Last One of the Season... (Sid the Sloth voice)

FAMILY!!!! WHAT'S HAPPENING TO ME!!!!

 

Well this is kind of insane. I never thought it would happen. But it is and I still don't know how I feel about it. Everyday I have a different emotion but this weekend with Steve's baptism it was one of sadness I guess you could say. I realized that this time of my life to preach the gospel full time and be apart of people's conversion stories is over in this way. Then I took a good look at Lisa, Steve's fellowshipper who brought the gospel into his life and realized it's not completely over. There is still more to do without a badge and authority to knock on doors and street contact. I then just today recieved an email from a sister I served in the MTC with who flew over with me and we had chatted with this man on the plane and she told me that he was baptized last November and we definitely helped him get there. I thought about sooo many instances in life when I have witnessed missionary work happening significantly without even seeing missionaries on the scene apart from teaching the doctrine and then I realized the greatest thing ever: my mission is not over, it's only begun. My emotions soon turned from sadness to joy for the covenants I have made, the purpose God has given me and the opportunities that lie ahead. This is the Lord's work. I will forever be indebted to Him for allowing me to be apart of it in this way. I don't look at the last 18 months as service to God, but yet again His service to me. Every opportunity I have had to bear testimony, mine has grown; to teach, my knowledge has expanded; to serve, my charity been made full; to proclaim repentance for anything, my desire increased. I know that this truly was the best 18 months for my life and I can't wait for what lies ahead. He doesn't give us moments in life to be better than other moments because we are closer to God then then we are there.. we are meant to have joy all through out life. No I won't be endowed with power from on high to be able to fullfill the mission He has called me to, but I will still have the gift of the Holy Ghost, the scriptures, prayer, repentance, church, temple and time to serve. I can still feel a fullness of joy because I can still live a more excellent way and walk in the footsteps of my Saviour. This gospel in all it's fullnes is for life, not for 18 months. We teach people about missionary work as a commandment... because it is. I am grateful I have learnt that because before I came out I think I lacked that understanding. I always was happy with myself and so impressed by others when it would happen, but I was like most.. unaware of the duty I had to do it, not just grab hold of the experiences as they come, if I want to that is and it's convenient. Nope, it's not convenient. Nope it's not ALWAYS going to be what you want to do, that's why you need to do it. Put off the natural man and go and do the things which the Lord has commanded and yield to the enticings of the Holy spirit.  (1Nephi 3:7, Mosiah 3:19) I think it is interesting that it says the 'enticings'. I was just teaching Sis. Javed what the word enticing means. It is to attract, to really persuade someone of something that they want... Allow the Holy Spirit to entice you to do what is right. It is what we want, we just don't remember because we are clouded by the natural man and all that that encompasses. I love my Saviour. I love all that He does for me. This week I have truly felt His spirit near and my prayers from over the past 18 months are being answered now. What a blessing! God loves His children and I know without a doubt in my mind that I am one of them. Answers to prayers do come in the Lord's timing. All the space in between is Him preparing us for the TIME we will recieve it and making us worthy and ready for recieving it. It's not just about us waiting, but the experiences we will have so that when it is recieved it is also appreciated. I think we often forget that God knows us better than we know ourselves. He knows when we will appreciate and when we will take it for granted. We take so much for granted that He gives us so willingly, like He would give customized blessings to us without our working for it. Let's think about it, It always costs a more when it is customized at a shop .. same thing with blessings. All things denote there is a God and all things can teach us of God and His ways. I love it and this knowledge, nothing could be better.

So, this week we saw Steve daily. We taught him with Lisa daily and it was amazing. I wish this was our life weekly, but I am grateful I was blessed to experience it once before I leave. He stopped smoking easily in one week. wow. He became more and more excited each day and with every commandment his determination grew. It was so neat to see that as he kept the commitments more and more his countenance began to change. On Friday night we had our final lesson on baptism and confirmation and the gift of the Holy Ghost. It was brilliant and the spirit was there, but we finished within a half hour and I felt like we needed to do one more thing for him that he needed, I couldn't figure it out but then it was slapped in my face basically- FINDING FAITH IN CHRIST DVD!! hello! haha Steve does not really have a religious background. He believes in Chrsit and I would like to say now he is beginning to believe Christ, but that is without an understanding or a knowledge of all he did during His earthly ministry. So when the thought came to my mind it made complete sense. We watched it and once it concluded I asked Steve what he thought and how he felt. He said so much of it was so sad. Then we talked about how if we follow in Christ's footsetep it doesn't mean our life will be full of roses and joy and never any sorrow, His life waws not like that. We follow in Chrsit's footsteps through thick and thin for the roses and the thorns to become perfect even like he is, for that is truly what He did. As we concluded this chat I asked him how he felt and he looked at me and said I feel like I can honsestly say I have Faith in Christ now. It was a marvelous moment to have. He said his first spoken prayer with us that evening and yes I did cry, the spirit was massive. I decided then that coming home was unecessary.. and then ya know it wore off because of what I said earlier. :)

I love you all. I love this work. I love that people recognize as servants of God. We had a man stop us on the street and ask us to pray for him. Theen he turned out to be kinda psycho and possibly a creeper and alittle doped up on drugs, but there we are. The first instance still stands true!! I will never forget it for as long as I live. Woot woot. Well tis the week of much happening. I don't want to get distracted by it all. Sometimes it is difficult, but that's when you just keep yourself busy busy busy. This last week we were blessed with it and this next week we shall be as well. I pray!!! haha

 

 2 John 1:12 Having many things to write unto you, I would not ^awrite with paper and ink: but I trust to come unto you, and speak face to face, that our joy may be full.

Tada for now! I will see you soon!!

 

 Sista Fili

Dear fambam.

Miracles do happen. oh you don't believe me, well then I have a short tale for you!!

So this week was SUPER slow.. no one liked us. tuesday and Thursday went a little like this, " ya about that.. we're not interested anymore.. infact could you just tell them to have missionaries STOP COMING fullstop? oh and tell Stucki we miss her".. lame sauce. Devastation.. all in the pouring rain.. buckets over my head like type of rain. Which was well fun, but after a while the weather fit the mood and it was just one of those days you don't tell people about before they come cause then they won't be as excited to come.. but hey, that's wales for you! No bother because Saturday happened and made up for every bit of rejection! So Friday night we were in teaching Steve Cross about the word of wisdom and faith. during it we all remembered that there is a wedding being held at the church the same day of his scheduled baptismal date. Well we left it with him and Lisa, his fellowshipper who introduced him to the gospel and us, to decide when would be best for him. Well we wake up the next morning to a text- "can u ring me please u wonderful ladies asap. can u make it over sometime after 5 pm today? and can u make a baptism for next weekend? yes next weekend!! hehehe exsiting times x" who wouldn't want to wake up to that message every morning.. someone wants us to come over, some called us wonderful, and to top it off pelase we need a baptism and your life next weekend.. oh ok.. done. maybe in some missions this is a normal thing, but for here this is a miracle. Infact anywhere this is a miracle. Whether iti s a common thing or not. Steve felt the spirit the night prior as we taught about faith and the word of wisdom. When we left and they were reading the assignments we left they continued to feel the spirit and he knows. he doesn't need to be convinced because the man is humble and is ready. he said it all makes sense in my hea, but more than that it feels rgiht in my heart and I can't deny it.. I don't want to wait. I want to be baptized next weekend. That is a miracle. The power of the Holy Ghost in our lives is a miracle. Interesting too earlier on Friday morning we were making goals for weekly planning and the first two goals are people being baptized and confirmed in the coming week.. well we obviously had no one scheduled and don't want to be accountable for what we do not have logically, but I knew as I crossed it out that i was wrong there would be one. Well I stand corrected, there was one. I had been praying it would hapen, but it just didn't seem likely. Yesterday it aws announced in church and he is so excited. It will be an insane week but we are sooooo o excited. I actually get to see the man baptized! and give my first talk on the mission at a baptism.. that's kinda cool. We are soooo excited and things just seems to keep getting better.. I hope tht iti s like that.. but there's always opposition. it happens, it's a sign of a good thing. 2Nephi 2:11. My joy is over flowing and I am feeling so good about how things are right now.

Yesterday my silly bishop got me. We had this joke that he would somehow get me to do a farewell talk before I leave.. but this last week was fast sunday, next week is the primary presentation and the next, me last sunday, is stake conference. I thought i was safe.. and then he said before everyone comes to give their testimonies i am gonig to ask sister filichia who is returning home soon.. and ya know the shpeal. So I did and it was sooooo awkward. I didn't have words. i didn't know what to say.. goodbye? see you next week actually! ha! But whatever came out I think it was alright because people commented on it in their testimonies, but I have never felt so seperated from my body in all my life of bearing testimony. It was an odd feeling. One i kinda hope doesn't repeat itself again. oh well bishop won.. he always wins. bah

Ha anyways! I finished the book of mormon yesterday for the last time on my mission and it was so interesting. I was thinknig alot about the mission of Mormon and Moroni and how NO ONE cared. EVERYONE there were haneously evil and disgusting about it infact and they did not convert the masses as you see all the other prophets in the book do. Infact the only baptisms those two men will ever have had are all in the future to what they are writing, yet they did labour diligently that they might perform the great work they had to perform whilst in this tabernacle of clay. (Moroni 9:6) I am so grateful they did. From the efforts of these two men in abridging and writing and protecting, sealnig and delivering the Book of Mormon in all the ways in which God commanded them we are able to bring the world the Lord's truth. They have helped to convert millions, not masses. I love the book of mormon. i love what it stands for. i love that we have it in our lives and that we get to share it. I know just as these men did and do that no effort is wasted. it does not matter the amount of people you see converted, it only matters that you did all you could so that one day they will.  I can't wait to meet moroni and mormon and all of the prophets and disciples and missionaries from the book of mormon and shake their hands and thank them for following the spirit and doing what they did then recording it and passing it down so that we could all benefit from it. Then I thought of the record and legacy I will leave.. what effect will i possibly have on others? i hope it is good. Yesterday Bryan bore his testimony and said the most heart felt amazing things to all of us.. especially me. He weeped with joy that he has found this gospel and told me over the pulpit that I will not leave without having changed a soul's life.. I wanted so badly to cry, but I couldn't.. I could only smile and thank God for allowing me to be His vessel at that point. Really I think the thing I have learnt the most the past few weeks is that it is not me or any of us it is God through us. We just have to be worthy and even is we aren', He'll make up the diffrerence for no elect soul will be lost. I hope that each of us realizes just as prophets testified of last weekend that whether we are a member or missionary it makes no diffrerence we are all God's children and we are all called to serve our king in anyway we can. if we struggle becuse iti s not the way others think is right at this time.. it doesn't matter. What matters is what God beleives and knows to be true. iti s God's opinion and that is true confidence. I lvoe this service of the lord. i love my God and king and I am excited for all that the future holds :) Crazy how time flies when you are having a good time. Testimony comes sometimes through rejection and through rejection we come to know our Saviour every moment of the mission is worth it because every moment you grow closer to Him. Whether by miracle or by failure. it's all" done in the wisdom of him who knoweth all things."(2 Nephi 2:24)

I love you all sooooo much. I pray for you daily, infact in almost ever prayer you are in it. I owe you all the world and hope you forgive me for making postcard promises and failing to follow through.. life is psycho and I am grateful! Nothing better!

Till next week... last time... what the heck!

Moroni 8:30 "Farewell, my family, until I shall write unto you, or shall meet you again. amen."

Sista Fili

What a weekend. It's kind of a crazy one for all of us. Filled with happiness and joy, true reflection and reminicing on the life of our dearest brother Timmyman. I don't know why this year was so much harder than last year for me, but that is ok because I was able to experience really comfort from the Holy Ghost. I felt sooo alone. and when I would try to open up it was .. well I dunno what happened but it didn't so I stopped that and just kept it to myself which is usually a dumb idea for me, but it's cool I just grew closer to the Saviour because there was literally NO ONE to talk to about it. I am so graetful to be a missionary though because there is always someone else to focus on and something else to do to occupy your mind. I was praying for my family though alot becuse I knew ya'll probably had it worse than me. I loved conference and my oh my Saturday first session.. what a prep to our weekend!! Oh my word!! The spirit was so strong and I felt that I was able to gain alot of revelation for my own life alot this weekend. it's all coming ang going so fast. Earlier in the week I was able to recieve a priesthood blessing and in it the Lord told me I have still much to accomplish here in Wales.. which you alwayus say as a missionary, but at that moment I knew it. General Conference confirmed it yet again and gave me the courage to once again try to put off the natural man and become more. I can't wait to get the conference edition so I can really study out all the talks. Theer was so much to take in. I could go off for forever about someof the talks but  I don't have the time and ya know what i learnt this weekend is that my words don't really matter. We heard prophets an apostles speak to us. Their words matter. In mosiah 2:27 .. I think... King Benjamin tells his people that he is sharing with them all of these things that he my stand spotless at the last day knowing he told them of all the revelation given to him for them from God. i thought about this and thought if his duty is to share it that he may be spotless then our duty is to listen and if we are actually listening we  will do and like many said it's not just about listening infact it's ALL about doing. We are so privileged to be apart of God's army and I hope we all realize it's not big enough. The age lowering of missionaries is AMAZING. in fact brilliant..and I pray that it is because not only are they worthy and ready, but more will come then then they will later. we are so blessed.

Today we had mission football. It was cold. It was super wet. And President said if anyone gets injured it's over for forever.. so I sat out. haha I know my tracking record and it's usually not because I fight for it.. it's just natural. It's so devastating to be such a numpty when it comes to these things, but I got to know some other people better and talked to my zone leader about being at BYU in january at the same time and then he reminded me I should sign up for classes.. who am I!! where am i going to live!? what am I gonig to do? ! ya that's how much coming home has actually set in people. it's kinda ridiculous. Welp next week we will hopefully get that more sorted... maybe this week depending upon how long we stay on here afetr I am done with this ever depressingly short none uplifting email. I just can't say anything past what alredy has been said and i am literally SOOOOOOOOOOO exhausted. haha who knew watching football could do that to you! haha I energetically chatted with people, don't worry it wasn't fake and ridiculously cheesy.. just ridiculously ..... me instead.. I don't even know how to describe myself. bah.

The work is going so well. This was a rather slow week actaully. kinda weird. We had an exchange with the sisters in Cardiff and it aws fun.. they made me feel so good about myself andI hope I was able to do the same for them. During our "sleep over" we were all sitting there chatting away and I look at the time and go oh my heck it's late.. oh my word where's the phone!! ya it was in the car. ya we had 31 missed calls... ya president and others kinda freaked out. no biggy. i would too. Super embarrassing. but that night when we were helping the sisters out at a grocery store (they don't have a car so they needed our help before p day was over) Sis. Boots and I went over to the cheese section and this lady starts helping us and talking about her family. Just as it says in pMG they will bring out the ways in which they neeed the gospel without even knowing it. it was an incredible experience to chat with her about the gospel and to see how excited she got to hear about it and then we bought some flippin' expensive cheese she suggested.. but there we are. She best get baptized  ;) haha. Sis. Javed and I were looking up a potential and found this woman named Mary and because her dog was out I talked to her and sister Javed stayed behind the gate and jsut chatted with those that passed by. Mary and I had a very good conversation, and for the first time in a while it seems like, someone really listened to what we had to say. well I had to say... sis. javed was MIA within sight and sound of course!! (white handbook.. followed!) The spirit touched my heart as i shared the plan of salvation with her. I love this gospel. It answers our questions and there is nothing better than that. God loves us, we are His children and as President Eyring said, "His time should be enough for us knowing He only wants what's best for us." I am a Mormon. I know it. I live it and I lvoe it... all the leders took the mick out of the cliche phrase and many of you may have as well,but you know I beleive it... we should declare it and be proud of it. it's probably the greatset thing since eve took the fruit. I hope we can all follow the council of Elder Holland and be more layal to our Saviour and root out all that keeps us from Him. I know I felt a new desire to do so and I can't wait to see wht happens when I accomplish it completely. I love you all. I hope that Mum and dad had an enjoyable time in Salt lake and I hope that all had a great weekend. Love you!

 

Sista Fili Mosiah 2:20-27

Bryan's Baptism!!

What a week!! I lost my mind. I got chewed out by some lessactive members, almost got Bryan evicted from his flat and then I helped save his soul. Opposition in all things. Bryan was doing ace so it's gotta come from a different angle. Silly devil, tricks are for kids! Anyways, It began and ended well and that's what matters. So Thursday we taught bryan in the front corridor of his building because we weren't able to get a sister to come with us. issues. so someone told on us ... this was stuff we didn't know mind... and they had a big chat with him about not preaching in public. Anyways, he got a warning but they said they would evict him next time. Whoa. drama. But it's cool. So then we had some miss understandings with some less actievs thwat were gonig to feed us LAST sunday. As we were heading oer to their hous we end up with a blow out and one on the way, so we got the elders to help us put our spare on and then had to wait for the zoneleaders to come for their spare as well. Hence we didn't make it to the da. well i had called her as it happened and said we were on our awy but this happened and we aer so sorry it won't work out tonight, eat without us and we'll come by sometime this week to make up for it. so the husband calls later that ngiht and says, well are you coming? ...nooo.... sometime this week we will, at this point they are just putting on the other spare and it is already our curphue mind. So obviously we can't go over. so apparently i told them friday, well I ddin't write it down and I don't remember saying it. well friday was a total flop day and I lost my mind nd had completely forgot what I had said.. compltetly, not gonna lie I still don't remember saying it, but there we are. it makes sense if I did. That's when we are usually in that area. So Friday night we had the most amazing final lesson with Bryan and our member came and gained some answers of her own and we all just had a spiritual feast to say the least and we get a call at about 9pm from these certain LA members and sis. javed answers the phone and puts it on speaker phone and holds it up to my ear and he had a proper go at me like none other, and said a few things hat have actually never been said to me before and it hurt like furry! I was so embarrassed and felt like the worst missionary. I cried so hard that night because well... these people are a little sensative to this stuff, but none the less we offended them and that is not the objective. The next day was golden.. we went by a potential who we havenot seen since she became a potential and got a Return Appointment and then met this polish guy who is totally into whatwe share about families, so amazing. and then we made another big mistake, but this time the member was understandingi enough... like i said I lost my mind like... good riddens! So then we go to the baptism. and I had forgot to st up someone for prelude. we only have 2 people who can play in the ward and the one is unlikely and the other is well the RSpresident... so I guess I figured they would figure it out themselves through common sense.. well I sinned because you should never assume anything. You also shouldn't assume your ward is gonig to come to their new RC baptism.. because they don't always. It's super sad. But there we are. bring on the opposition! Anyways, it was spirit feeling for the prelude and that's about it, but the best part is that regardless, it was still the best baptism I have ever taken a part of. The speakers were spot on and the spriit was strong. The investigators there fel it and 2 became even more so solid for their baptism dates. Steve, our investigator, actually became excited for his. before he was wondering what he had actually committed himself to, but once he saw that he bcame excited and then church the next day made him even more excited about the baptism and the gospel in general. He is excited about everything. What a miracle. In pakistn after baptisms they invite those who have been baptized to come and bear their testimonies and conversion stories.. so we thouht we would do that with Bryan, oh my goodness it was the best idea ever. it was so powerful and i can not tell you how humbling it wa to hear our Recent convert bear testimony about the gospel, and the book of mormon and tell his story in such a profound way. I realized then thatI did nothing. His testimony didn't come through our teaching or what we said, it came through the book that he read on his own time. It came through the power of the holy ghos testifying of truth. We were merely vessels for the lord giving him the proper materials to gain the answers that he was seeking. How incredible is that. The next day at church he was confirmed a member and it was so cool to hear temple work in the blessing especially from someone who hadn't attended the baptism or any of the lessons, how would he know that Bryan was so excited for the temple and had people who nedded him to do this work for them- he didn't, but God did. We had a lesson with steve and lisa after curch and was brilliant talking to him about the plan of salvation. he asid that after last night he would even consider movinmg his date up- now that is called the spirit! So amazing. I am so happy this week, regardless of the silly things that happen there is always more joy to be had!

How is everyone? dad your email inspired me sooooooo much. I cried. I feel like I am doing that alot lately. such is life :) oh well. I love you all!! I can't wait for next week... to hear about GC!!  I I love general conference. I love that because we have prophets we have the priesthood and with priesthood authority comes saving ordinances such as baptism and after that endowment and sealing and because of all of these new revelations we get to have an eternal family. What a weekend to reflect upon those thigns that matter most. I am so happy to be a missionary. I wake up so excited everyday. I can't believe how lucky I am. I hate running dad, but I have learned how better to pace myself. Right now though... the sprint is on, my brian may be lost at times, but my energy is more than it's ever been for this great and glorious work, all I can pray for is that yours is as well. How can we not be excited about it. we can actually save the souls of others as we submitt our will to the Lord and allow Him to use us un worthy servants for His works. With or without a badge. Dad thank you for reminding me of your dedication. it gives me a renewed strength. I love you all so much. I cannot even stand it. I pray fro you and hope that all is well. let me know what more I can do.

Sorry the postcard didn't come last week.. it got a little ridiculous with time. this week it will be a bit late, but you'll get it.

I love you soooooo much rwyn dy garu di!! I'll be seein you... in no time. eeek. yaya!! it's a love hate relationship for me people. be kind. understand. keep cal and carry on. tada butt!

 

 Sista Fili Ether 12:27