I CAN'T BELIEVE I'VE BEEN OUT 11 MONTHS TODAY!!! Where has time gone? This
has been quite an interesting week. Sister Lamont found out she has an eye
infection that is effecting her ability to do missionary work. She is gets
really tired throughout the day and often times has to take a break. Her
eye is still senistive to light and she always has a headache. It is also
effecting her thought process so she is thinking slower and rambles or
talks until she can reach a conclusion. This has made Walk and Talk August
really difficult, but we still try and do our best and I have seen some
miracles happen this week.
On Wednesday we were on exchanges. Sister Bogaert came to our area. We had
downtown street contacting that afternoon so we planned to walk and talk
our way through Shawnessy to the C-train station. On our way we had several
miracles and talked to several interesting people. As we were walking we
saw someone across the street, so we decided to go talk to him. He talked
to us for a while, but was pretty set in his beliefs, so we continuted
walking down the street. Because we changed what side of the street we were
on, we ran into another lady who was very open to talking with us. She
believes everyone needs Christ in their lives. We talked with her for a
good ten minutes. She wouldn't set up a time for us to come back or give us
her address, but she gave us her email so we could keep in contact with and
have more gospel discussions. Then we crossed the street to stop-by Bernard
and schedule a time for a lesson, but no body answered the door, so we
continued down the street. We stopped a man who had his headphones in. He
was confused at why we were talking to him, but was very open to listening.
He told us his beliefs, which aren't too far off from our beliefs, but he
was stubborn. He wanted us to teach him everything right there on the
street and was unwilling to schedule a return appointment. We got his phone
number though. We ended up talking to him for over an hour and were late to
meet our zone at the C-train station, but it was worth it. Although he
wasn't open to meeting with us again, we were just one of those seven
contacts Elder Switzer talked about. Then we went to Wendy's to warm up
because we were freezing from standing in the rain and ate lunch. There we
also talked to another lady is set in her beliefs, but she actually started
talking to us after she saw us pray for our food. It is really cool to see
people coming out of the wood works, even if we are only having gospel
conversations with them and it doesn't go any farther than that.
The rest of the week until Sunday wasn't too eventful. We went to set
appointments and did our weekly planning, but we couldn't do much because
of how Sister LaMont has been feeling. Yesterday was a good day though.
Bernard came to church and we were able to put him on date for September
9th. When I first came into the area, Sister LaMont wanted to drop him, but
she gave him one more chance and from there he started to progress. We made
an effort to have dailey contact with him and made bold promises about him
finding full time work after he is baptized. Since then he has been keeping
his commitments and talks about being baptized and becoming a member all
the time. We knew after the good experience he had at church yesterday that
we had to put him on date. It was a short lesson just on his doorstep
because Sister LaMont was exhausted and there wasn't another female home.
We were bold and persistent and it paid off. We reminded him of the promise
we made him once before and continued to promise him even more. He was
hesitant to say yes to the 9th because he might have found a job this week,
but we didn't give up and he said yes. That was a great miracle to see,
even when Sister LaMont has not been feeling very well.
I know I haven't sent a spiritual thought for a few weeks. I've ran out of
time the last few weeks. But here is one today, that I read this week in my
personal study of the Book of Mormon. As a misssion we have been reading it
with the purpose of learning more about "Miracles thru Faith." This is just
one thing that stood out to me. These scriptures come from Mosiah 4:2-3. At
this time in the Book of Mormon King Benjamin has been teaching the people
about the atonement of Jesus Christ. Then he pauses and looks around and
this is what he sees among the people:
*2 And they had viewed themselves in their own carnal state, even less
than the dust of the earth. And they all cried aloud with one voice,
saying: O have mercy, and apply the atoning blood of Christ that we may
receive forgiveness of our sins, and our hearts may be purified; for we
believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who created heaven and earth, and
all things; who shall come down among the children of men. *
*3 And it came to pass that after they had spoken these words the Spirit of
the Lord came upon them, and they were filled with joy, having received a
remission of their sins, and having peace of conscience, because of the
exceeding faith which they had in Jesus Christ who should come, according
to the words which king Benjamin had spoken unto them.*
It is a miracle through the faith of the people that they humbled
themsevles before god. They learned what they needed to as they had their
tents facing towards the temple. Because of this, they were blessed
exceedlingly. When we experience a change of heart like these people did,
it will lead us to come closer to Jesus Christ and to our Heavenly Father.
We need to all accept his will for us and stop being stubborn and focused
on our own personal desires. I know this gospel is true. The book of mormon
is the word of God. As we pray, read our scriptures, go to church, and keep
the covenants we have made, God will bless us more than we can comprehend.
I love this gospel so much! I'm so grateful I have the opportunity to share
it with thers around me. And I hope you all take an opportunity to share
the gospel to those around you too. Just like Elder Bednar talks about in
this talk:
https://www.lds.org/prophets-and-apostles/unto-all-the-world/to-sweep-the-earth-as-with-a-flood?lang=eng
I love you all!!
Love,
Sister Barton
Pictures:
1.) Me in downtown Calgary on Wednesday at a "Consite"
2.) Lunch we had with a less active and the Sister Training leaders
No comments:
Post a Comment