Hello all!:)
So, how's school going for everyone? Good i hope! How's the weather been in utah? It's been pretty stormy over here in Virginia, but i looooove it!
So this week has been a week of trials and miracles! Sister Osmond and i decided while we were setting weekly goals, that we were going to reach the mission weekly standard, which is: 3 new investigators, 2 on date for baptism, and 3 investigators at church. Well, we have two on date, and we usually don't have a problem getting people to come to church, but we really struggled with 3 new investigators... So on sunday I fasted and prayed that Heavenly Father would lead us to three people that week whom he had been preparing to receive the gospel.
Monday, we went out tracting for a good 2 hours in order to meet our goal.. and guess what?! We found 2 new investigators! The first day of the week! awesome right?! it was pretty great.
Tuesday we had Zone Conference... which is pretty much 7 hours of spiritual amazement! haha :) IT was a really great conference, and I sang with s. osmond and another set of sisters and two elders an arrangement of "abide with me; tis eventide" it was really pretty. President Riggs talked a lot about RECEIVING the gift of the holy ghost. We are all givenn the gift of the holy ghost at 8, but when do we receive it? You don't fully receive something until you actually use it. I know that I didn't receive it until I was probably, 15. so when did you first receive the holy ghost? Then, it's not just a one-time thing, it is something that we must do every.single.day. So study out the scriptures and conference talks what it means to receive the Holy Ghost and how you can receive it daily.
After zone conference, we found another investigator! woo! so by turesday we had already reached our goal of 3 new investigators! Blessings come to those who ask and diligently seek them out!
Wednesday we had exchanges. I stayed in Centreville with Sister Herring. It was really neat. I was soooo scared. because I had to be the one in charge, I was no longer dependant on my companion to lead the way or drive or find a house, etc. I was the one in charge and driving and making most of the decisions. I really enjoyed spending some time with Sister Herring. She is absolutely amazing and I really look up to her. She is such a spiritual powerhouse and has christ's image in her countenance. She taught me some valuable lessons and challenged me to do some things to help me become a better missionary! Also, we got caught in the POURING rain a couple of times. it was exciting!:) And we went to check on the sweetest less-active,Sister Fuentes, and we actually had a very wonderful spiritual conversation. Sister Fuentes has the most amazing testimony EVER. We invited her to church, and she accepted! (and she came on sunday!)
Thursday... we exchanged back. it was great. i really really REALLY missed Sister Osmond! :) haha nothing too great happened this day except for we were out tracting and all of a sudden it just started to POUR on us again. so we were soaked to the bone. again. haha:)
Friday was nothing special either soo...
Saturday-- Let me tell you. Saturday was a SPECIAL day! I cant remember if I told you this already or not...so i'll just tell the story again. Last week, we saw our district leader and his comp. Elders Fink & blanchard riding their bikes home(we live in the same complex) and they looked SO down. They had a rough rough week. Investigators dropped them. People bailed. It was a HOT day. they were just exhausted (this is also elder Finks last transfer...so he's probably got a lot going through his mind). Sister osmond and I felt SO bad and we decided that we wanted to serve them. So we told them that the next week, we wanted them to use our car, and we would bike around (because we have two bikes). They were shocked that we would offer such a thing, but we wouldn't take no for an answer!
WEll saturday was that day. and it was fantastic! I don't think i have struggled more my whoooollle mission(not that long, but oh well)! haha Neither I or sister osmond had rode a bike in a while... plus my bike was too tall so I couldn't really reach the ground for balance, and we are trying to ride in skirts with heavy bags... yeah, not an easy ordeal! haha But we loved every single minute of it! It was hard, and we realized how pathetically out of shape we are.. but its fine!! also. It poured on us. Like, it was as if we had both jumped into a pool.. or that we were biking underwater. At one point, I felt like i needed goggles to even see where I was going! hahaha:) plus people gave us the strangest looks! they were like, "why are you out in this weather? and biking in skirts?" it was really great. We were both so grateful that the elders didn't have to bike in that weather for the day. They already have to go so much farther than we do, and they deserved a break for a day:)
It felt really great to serve them, and the lord blessed us for our efforts because the next day at church, we had 4 investigators attend! WHAT! it was really the happiest day!
Also, I played a piano solo in sacrament meeting. It was an arrangement of "I Need Thee Every Hour". I was SO nervous about this... I haven't ever just played a piano solo for people before.. piano isn't even my strong-suit. I dont tell people i'm a pianist, i say I'm a vocalist... anyway. I was really nervous, but I think it all turned out really well, and a lot of people said that it brought the spirit. I just am very grateful that Heavenly Father is providing opportunities for me to share the talents and gifts he has given me, in order to share my testimony through them and help uplift others:)
This week in personal study, i read an article from the October 2011 ensign. Its titled "Lehi's Dream: Holding Fast to the Rod" by elder bednar. I suggest that all of you read that, along with 1ne8. Really think about what he says, and what the different things in lehi's dream symbolize, and ask yourselves if you are "clinging" to the rod of iron, or if you are "Continually holding Fast" to the rod!
I love that the topic insacrament was on family scripture study! I totally agree with them! In a world that is constantly trying to tear down the family and where the adversary is giving his all to hold back god's children, we really need to follow Elder Bednars advice in the talk, and make sure we are continually holding fast to the rod, and the way to do that, is to study scriptures as a family daily! Even if its just a few verses! Also, try memorizing a scripture a week okay? Sister osmond and I are memorizing a scripture a day... so i'm pretty sure you can memorize one a week! :)
I love you all SO very much! thank you for the letters, love, and words of encouragement! Remember that you are all children of God, and he loves you immensely:)
Love,
Sister Carly Lewis
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