunday night we felt impressed to go by Cesar and Bricia's house. We walked in and told them we wanted to go to the temple with them. Immediatly, almost without conversation, they started putting their shoes and coats on and getting their little girls ready to go. We drove with them over to the Ogden Temple grounds. Sadly, and also kind of symbolically, the grounds were closed, and we walked around the gates around the temple grounds. We testified of God's love, of His vision and hope for His children, and of the Restoration of the Gospel. it was really simple, it was really beautiful. Their hearts were touched. We are going back again on saturday to see the christmas lights and nativity! Please pray for them. I feel so strongly that they are a family i was sent here to know, to teach, and to help make the covenant of baptism. I desire it so much for them. Honestly one of the things I wanted to learn from my mission was how to love people, how to serve them. And with this family i feel it. I love them so deeply and so permanently. It brings me so much joy to hope and pray that they will one day be in the temple. I know God loves them more, and when they are ready, He will bless them more than they could ever imagine.
He's waiting to bless us. Really.
I testify of Jesus Christ, He is the light of the world. He loves us. Saying these words, believing these words, and living these words, it makes me so happy.
mucho amor,
Hermana Ogden