So, transfers. My new companion is Sister Danica Greenall. She grew up in California, but her family is living in Virginia right now. We came out together, so we both have been out for about 14 months. (Cool thing, she was Sister Durrant's MTC companion. Also, her and Sister Durrant just swapped places. She was also companions with Sister Aumua.) We haven't ever served by each other, so this is pretty great!
MEL! Wow, she's so incredible. She got baptized back in June after having been married to a member for around 10 years. We had a great lesson this week with her talking about the Book of Mormon and prophets. She is doing very well. She got her patriarchal blessing yesterday and even shared her testimony in sacrament meeting! Even in the 6 weeks that I have known her, it's been wonderful to see the progress that she has made.
ST. She is moving. :( Sad. But we had a great lesson about the Restoration and then the Book of Mormon. I just have such a strong testimony of the power that is in the Book of the Mormon and the great influence it can make in our lives. Stephanie has expressed that as well. That book changes lives!
KR loves meeting with us, but just some of the changes she will have to make seem too big for her. If you could keep her in your prayers that she will have the desire to change, that would be wonderful.
GA and AN. We got a call from some elders in Plano. One of their less-active members had a referral for us. GA and AN had recently lost a 5 year old neice due to a car accident. They were pretty heartbroken about it. So we were able to go over and share a scripture from Moroni 8 and talk about how little children are alive in Christ. We simply testified of these truths. We didn't have much time before our next appointment, but we left them with a prayer. By the end, GA and AN were just crying and thanking us. I could feel of God's love so much for them.
ST. We officially transition him to the elders in Frisco, which is sad, but the cool thing is that one of those elders up there is a convert and had quite a bit of opposition from his parents, so him and Sterling were able to connect on that really well.
So we had dinner with a family on Thursday. We shared a 5 minute Restoration and had a good discussion about it. He told us, "Well, I'm not a member yet, but I'll read the pamphlet." WHOOO!! That was awesome. We have a return appointment with them his week.
Saturday night, AM called and asked if we could come for dinner on Sunday and then share a lesson with her husband. WELL, he ended up coming to church which was really exciting, and then we went for dinner that evening. We had a really discussion about the Atonement and how it can cleanse us and reclaim us and make us pure. Then we talked about how the Gospel of Jesus Christ is both the purpose and message that we as missionaries and the church have. The Spirit was definitely present. After the prayer, her mom was crying and just expressed how amazing it's been to see the change in her daughter. Wow. That is amazing to hear.
Sister Orozco is recovering well from her surgery. She just got injections and something else. (Sorry I don't really understand medical procedures very well....) But we were able to share "Good Things to Come" with her and we had a nice discussion. Sister Orozco is incredible.
We went to "China Town" to have chinese food with a family in our ward. It was pretty good, but I think I prefer Panda Express or Pei Wei or Whistle Wok.... haha. I must be American.
KA! He's a sweet 11 year old. I think I've written about him before. But we had a great lesson about "Flecks of Gold" aka prayer, scripture study, church and how they can help us stay on the path. We set a baptismal date with him for October 3, so keep him your prayers please! :)
District meeting was awesome this week! Elder Pigott, our new district leader, led a discussion about Lehi's Dream and the vision of the tree of life. One of my favorite quotes every came from that discussion. "Don't be afraid or sorry for offering someone the most beautiful gift they will ever receive." Elder Pigott and his companion Elder Gay formulated the thought, but I seriously loved it so much.
Sister Greenall and I came up with our transfer vision. Gifts. Offering the gospel as a gift. Our service as a gift to the Lord. Using spiritual gifts. And be a gift, but a grudge to the wards. I LOVE IT. Plus, both our names start with G, so it is basically perfect.
I had an amazing experience with my fast yesterday. I had several very specific questions and quests. I was writing my thoughts in my journal and it came to me! One of the things I was fasting for, humble confidence, was promised to me in my setting apart blessing. I had forgotten all about it until I had written it down. I felt God's love just wash over me so strongly. Then again later in Relief Society, the lesson was on Elder Holland's talk, "Where Justice, Love, and Mercy Meet." One quote from it just punctured my heart. "[Through Christ] we celebrate the gift of victory over … every fear we have ever faced." That struck me so hard. The Atonement will truly help me overcome my fears. I didn't really understand or realize that before.
Also, the scripture, "Perfect love casteth out all fear" resounded. I know I certainly don't have perfect love, but I do know someone who does. Jesus Christ. Charity is the pure/perfect love of Christ. The Atonement is the greatest act of charity; therefore it is perfect love I always that I had to have the perfect love in order to cast out my fears, but no. Jesus Christ already has perfect love. I just have to learn how to accept that love, to accept that gift of the Atonement to help me overcome all my fears. Wow. I feel a little like Joseph Smith when he expressed, "Never did any passage of scripture come with more power to the heart of man than this did at this time to mine. It seemed to enter with great force into every feeling of my heart. I reflected on it again and again."
It's been a beautiful week. I love each of you!
Love,
Sister Gilbert
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