October 27, 2014

What a wonderful week! Sister Black and I did work this week.  It was out of control.  We taught over 35 lessons this week.  We were constantly running from appointment to appointment. I loovvvee it here. The people are so stinken great.

So get this cray cray story.  The Elders serving in the same ward as Sister Black and I had 4 people on date and every single one of them fell through.  They were joking together how cool it would be if someone moved here from Canada that had already taken the lessons and was ready for baptism.  Ask and ye shall receive ladies and gentlemen.  It wasn't Canada, but a man, his wife and little boy moved in from California last week.  The husband had taken all the lessons and was ready for baptism.  The wife had been reactivated through the process.  The Elders helped him move in and BAM! They asked him if he wanted to be baptized this Sunday.  Done and done.  He was baptized. Talk about miracle of the Lord.  It was one of the best baptisms I had ever been to.  He is so solid.  A recent convert of a year spoke at the baptism and man was that powerful.  So good.  Ah! I want a baptism!!

Brenda,  is the love of my life. Oh my goodness! She is so dang hilarious.  She calls me her baby girl, and always talks about how well groomed we are.  Hahaha she has a grandson that is 18 and she always tells us that she wants him to come to her baptism because she wants him to look at the Elders and how well groomed they are.  She is like, "oh my handsome grand baby would make such a good Elder! I just want all my family to get baptized. It would be a huge swimming party with Jesus!"  No joke. Those were the words out of her mouth. I died.  We gave her a church tour and she absolutely LOVED it.  We showed her the painting of Jesus getting baptized and talked to her how he set the example of what we need to do and she began to cry.  She said, " That's what I am going to do.  I am following Jesus."   Oh Brenda! You adorable little thing! After the church tour she attended the baptism and was a mess. She cried through the whole thing.  She kept introducing herself to people as, " Hi, I am Brenda, I am getting baptized November 8th."  Hahahaha I loved it.  She started calling herself Sister Wetzel.  I am obsessed with her.  But she has so much desire.  She recognizes the Spirit and has such a great desire to follow Jesus Christ.  It is amazing.

We found a new investigator this week.  Kandace has a good friend that lives in the same apartment complex as her.  We met her and talked about the Book of Mormon and set up another appointment with her.  To be honest, going into it, I was not expecting a whole lot.  This woman has been to prison many times,  is on probation, had her daughter taken away from her because of how she was living her life and claims to be Wicka.  Or something.  Basically witch.  Weird.  I am ashamed that I made complete judgments so quickly. I have not taught such a powerful lesson with so much of the Spirit in a long time. She soaked it all in.  I guess when you have been so engulfed by darkness the Spirit brings an entirely different feeling and emotion that has been so long ignored. We recited the first vision to her and she just sat there staring at the picture we had of the First Vision.  We asked her what she was feeling and she just sat there.  No lie, we sat there for a good 1 1/2 -2 minutes in silence as she tried to process what she was feeling.  She finally broke the silence and looked at us and said, "I have no words.  I cannot explain in words what I just felt"  I went on to explain what she was feeling and bore my testimony of the Joseph Smith's experience.  I was so moved by the Spirit that was in the room that I got choked up.  It was the first time I had ever showed emotion as I was bearing my testimony in a lesson.  But I could not doubt what we felt in that room as we bore testimony of God's love.  His perfect love for all of his children. Regardless of your age, sex, culture, background, and the person you once were.  He loves us.  He loves us so he sent us his Son and gave us the restored gospel.  A prophet, and apostles, the Book of Mormon and the Bible.  We are so loved.  I was so overcome with what I KNEW to be true. No one can take that away from me. Because i have had too many instances in my life and on my mission for me not to know it was true.  AH! The gospel is the good life! I love it.

Larry Albert. Again....another love of my life. He is the most remarkable person.  Like I have said before, we read the Book of Mormon everyday together. We invited the Gilletts, recent converts of 2 years to come to the lesson with us.  Brother Gillett and Sister Gillett are in their 60's and Brother Gillett is now the 1st counselor in the Bishopric.  After 2 years....dangggg.  Larry is a very soft spoken and humble man. He has opened up to myself and my companions about the concerns that he has.  He wants the Book of Mormon to be true.  He reads it everyday, but he sometimes wonders if it is for real. The Gilletts without even knowing his concerns addressed every questions he asked us.  The Spirit filled that room like no other.  Before we started teh lesson he pulled me aside and told me of some issues at home he was facing.  He said he was thinking he needed to give all of this church stuff a break while he figured things out.  My heart fell. NO LARRYYYY!!! NOOOOO!!! But after the lesson with the Gilletts, he got it.  That man has some serious faith. Especially coming from the home he lives in. 

We were also able to get back into a couple people's homes and start teaching them again! And we were able to find a couple potentials.  Holla! Holla!

I am sorry this email is so short.  But I heard a quote yesterday at church. "He is not waiting for us to be perfect.  Perfect people don't need a Savior.  He came to save his people in their imperfections.  He is the Lord of the living and the living make mistakes.  He is not embarrassed by us, angry with us. He wants us in our brokenness in our unhappiness in our guilt and our grief."  I am happy I am an imperfect person, because it gives me opportunity to have a Savior and to know of His goodness and grace.  I love Him and I have grown to know Him.  He is my Redeemer and my best friend.

I love you all!

Love,

Sister Big Sky Moline