What a wonderful week
We had the best Valentine's day ever! Thanks to a mix up in young women's on Sunday, there were many wrapped presents for the single women and widows at the church that didn't get delivered, so we were called in as the emergency forces and we got to deliver a few presents and spend a few precious minutes visiting with those great sisters in our ward. It was such a joy to see their faces light up to receive a gift for Valentine's day. Many of them shared how usually they spent this holiday feeling sad and lonely, but even a short visit really brightened their spirits. We also left hearts on many doors of members and investigators to show our love, and it was a beautiful day, as we shared the love of Christ with all those we met, and were able to testify of his love, and his plan, and his Son. The love of Christ is showing love to others, and it was wonderful to spend Valentine's day doing just that.
We had another great lesson with our investigator, Brad, who we met up with at the church last week. He lives about 20 miles away, but he texted us that he would be in town and we were able to meet up with him again. He currently attends a Lutheran church, so we were asking in ward council if anyone in the ward used to be Lutheran who could come to the lesson with us, but we couldn't find anyone. So we asked the young women's president and her husband to come, because we felt like it might be a good match. And the lesson was great! Her husband knows a lot about Brad's work and they got along really well, and as we were talking about the plan of salvation, she goes "Well I actually grew up in the Lutheran church..." and she was able to explain how she found out about the plan of salvation and explain it from her Lutheran background, and it really clicked for him. And it was a miracle because even though we couldn't find a Lutheran convert on our own, God lead us right to the perfect members to bring to that lesson.
We had an incredible experience with a member who is returning to activity we are working with. She has a lot of desires, but not a lot of immediate support from her husband and is still gaining gospel knowledge. She has just been called as a ward missionary, and is coming to lessons with us. This week when we visited her she told us she was so impressed by how we pray every time before we go into a lesson, that she started doing that this week too. And she told of so many miracles! Of how she had been prompted by the Holy Ghost to go to certain places, and had answered her prayers, and helped her find things, and been able to better answer her husbands questions about the gospel, and it was amazing. It really is a simple as praying in faith, that's how it all begins, and He will ALWAYS answer.
We started teaching an another amazing woman this week named Janet! The elders were teaching her, but she speaks Spanish and is a single woman, so they decided to pass her off to us. She is so great, and has the cutest little kids. She has been through a lot, but has already seen a lot of blessings and miracles in her life that have helped build her faith, and we are super excited.
Fun facts about Minnesota,
There is a huge crow population, and we think they are taking over the city of Rochester
It is really hard to drive in freezing rain
When it gets above 32 degrees in February you don't wear a coat because it feels so warm outside
This week has just been great because there have been so many people asking to be taught, someone getting back from mexico after 6 months and saying "I'm back and I want to start taking the lessons again" or less actives taking their own steps to return to activity, and referrals of people who are really interested and already have background in the church, or even people just texting us to set up appointments. It truly has been a week full of miracles and we are so excited to be here and try to do all we can to make it work.
This week I have been amazed by the love of Christ, as I have studied it and been experiencing it, his love truly is perfect and he is so merciful. We learn from Moroni "And charity suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. (Moroni 7:45)" President Monson taught, "True charity is love in action" and "True love continues to be an outward expression of an inward conviction." Christ is charity, as all of the qualities that define charity define Him! And his life was the greatest act of love that ever was, is, or will be.
Oh how grateful I am for the perfect love of Christ. This week has been a testament to me that true charity, true love, is characterized by action. Our actions truly define us. Thinking of Valentines day and how we were able to show love through service, and reflecting on this past transfer, in that Christlike love and charity is what gives us the desire to share the gospel, and to do hard things. Being a missionary has given me the slightest glimpse into how perfect Christ's love, and how lacking mine still is, but what a wonderful world we have to live in and to learn to love eachother a little bit more every day.
I love you all! Thanks for all the support.
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