Hello hello! What a beautiful 60 degree mid December day it is
today. Ha! It's been a good week, and I've definitely seen and felt the Lord's
hand in my life this week. How grateful I am for that.
Here are some of the miracles that I've seen this week.
Monday: So on Monday we were driving to our appointment with
Da (a recent convert) to teach him his last new member lesson. The
phone started ringing, so Sister Parkinson answered it. Turns out it was a ward
member, Sister Wadsworth. We had a dinner appointment with them the next
evening, so she was just calling to confirm that. But then, after we worked out
details for dinner, she told us she had some exciting news. Two weeks earlier
at a dinner appointment with them, we had invited their family to extend 2
invitations to their friends/family members to listen to a message from us by
the time we had dinner with them again. So on the phone, Sister Wadsworth told
us that both people they had invited to listen accepted the invitation!! (Look
at these wonderful members doing their missionary work!) So one of them was
their grandmother who is from Louisiana, and they are going to get her set up
with the missionaries out there. The other one is is a 14 year old named
Mi who is a good family friend (I'll tell you more about her on the
Thursday miracles). We were seriously SO excited! Oh boy, Monday was truly wonderful.
Tuesday: We had a wonderful district meeting talking about light
and truth. We sang "Lead, Kindly Light." I love this hymn. Here are
part of the words.
Lead, kindly Light, amid th'encircling gloom;
Lead thou me on!
The night is dark, and I am far from home;
Lead thou me on!
Keep thou my feet; I do not ask to see
The distant scene--one step enough for me.
We also talked about how in the scriptures when it invites to
ask, seek, and knock, it is similar to being a PRO. Ask = pray. Seek = read.
Knock = obey. COOL!
Jesus Christ truly is the light. I was reading in 3 Nephi 18
this morning and also found this to go along with it.
16 And as I have prayed among you even so shall ye pray in
my church, among my people who do repent and are baptized in my name. Behold I
am the light; I have set an example for you.
24 Therefore, hold up your light that it may shine unto the
world. Behold I am the light which ye shall hold up—that which ye have seen me
do.
It's so good. I love love love the concept of light and truth
and how all good things come from it. It also reminds me of the scripture in
Doctrine and Covenants 88:40 - "For intelligence cleaveth unto
intelligence; wisdom receiveth wisdom; truth embraceth truth; virtue loveth
virtue; light cleaveth unto light;"
Wednesday: This was such a wonderful day! Everything just went
well, and oh boy, I was so tired by the end of it, but it was amazing. First
thing, we helped Sister Duvall set up her Nativity scene. Her health is doing a
little bit better, so that was wonderful to see. After lunch, we visisted
Sister Fairbrother. She's pregnant and just found out that she's having a boy.
Her husband was out of town this week, so we went to check up on her. We had a
wonderful conversation with her. Then we met with To and had an awesome
discussion about the Atonement and the Plan of Salvation. We had planned on
teaching him about faith, but when we went in there, we started talking about
the Resurrection and just went off on the plan. Oh it was wonderful, and we
parted ways feeling so uplifted. After dinner with the Dixon's we taught Jo another lesson. Oh we are so excited for his baptism on January 3rd!
After dinner, we went snowflaking (it's like doing the little heart attack, but
with snowflakes) to the Elders and to some less-actives and a couple of our
investigators. When we got home, Ti (investigator) texted us and told us
that the snowflakes meant SO much to her. She was so stressed and busy and sad because
her husband couldn't come home from work, and she said the snowflakes and us
just thinking about her meant a lot to her.
Thursday: we started the day off with a lesson with Ri, the
new investigator that I found whilst on exchanges with Sister Griffin. Our
meeting with him last week was kind of rough, so Sister Parkinson and I prayed
really hard that we could have the Spirit with us to direct the conversation. I
definitely felt strengthened and our testimonies were confirmed by the Holy
Ghost. Ri still isn't quite sure why there needs to be another book of
scripture, but when we were testifying about the Book of Mormon and Joseph
Smith and the priesthood, I could see the cogs working in his mind. Thursday
evening was probably one of the highlights of this week. So we went back to the
Wadsworths to have our lesson with Mi! So, at the Yamboree back in
October, Dallin and Eden Wadsworth (ages 15 and 12) met this girl named
Mi. They had a really good time with her and hung out with her all
weekend. So the Wadsworths and Mi had a good friendship going. Mi commented several times to Sis. Wadsworth that she just loved the feeling in
their home and said it was peaceful. Dallin told Mi a little about their
beliefs and also gave her a Book of Mormon. Well, she said she was willing to
listen to the lessons to see what we all believe in. So, Mi is a baptist,
but she was willing to listen. We talked about prophets and the priesthood and
the apostasy and Joseph Smith and she said that it all just made so much sense
to her. It just clicked. Then we watched the Restoration DVD, and I think it
helped solidify it even more. We were very real and honest in our testimonies
and in our personalities, and I think it really helped Mi realize that we
are real people, and that we do good things. We have a return appointment with
her tomorrow, and oh boy I am excited!
Friday we had our ward Christmas party! Benji Dawson (whose
mother passed away the beginning of November) got his mission call and opened
it at the party! He's going to the Utah Salt Lake West Mission. That was really
fun and brought back lots of memories.
Saturday: we made cookies with Sister Whittemore to deliver to
less-actives and such. It was so great! The 2nd ward had a baptism that we were
able to attend, and then we finished up the evening by going caroling with the
Elders. It was seriously wonderful.
Sunday: we had to teach gospel principles on the fly. It
actually ended up being good though. We taught about the Spirit World, and it
went well. So here's a little confession: I'm definitely picking up on the
Texas Twang. Yikes! Also, the line of
when it's appropriate to use "when" or "whenever" is
getting very blurred. Ha. But, during our lesson yesterday, I said, "My
life...." but it definitely came out as "Maiy Laiyfe." Oh boy.
What a wonderful week! Also, in Acts 5:38-39, it talks about how
the works of men will cease, but the work of God can't be overthrown. I loved
it!
Sorry for the novella.
I hope you have a wonderful Christmas week! I love you so much!
Love,
Sister Gretchen Gilbert
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