Family!!!
How are you all? I am so blessed to know you all is how I feel. This week was slow.. I was reading though today in Preach Gospel about being a successful missionary and it was talking about weeks like this and to not get down, you can't force people to except the Gospel and neither can the Lord. All I can do is my best, but never get down. Our companionship motto for the week (and mine for forever) is Doubt not, fear not and you have the eye of faith. As we search for those who will recieve us we can not doubt that they will recieve. We are all children of God with a divine spirit. We know everything there is to teach, it is just sparking the remembering signals in the brain. That is why using the spirit is so important.
This last week Sharon and Josh had thir baptismal interview. We only got through Josh because he decided he wasn't ready yet. Broke my heart.. he is 14 and not sure if it's for him. He wants to pray more, which is smart and good for him to do. Sharon is agreeing to postpone for him because really they should be baptized together if at all possible. But it is hard to see somenoe so willing, back off. Always encourage people in the gospel. It can take one 'slow down, wait till you know everything.. it is a pretty big committment' to take someone sooo motivated down to the hesitant stage.
We are to invite, help and motivate those we love to come unto Christ and partake of the light only He can bring into our lives. Do we love everyone though? Maybe we should- there is something in everyone to love... even those who make you want to swear. haha We have met a few.. but my heart aches walking away from them because I am learning how Christ loves us all. In 2 Nephi, many of the chapters deal with prophesy of the future destruction, apostasy, and so on. At the end of every chapter, Christ or God (which ever is speaking) will always say something about being frustrated with His people (in laman's terms) but then he comes back with 'but my hands are still out stretched toward those who will repent and come unto me'. How much more need have we then to forgive and repent ourselves? Not that any of you need to, but we all do and it's something to think about.
Yesterday for pday we went to fresh water west where dobby's house (harry potter) and part of robin hood (the latest with russell crow) were filmed. It was gorgeous. Too bad they took down Dobby's house before we got there, but such is life. Then we went to this reptile place and I held a snake, a bearded lizard, a tarantula and a 10 ft. long python (only a part of him... he was a little heavy and there was a bunch of people). I was sooooo scared of them.. why, who knows... horror stories probably. But Sister Hutchinson insisted I do it or I will regret it. She was right. There was nothing to fear. They were absolutely harmless. I faced my fear and now Iam well... experienced ;) haha but I thought about this in Gospel terms. In 2 Timothy 1:7-9 it talks about not being afraid of sharing the Gospel. I thought about how sharing the Gospel with all we know can sound scary and we can think of soooo many ways it can 'harm' us, but there is no need to think that. It won't. In fact, it is harmless as long as we handle it correctly, just like with the different animals. Doubt not, fear not. Go forth with faith and handle His words in a way that brings light into your life and the life of others.
We are so blessed to know what we know and to be who we are with experience to back it up. Take away the experiences we have had and you take away what you have learned. I know this Gospel is true more and more everyday. I am learning that EVERY part of missionary work applies to my future. It truly is the best two years FOR my life. From personal to companionship study: yes marriages are companionships.. apply all you learned).. not that you don't, but I know I will definitely try.
Oh ps the whole ward knows of my love for marriage now... our RS lesson was on eternal marriage. I am pretty sure they were all laughing at me at one point in time or another during it.. my goodness, you would think a person would change. Nope. It's getting worse. haha oh well. it's good... it's exaltation!!.
and yes, happy birthday davin!! I WILL BE SENDING HOME A PACKAGE BEFORE TOO LONG FOR MY FAMILY WHO IS BIRTHDAYING IT SOON, SORRY IT ISN'T ANY EARLIER SO DAVIN CAN'T HAVE IT ON THE DAY OF, BUT IT WILL BE THERE SOON ENOUGH. LOVE YOU ALL!! sorry for caps. running out of time. I love love love you!

Love, Sista Fili


(I kept the caps lock in there and didn't change it cuz I think its hilarious-you can imagine Lauren running out of time-Liz)