It's a little difficult to remember what happened this week! Missionary Standard Time is so different from a regular week's time. It hardly feels like a P-Day today, and Sister Harrison agrees!
It was Elder Beckstrom's birthday this week! He's 20! This elder is one of my Zone Leaders, and he's very good at his calling. Thanks for being an awesome ZL! #ZLBeckstromFace
We had a lot going on this week. We had a fantastic Monday last week! My mission grandma, Sister Garry says that the key to a great week is to have a good Monday. I can attest to this. Sister Harrison and I had an absolutely splendid Monday; we were able to go shopping and we got to teach three lessons in one night! It put us in a fantastic mood for the rest of the week. It also allowed Heavenly Father to bless us more than He usually does.
We had quite the trial this week; Sister Harrison is really sick! She's been off and on getting better and worse, and now it seems like she's slowly getting worse. We've talked to Sister Olson (the Mission President's wife), the Zone Leaders, the Jackson STLs, and members from our ward for advice on what we can do to help her. Let me just say that Sister Harrison is an outstanding missionary. She hasn't used this sickness as an excuse to stay in the apartment and do nothing; she's been out working. She's been doing her best to exercise her faith in the Lord and still do the work in Flowood. She's wonderful -- but she still needed some rest. ;)
We talked to the STLs, and we ended up doing a bit of an exchange with them. One of the coolest ward members ever allowed Sister Harrison to spend the day resting at her place while I spent the day in Jackson with the Sister Training Leaders. It was a blast! Sister Garry and Sister Moffett are the best; they really do a great job taking care of their sisters. They've consistently helped us this week with this, and they've been ready to come help us work in Flowood, too, so Sister Harrison can work on getting back to 100%! What a blessing these sisters are!
As I reflect on this week, I realize how the Lord has placed us in the right places at just the right times so that we can share the gospel with the people in Flowood. We've met some seriously, spiritually strong people whose hearts are softened towards us as we share our testimonies of Christ and His gospel. I recall this one woman we met who squinted at our name tags, and she touched her heart and said, "You have Jesus Christ on your badge. That speaks volumes."
If you look at a Latter-day Saint missionary's name tag, you'll notice his/her name and then just below is the church logo, which proudly displays the Savior's name in large print. We place this name tag just above our hearts. It is the Savior's name that has drawn many to the restored gospel. Sister Martin, the Filipino less-active we meet with every Sunday, often professes of the beginning of her conversion, which started with noticing the Savior's name on our name tags. That woman we met knows we are representing Jesus Christ, and she even told us that she felt that. She happily talked to us about Christ and the gospel, and I know that we've planted a seed for her that will grow and flourish.
We've been able to do the same with plenty of other people. I know that there are those who have been prepared to meet us. It can sometimes be discouraging when you don't have someone stepping into the baptismal font, but the work is far more than that. Often throughout the week, I have to remind myself of Alma and Amulek (also known as the best missionaries ever. They're kind of my favorites...) and their trials as a companionship. It begins in Ammonihah, after Alma has been preaching in Melek and baptizes quite a few people. The people of Ammonihah were having none of what Alma had to say. In Alma chapter 8, verse 10 reads, "Nevertheless, Alma labored much in the spirit, wrestling with God in mighty prayer, that he would pour out his Spirit upon the people who were in the city; that he would also grant that he might baptize them unto repentance."
This is something tons of missionaries do everyday. I've certainly done it. Alma was sure that his prayers and his faith would allow for copious amounts of baptisms in Ammonihah, and that the people's hearts would be softened toward the gospel. But if we continue reading, we learn that the people continued to have "hardened hearts" and figured they knew everything Alma had to say; they knew who he was and what he did; they didn't belong to his church and had no interest in anything he had to preach.
Alma was heartbroken. They spit on him and forced him out of the city. He was discouraged, upset, and confused. But in that moment, an angel of the Lord came to him and said, "Blessed art thou, Alma; therefore, lift up thy head and rejoice, for thou has great cause to rejoice; for thou has been faithful in keeping the commandments of God from the time which thou hast receivedst thy first message from him." He is then commanded to go back and preach in Ammonihah.
I'm sure Alma was a little afraid. These people just spit on him and cast him out of their city; they hated him. They didn't want him there, but the Lord did. So, he went back -- and he found Amulek, a Nephite who was prepared to receive Alma and his message. The Lord gave them power to prophesy and call people unto repentance, and thus began one of the greatest missionary companionships in history.
That might be a little dramatic, but I do sincerely love Alma and Amulek. They're powerful missionaries, and we have been able to use their example in our missionary work. With an attitude like theirs, we've been able to find people who are sincerely ready to hear the restored gospel. We can teach these people; we can help them; the Lord's love will be poured out onto them, and all will work out.
How is your missionary work progressing? What discouraging things have kept you from progressing in the gospel? Trials come and go; it's how we endure them that decides our divinity.
Be strong and of good courage, everyone! It's been a good week! Know that we've been blessed in Flowood with wonderful church members, a large area, and wonderful children of God to teach.
Have a great week! Godspeed!
- Sister Rose
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