Monday, November 10, 2014

November 10, 2014

Im pretty sure that dumb singer got it wrong - love isn't like a battlefield...LIFE is like a battlefield. Someone has to correct her lyrics.

What a miracle filled week! Not just for us, but the entire mission. As I said last week, Elder Lawrence from the 70 and his wife visited. We had set a goal as a mission to do what we has never nearly been done before in the history of this mission.
President & Sister Packard went to a mission presidency seminar the week before E. Lawrence's visit where he promised the mission presidents that what they promise their missionaries in faith and gods will, will happen. President Packard wrote Elder Holland to tell him about what the mission's goal was and that we were praying in every private and public prayer about this goal. Elder Holland responded "I am so proud of your challenge to the missionaries. I am praying for the mission goal with every morning and evening prayer…. I am fully confident you will reach it.”  CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT?
With great blessing and great out pouring of the spirit however comes the adversary with just as hard of a force. One of our investigators who has a baptism date for Nov 21st was all lined up to come to church and she did not show. On the flip side, the unexpected showed up to church. We are in the biggest tug-a-war match of our lives. I had the opportunity to speak in church. My topic was 2 Nephi 31. If only we comprehended the sacredness of that most simple chapter! It is the chapter that was the catalyst for the prayer that led to the restoration of the Priesthood. All of the available saving ordinances we have is because a young man read that chapter, asked a question, sought prayer, and was spiritually prepared to receive the answer and heavenly visitation. How appropriate that in this month of November the talk would be about baptism. Shocking. Not. It's taking every ounce of spiritual energy we have. I feel like we are shooting at a target, have our eyes on the bullseye, and are even equipped with the right arrows, but sometimes I feel like we are missing the target every time. Archery really does take a lot of practice - and I feel like I'm running out of time. Im learning things about missionary work and who I am in a way that I haven't practiced before. I'm pretty sure I've been doing it all wrong. But ya know what, life wouldn't be fun if you didn't learn a thing or two.

The answer is always the spirit - if we help provide experiences for others around us to help them feel the spirit, recognize the spirit, and teach them how to act on the spirit - it really does solve everything. Well, almost everything :)
It's like mom's best friend, Julie B. Beck said - that the greatest thing we can obtain in this life is the ability to recognize and follow the spirit.  

Good luck on the battlefield this week troops.

Love,
Sister Bell

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