Letter - June 13, 2011

Daddy's gonna hug you soon!

Dear family,

Thank you so much for all of your prayers. Thank you so much for your packages and letters. Thank you so much for you testimonies, for taking care of each other. I don't know if I'll get another letter off next week, but I thought I would leave you with a short glimpse of my Sunday yesterday. Oh, and don't think the blogging joy has ended. I will have a post-mission life, and I'll still need to vent. Love you all.

I had to laugh yesterday. Even experienced missionaries can experience setbacks and heartbreaks. Our progressing investigator, who had wanted to get baptized on the 18th of June, started running the other direction. She texted us Sunday morning and said she wanted to start praying to Maria again, and that she didn't want to be baptized. I was heartbroken, and then invited to speak in Sacrament meeting 15 minutes before it started. I, of course wanted to sit around and feel sorry for myself, but accepted the opportunity, then a member criticized us for teaching the struggling investigator wrong, which didn't help my already bleeding heart. It was in this moment that the Lord made me strong. I was able to give an okay talk, and keep a smile, and then I just balled after Sacrament meeting was over. After we left the church, I just felt numb, but I prayed in my heart and felt that we could go to the investigator's house. It took all I had to go. I thought for sure she wouldn't let us in. She didn't answer her phone. Luckily, her grandma was outside and let us escort her in. She let us in and brought up her concerns. We asked if we could begin with a prayer. She finally let us pray, and her heart was softened. She let a few tears drop, and let herself calm down. She became more teachable, and we resolved together to start from the very foundations to help her gain a more firm testimony of the truthfulness of the restored gospel. It will be a long road for her, but a necessary one. If she will trust in her Heavenly Father, she will receive a an unshakable testimony for herself. I love this work.


My Sacrament Talk:

My brothers and sisters, today I read in the Liahona from the words of Brother Kucinas. This was in commemoration of the Church's' being in Lithuania 15 years. I want to compare that to my little over 15 months in Lithuania. " To some, it may seem that much has been accomplished, to others, very little. I'm reminded of Zion's camp, when early Saints marched with the Prophet Joseph Smith, but seemed not to accomplish their goal. Later, Wilford Woodruff explained to a member who had criticized Zion's Camp. (paraphrasing) "We gained knowledge from Zion's Camp which we could not have gained in any other way." I feel much the same about my mission, that because of it, I have gained knowledge which I could not have gained in any other way. I feel that I have learned to better apply the Gospel in my life, more especially what we teach others. I have learned to appreciate most the last part of the Repentance section of this purple book we teach from. "The most important part of repentance is to recognize the Savior, that he atoned for your sins (and weaknesses.) Through the atonement, you can overcome bad habits weaknesses, and experience true change of heart." I know that this is true, that through Christ we really can overcome those weaknesses. I know that Jesus is the Living Christ. I know that he restored his gospel through Joseph Smith. I thank you for your examples and for the opportunity to serve among you. I want to close with a verse from 2 Ne 2: 24, But behold, all things have been done in the wisdom of him who knoweth all things. Of this I testify... Amen

Sister Paul