GOOD LUCK TO MARI!
Last night I had a great idea - "lets go running in the morning
before it gets too cold or snows"... bad idea. woke up and looked
outside - crazy snowfall! that plan was scratched pretty fast.
I had a great week and got so many surprises from you all! It made
my day like no other! thank you for all that you sacrifice to do so - it
is more than gratefully appreciated.
This week was not good in terms of teaching investigators. The few
we have are out of town. But we are having great member lessons. We went
to a member's house last night to watch the Christmas devotional and
they had a neighbor over for dinner that we crossed paths with. they
are a cute french family who are athiest, grew up catholic. The members
talked with her at dinner about questions she's had throughout life that
haven't been answered. They said she is going to come back with her
husband and they're going to discuss those questions and they said they
are going to talk to her about missionaries, what we do, and will invite
us to come. The coolest part is...it's one of my teammate's brother!
Small world, right?! We talked about that family and they got so excited
- they said it's a little different because she's athiest and we said
"but not really. think about who and what she thinks god is. she's just
been rejecting falsehood her entire life. good for her." they started
talking really fast back and forth at eachother: "this is just something
we have to do! sharing the gospel is not an option!"..."yeah! i'm
convinced it's totally normal to just ask questions and bring up
religion like the weather! other religions do it all the time! why the
heak are we so nervous?"...."this week im just going to do it...im
inviting all my co-workers to come hear the christmas program in
church." this continued forever. it was one of the most energetic,
exciting member lessons ive ever been in.
When we truly understand the atonement and understand the covenants
we have made - it begins to click...and we realize that living the
gospel and sharing it with everyone we know is not an option. it's not
only a blessing..but a duty. And how hard is it to genuinely care about
someone, invite them over for dinner, and ask them what they think about
God? Many times people dont believe there could be a God or dont
understand what it means to have a relationship with him because they
dont even get God in the first place. Of course they hate organized
religion, or of course they dont understand why someone would want to be
with their family forever, or of course they dont believe religion can
bring peace. Because they don't understand the other half - THE TRUTH.
As a result, they've just been REJECTING FALSEHOOD. Kudos to them.
They're closer to truth than they think!
I've been thinking lately a lot about patience and remembering.
We all sometimes feel like we get in a spiritual rutt, or we feel like
the heavens are closed, or that maybe God heard our prayer 2 weeks ago,
but it doesnt seem like he's hearing the one today. I've been learning
that a lot of times that's just simply when God wants us to remember -
to remember all the promptings we've received, remember all the
revelation and answers, and remember those simple and grand spiritual
experiences...then we just get off our knees and go forward, knowing
that it's ok..that revelations haven't ceased.
Those are the random thoughts for the week. By the way, hate to say
i told you so...but we have a real christmas tree :) all yall said i
wouldnt get one....WELL - there were left over branches from ward
wreathmaking, so we took home some trash leftovers and wired some
branches together. Classily duct taped to a laundry soap container.
julie graciously sent lights - so now it looks even better. boo-ya -
real christmas tree. On the bright side, the bishop's wife bought us the
set for wreathmaking. it was so nice of her. we were able to make a
wreath that is hanging on our door like all the classy belmont people.
wreathmaking was a joooookke. josh groban was there (ok not him...but
his twin) and the gym looked like black friday
maddness to the max. if all these hours of set up were given to women
tying quilts or putting together soldier carepackages instead of busily
grabbing your favorite bow i wonder how the world would change.
nonetheless it was a great event - over 75 nonmembers came. busy busy
for the next month doing "whats next" lessons with members. couldn't
ask to be in better wards! love love love it here!
2 christmas parties this week thanks to covering 2 wards..then we
were put in charge of decorating for the missionary christmas conference
next week so we will be busy!
Love you all!
Sister Bell
Dont forget to take a moment to remember
