Hi Family!!
Mom, thank you so much for your package and letter! The popcorn and orange slices are delicious. :) Sister Farthing started getting sick two days ago so we have been doing half days of being outside. I've been updating and Area Book and calling people.
For two days this week we had Zone Conference. It was a great experience and they taught about the 8 Fundamentals. It was a great two days to be taught by President, his wife, and the Assistants to the President. I learned so much about how to be a more effective teacher. It renewed my sense of why I am here and how I can continually improve to make myself better. I came away with inspiration for our current investigators and how to improve.
This week we taught Mathi. He opened up by telling us that while he had been sick for three days he had been praying to God about if the church is true. He said that he had the thought to just look to Christ and nothing else matters. Our hearts dropped. We applied everything that we had just learned in the past two days. Unfortunately our members that were there were not assets. More like liabilities which was unfortunate. I tried to listen to the spirit and to ask inspired questions. Despite everything, we helped Mathi come to realize what he still needed to do in order to receive an answer from Heavenly Father. He hasn't come to church in all of the time that we've been teaching him. I felt very strongly that this was the reason that he has not yet received an answer to his prayers even though he has read the Book of Mormon twice and is reading it for a third time. He did not come to church yesterday because of an Indian Festival that was happening all day. We are hoping and praying that he will come to church week. It seems to be that his son that he is visiting does not want him to come to church, so they always plan family outings on Sunday. Mathi said that if he receives an answer that the church is true then he would be baptized. At least we know that the intent is there.
We've been going to member's houses and giving a missionary message. We share 2 Nephi 31:19-21 and talk about what people they know that are missing the qualifications of receiving Eternal Life. We're trying to instill the desire to do missionary work in this area.
Since I've been in this area, we have been finding many people who are interested, but they do not live in our area. So we have to give a referral for the other missionaries. This happens at least twice a week. I started praying on Thursday night that we would find people that were interested that lived in our area. On Friday we were at the park talking to people and we talked to this women and her family. it was the first day that they had been out of the house in a week since they have all been sick. When we shared how the gospel has blessed our lives, she said that they're Catholic, but they have an open mind. Coincidence? We think not. I know that my prayers were answered. Specific prayers receive specific answers. We're excited to teach them this coming week. We also met a young man on the street named Moses and we have an appointment set up this Tuesday.
I love being a missionary and everything that goes with it. I know that I go through trials to make me stronger. I know that this is where I need to be. I know that Christ is my Savior and knows me personally as He knows you.
Love,
Sister Collins
Mom, thank you so much for your package and letter! The popcorn and orange slices are delicious. :) Sister Farthing started getting sick two days ago so we have been doing half days of being outside. I've been updating and Area Book and calling people.
For two days this week we had Zone Conference. It was a great experience and they taught about the 8 Fundamentals. It was a great two days to be taught by President, his wife, and the Assistants to the President. I learned so much about how to be a more effective teacher. It renewed my sense of why I am here and how I can continually improve to make myself better. I came away with inspiration for our current investigators and how to improve.
This week we taught Mathi. He opened up by telling us that while he had been sick for three days he had been praying to God about if the church is true. He said that he had the thought to just look to Christ and nothing else matters. Our hearts dropped. We applied everything that we had just learned in the past two days. Unfortunately our members that were there were not assets. More like liabilities which was unfortunate. I tried to listen to the spirit and to ask inspired questions. Despite everything, we helped Mathi come to realize what he still needed to do in order to receive an answer from Heavenly Father. He hasn't come to church in all of the time that we've been teaching him. I felt very strongly that this was the reason that he has not yet received an answer to his prayers even though he has read the Book of Mormon twice and is reading it for a third time. He did not come to church yesterday because of an Indian Festival that was happening all day. We are hoping and praying that he will come to church week. It seems to be that his son that he is visiting does not want him to come to church, so they always plan family outings on Sunday. Mathi said that if he receives an answer that the church is true then he would be baptized. At least we know that the intent is there.
We've been going to member's houses and giving a missionary message. We share 2 Nephi 31:19-21 and talk about what people they know that are missing the qualifications of receiving Eternal Life. We're trying to instill the desire to do missionary work in this area.
Since I've been in this area, we have been finding many people who are interested, but they do not live in our area. So we have to give a referral for the other missionaries. This happens at least twice a week. I started praying on Thursday night that we would find people that were interested that lived in our area. On Friday we were at the park talking to people and we talked to this women and her family. it was the first day that they had been out of the house in a week since they have all been sick. When we shared how the gospel has blessed our lives, she said that they're Catholic, but they have an open mind. Coincidence? We think not. I know that my prayers were answered. Specific prayers receive specific answers. We're excited to teach them this coming week. We also met a young man on the street named Moses and we have an appointment set up this Tuesday.
I love being a missionary and everything that goes with it. I know that I go through trials to make me stronger. I know that this is where I need to be. I know that Christ is my Savior and knows me personally as He knows you.
Love,
Sister Collins
