Just One More Time

This week was amazing. I love the work that is taking place here as I work harder and harder each and everyday. My fear of talking to people is beginning to become a thing of the past thanks to Heavenly Father's help. For example, my first transfer here a good day for me was when I would contact 15 people on my own in one day. Now I am contacting about 15 people in one hour! That plus my companions hard work put us at contacting 307 people this week. We are taking it upon us to "hasten the work of salvation."

We met with a guy from Congo this past week name Mokwa. Our first visit I thought I was back in Georgia again. The whole lesson he just smashed us with his beliefs and gave scripture reference after scripture reference from the Bible to "support" his argument. At the end of the lesson I had o desire to meet with him again and was just ready to call it quits. Especially after his prayer, which was in French and I was able to understand that he thanked God for the opportunity to teach us! I stood up to leave and then Sister Cabamongan invited Mokwa to meet with us again the next day! My heart dropped when he accepted. After Mokwa left I tried telling Sister Cabamongan that I had met a ton of people like Mokwa and that there was really no point in meeting with him again. I was convinced he would not change. However, I put my trust in Sister Cabamongan.

The next day in my personal prayers I asked Heavenly Father to soften Mokwa's heart to our message, but to also soften my heart so that I could heed promptings from the Holy Ghost in order to teach with the power of God. It worked. At the end of our second lesson Mokwa agreed that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God, that the Book of Mormon was scripture and he couldn't wait to go online and watch a talk by President Monson to see if he was a prophet of God as well. I said a prayer asking Heavenly Father to forgive me for judging Mokwa and to thank Him for softening not only Mokwa's heart but my own as well.

Tony had yet another baptismal interview. Not this time. We are still working with him. Elder Allen, who interviewed him, gave us some advice on ways we could help strengthen Tony's testimony so that he could have a more personal conversion rather than relying on our testimonies. One more time and I think Tony can pass.

I know this church is true with every particle of my being. Right now I restarted reading the Book of Mormon and I am in my favorite part...2 Nephi! The words of Isaiah are like music to my soul as he so beautifully describes the work of the Lord and warns us of the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. In 2 Nephi 16:11 Isaiah speaks, " Then said I: Lord, how long? And he said: Until the cities be wasted without inhabitant, and the houses without man, and the land be utterly desolate."

This hit me to the core of my being. The world will never be without man. The Lord may cause much destruction to the earth because of wickedness, but never will it be utterly desolate. So how long are we to follow in the ways of the Lord? Forever. Sure it may sound like a long time if you think of it as a list of things we can't do. However, we can think of it in ways of things that we CAN do. I can be with my family forever, I can get blessings forever, and I can forever become better and better a person. Forever seems like just enough time to me. I love you all and pray that you are all well! Thanks for all your support. I can feel it and I love it!

May we all work on forever Being Prepared. Loves!



Just thought I'd add a little picture of the Urban wildlife that has joined the magpies in our morning wake-up call! Quite beautiful indeed