This week was a little less crazier than the previous week. We finally got every inch of our apartment scrubbed Monday. It's now a humble abode we like to call home. The members even gave us some things so we could make it girlified and a place we actually want to step foot in. I love seeing things go from nothing to something. It's definitely something now. We have gotten rid of the ant problem finally. The moth problem- ehh- not so much, but there's nothing we can really do except keep it clean. The other day I was pouring myself some cereal and out flew a moth from my cereal bowl. There was no moth inside the bowl before I poured it. #missionaryprobs. Sister Huefner is doing great. She is a hard worker which is a nice change and blessing. We're both excited for the work and willing to work as hard as possible. This area has so much potential.
This week we actually taught some people! It was great! One day we had 4 lessons in a day which is pretty good for this area. One of our Bishops gave us a lot of less-active names and we've been going by those. He told us he's never had missionaries before who actually go by the people he's given them right away. So he's said multiple times how much he's loving having sisters in the ward. It feels good to know you're at least doing something right! We've also been meeting with a lot of members trying to get them excited for missionary work and to spiritually uplift them. We've had great member visits this past week.
One of the miracles in this past week was that most of the people we went by "happened" to be home or came home while we were standing at the door. We were also able to set up appointments with a lot of the people who were busy or just leaving the house. It was a testimony builder to me about having revelatory planning sessions at night. The Lord truly does bless us when we're just doing what He's asked us to. The people who were home were the ones who needed our message the most and were receptive to it. We have had so many experiences where we had no idea they were less-active or we couldn't remember why we had put them into our plans, and it was exactly what they needed to hear. My testimony has been strengthened time and time again about the importance of an effective, spiritually, revelatory personal and companionship study. It seems like what I had read that day was for some one we ended up talking to.
There are a lot of families in the wards we cover where no one has been able to get into their house. One family in particular we decided to drop by to see since the Bishop asked us to. We went there around 8:30pm and knocked on the storm door since it was locked and we didn't want to ring to doorbell since it was late. We knocked and waited. Knocked and waited. Then we saw the husband come in front of the door and then go out of sight. We were like Ah, Man! He was totally ignoring us. Then we hear the garage door open and out walks the husband. We both look a little startled and we were like oh, fancy that! We were just knocking on your door. He said he had thought it was the wind... So we began to talk with him and he started sharing with us stories from his mission and we got to know him a little bit. We then shared a message about prayer and the power it has and committed him to start praying as a family. We also set up a time to meet with the entire family. His wife actually has family in the ward. We're totally excited for this visit this week.
This past Sunday was Fast and Testimony Meeting and we started our fast after dinner on Saturday night, praying for our area and how we can best help it along with our investigator. We had decided before hand that we would both share our testimonies in all the wards so that the members would know who we were. We get there for Sacrament Meeting our first ward, and we have a man came up to us who we had actually tried to see that past week. He said, my daughter is now living with us and she could really use your help to spiritually uplift her. This is coming from the man who really doesn't come to church that consistently. Miracle number one of the day. After our second ward's sacrament meeting, we have another man come up to us and say, while you were bearing your testimonies the impression came to me that I needed to have you over in my home. I'm the only one here today because my wife and kids are starting to become less-active. Miracle number two. After church was all done, we had a lesson set up with a less-active. We went to the house and his mother said that David couldn't make it. She still invited us in and said we could share a message with them (they are active), when we started with the message she says, hold on and proceeds to call her son. David answers and she asks if he wants to listen in to the lesson. He's kind of hesitant and she says great, I'm putting you on speaker so you can listen in. She said later after the lesson that as soon as we started talking she receive the impression to just call him.
I feel truly blessed to have this opportunity to at least bring one soul unto Christ. I love helping people feel and recognize the Spirit. I love having the Holy Ghost to always be with me, I can feel His presence with me all of the time. I now recognize whenever He's present and He truly does only testify of truth. I receive little confirmations all day long saying, This is it. This is where you're supposed to be. This is My Gospel. I am God and I do listen.
In my personal study one day this week, I was reading the Ensign for September and an article really touched me. In the article it stated the poem, "The Touch of the Master's Hand":
’Twas battered and scarred, and the auctioneer
Sister Collins
Thought it scarcely worth his while
To waste much time on the old violin,
But held it up with a smile:
“What am I bidden, good folks,” he cried,
“Who’ll start the bidding for me?”
“A dollar, a dollar”; then, “Two!” “Only two?
Two dollars, and who’ll make it three?
Three dollars, once; three dollars, twice;
Going for three—” But no,
From the room, far back, a gray-haired man
Came forward and picked up the bow;
Then, wiping the dust from the old violin,
And tightening the loose strings,
He played a melody pure and sweet
As a caroling angel sings.
The music ceased, and the auctioneer,
With a voice that was quiet and low,
Said, “What am I bid for the old violin?”
And he held it up with the bow.
“A thousand dollars, and who’ll make it two?
Two thousand! And who’ll make it three?
Three thousand, once, three thousand, twice,
And going, and gone!” said he.
The people cheered, but some of them cried,
“We do not quite understand
What changed its worth.” Swift came the reply:
“The touch of a master’s hand.”
And many a man with life out of tune,
And battered and scarred with sin,
Is auctioned cheap to the thoughtless crowd,
Much like the old violin.
A “mess of pottage,” a glass of wine,
A game—and he travels on.
He’s “going” once, and “going” twice,
He’s “going” and almost “gone.”
But the Master comes, and the foolish crowd
Never can quite understand
The worth of a soul and the change that’s wrought
By the touch of the Master’s hand.
I do know Christ is our Master and He does love each one of us. We can become better, live up to our potential, with His help. It's only through Him that we can be saved. It comes by daily prayer and scripture study, obedience, and faith. I know this to be true. I have seen the blessings in my own life from living the commandments. I know He will bless you as you live the higher law and become more like the Savior.
Love,
Sister Collins
An array of cactus
Monsoon weather!