Tuesday, July 21, 2015

July 20, 2015 happy Four Months



Hello my sweet, crazy, & adorable family!

How are you! How are you! By the pictures that I've received from mom.. it looks like ya'll have had a pretty exhausting week! All I can say is CONGRATS!! You did it! You survived the move!! I am so so proud of you! I am also really grateful that I didn't have to be there haha. Moving is absolutely terrible! I'm happy to hear that everyone made it though, and that you're all still alive!! I'm sure your nice week in Powell will be really relaxing, and very needed. :) You will have to let me know how that goes, just remember to be safe!
So many crazy things happened this week! Last Monday night we taught Doug, who was the man that we found last week. On our way to our appointment, it started raining hard core. I was driving and literally started freaking out. I have never seen so much rain in my entire life. The whole sky was lighting up with lightning and it was insane!! We saw this huge bolt of lightening and then came to find out a few minutes later that it struck a telephone pole and the pole caught on fire! We were right below it and it was just sparking like crazy and totally on fire! It was insane! Sister Stratford called 911 and was freaking out. It was quite hilarious actually. Anyways, we finally got to our lesson, and it was really interesting.. let's just put it that way. He is WAY to smart for his own good. He's read the Great Apostasy by Talmage and all of these crazy books, and still, is some how not convinced that an apostasy actually happened. It was a really hard lesson because he is like a religious philosopher and I just sat back and had nothing to say. All I could do was bear my strongest testimony and leave it at that. I am all a 'feelings' person. If I feel something, I know that it's true, and that's how God speaks to me. He is the complete opposite. He is a factual person and needs the historical evidence, which I just can't give him, and neither can my companion. It was a little bit rough... and I didn't really know what to do. He is so caught up on the apostasy and just can't get over it. We left the lesson feeling a little bit overwhelmed. I don't want to drop him, but at the same time, there isn't a whole lot we can do for him. We didn't get home that night until 11 pm because it was another crazy rain storm. I have never been so scared in my entire life. We had to pull over because I couldn't see anything. We said a prayer and basically started crying in our car. Hahah typical girl thing. Cops were everywhere because trees were broken everywhere and blocking all of the roads. After a long hour and a half in our car, we finally made it home. Our yard was a swimming pool and it was quite the sight! It was definitely something that I will remember! NC has some CRAZY rain storms and some crazy lightening! It was a good time!
The rest of the week was real good. One of the better ones I've had. Sister Stratford and I had a killer week! It was a week full of miracles. It's amazing to see how the Lord is truly so involved in our lives, and in missionary work specifically. This past week we were able to attend the New Missionary Trainer Trainee meeting up in Charlotte. It was so fun to get together with all of the new missionaries and the trainers. I came away from that meeting a different missionary. Something hit me so strongly, i'm not exactly sure what it is, but, it changed a part of me. President Alexander gave some really good words of advice, and I was just blown away with the spirit that was in the room. I find it so amazing how blessed we truly are, and how much our father in Heaven blesses us (missionaries) while we are in his service. I know that he is aware of every single one of us and I know that we are some of his choicest sons and daughters at this time. How great is my calling! There is nothing else that I would rather be doing at this time in my life. I am more committed than ever before to just get out there and serve with all of my heart, mind, might, and strength! This past week will be one that I will never forget. I feel like I see miracles every single week, but this week was even better! Miracle after miracle occurred every single day. I know without a doubt that miracles still exist today. I know that this is the Lord's work, and that he is in charge. How blessed I feel to be able to be an instrument in his hands and that he trusts me enough to share this Gospel with his children in North Carolina. I want to share some of the miracles that I witnessed! We have been teaching this man named David for a little over two months now. He is a wonderful investigator and it's been really fun to work with him. We met him at a restaurant and he was our waitor, but then lost contact with him. A few weeks later, we saw him walking around downtown Waxhaw. We set up an appointment with him and began teaching him. He has two jobs, and one of those jobs included working at a bar on the weekends. We have been trying to help him see the importance of the sacrament and see the importance of coming to church. He can't progress unless he comes to church! Well, last week we promised him specific blessings and told him that if he put the Lord first, everything would work out. Well, to our surprise, he texted us a few days later and told us that he quit his job. A few days after that, he received a "random check" of two months of work that he had preciously done. And then to top it all off, he showed up at church yesterday! It was so wonderful to see him there. He said that he really liked it and that he knows that God is blessing him right now. Watching him partake of the sacrament for the first time in his entire life was something that I will never forget. It will stick with me forever. It's moments like that that make the mission all worth it. One of my favorite things about being on a mission is seeing the light of Christ enter into someone's heart. I could see it in him. I know that the spirit touched his heart. We also had a man who we have been teaching call us up randomly this week and told us that he sat down and talked with his wife and with his children and that they are ready to experience this together. We have just been teaching him, but now he is ready to have the whole family get involved. Ah! Another miracle. I absolutely know that God is preparing his children for us. Our investigator Melissa has another baptism date of August 8th, and I really think she'll be ready by that date. She came to church for the first time yesterday and it was a really good experience for her! We were also able to get her into a member's home this past week and I know that she really felt the spirit. There is nothing like coming into the home of a member and feeling the spirit present in their home. It was so wonderful! Also, fun fact. We just switched cars with the elders this past week and they left a CD in the car. Well, it was the 2015 EFY CD and all of the sudden I heard my sweet Anna Richey's Fragile and basically freaked out!! Way to go girl! So proud of you. I also just came to find out that there is a Mormon Message on your song, and..... we have been showing that video to EVERYONE. I've probably shown it a good 45 times this week. So So So proud of you girly! Thank you for sharing your beautiful talent! It's blessing lives even here in North Carolina!
I have been able to learn so much this week just regarding the Spirit. I have come to know that missionary work is IMPOSSIBLE without the spirit. Everything that we do here on the mission has to be done with the spirit. Not only are we teaching by the spirit, but we are finding by the spirit and talking by the spirit, and everything with the spirit. The spirit is what leads and guides missionary work. It's actually impossible to even be completely happy without the Spirit present in your life. I've tried going without it, and you can't be happy. Lately I have been trying to be better at feeling the spirit of my call. I have been called by the prophet of God to preach the Gospel to the world. I have been endowed with POWER. Everyone who has gone through the temple has been given that special power. That is why missionaries even go through the temple before their missions. It is because we need the power to teach, and to preach, and to hasten the work of the Lord. Every one of you need the power to combat all the evil things of the world. What are we doing to keep ourselves worthy of that power? What are we doing that is keeping us from having the gift of the Holy Ghost with us 24/7. We have been promised that as we are WORTHY, we can have the spirit to be with us always. Why would we do anything that would keep us from receiving that promise that we have been given. I would invite all of you to truly think about what is keeping you from having the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost. Everyday I see people who are so far from being worthy of the Holy Ghost and it absolutely hurts my heart. That's why I am out here trying to baptize the world! Everyone needs that precious gift in order to be truly happy. Each and every morning we should be getting on our knees pleading for the Gift of the Holy Ghost to be with us for the day. I promise you that as you are truly worthy to have the spirit with you, you will see blessings, miracles, and you will be happier. The spirit is the greatest gift in the entire world! Not only can it comfort us in times of need and times of heartache, it will warn us, lead us, guide us, help us, teach us, bless us, and do a number of other things. I testify to you that God lives. I know that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world, and I know that the Holy Ghost can be our constant companion as you remain worthy of the precious gift. I think so often we forget about that 3rd member of the Godhead. We focus so heavily on God the eternal father, and on our Savior Jesus Christ, but sometimes forget the Holy Ghost. I promise you that having the Holy Ghost with you at all times can change your life. There have been many times in my life when I have been unworthy of the Holy Ghost, and things haven't gone super well. I know that as we try our very best and as we are exercising the Doctrine of Christ every single day, we will be worthy of the Holy Ghost. Miracles come as you have the spirit as your constant companion. He has become my very best friend this last week, and it has truly been one of the best feelings in the entire world.
I want you to know how much I love and adore each and every single one of you. Thank you so much for your support, and for your love. I truly feel it every day and it keeps me going. I don't know where I would be without all of you! I know that my Savior lives and that he is watching over you while I am away. Keep being good, keep choosing the right, and keep pushing on! I absolutely love being a missionary. It's the best calling in the entire world. If there is anything that I can do for any of you, please don't hesitate to ask. You are all in my prayers and I think about you often. I hope you have a perfect week! Always remember that there is a sister in North Carolina who loves you! See you in seven! xo

Sister Ky Worthington

 

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