June 10
Dear Family and Friends,
It was good to hear from you all today. Whenever I see you emails I always have a big smile on my face. I love you all so much and I am glad that you are all doing well and staying busy. I hope that you boys have fun on your camping trips. Remember to be safe. I am glad mom, that everything worked out for you. I bet you will enjoy this nice little break. Glad to hear that the weather is a lot better and that you are having some sunshine. Yes the weather here is HOT and humid, just like Chelle. I am surviving and we do get some nice days with the breeze. Those are my favorite days.
This week has been a good week. Just like Chelle, we also had a zone meeting. We talked about how important to first few mins of a lesson is with an investigator and how we need to listen to them and focus more on their needs and not so much of what we are going to teach them. We need to be more caring and loving them into the gospel. I have learned on my mission that if you show people how much you care about them and their needs they will open to you more. I love everyone that I see and I am a very good listener and every time that I listen and testify, I can feel my own testimony grow. There is a quote that I love that says. "people don't care how much you know until you show them how much you care about them." This is so true and I have applied this so much in my missionary efforts. Loving people for the way that they are is so important and is one of the greatest commandments that the Lord has given to us. I still pray everyday and hope that I can continue to love all those that I see and teach. We are all children of our Heavenly Father and are all brothers and sisters. We need to love and serve one another in the same way that Jesus Christ did while he was here on this earth. Christ is a huge example to me and I am grateful for all that he has done and for the love that he has shown to each of us.
We are having a hard time with our investigator Alex and the members that we bring. We are trying to help Alex understand the law of Chasity and the importance of it. He has been bringing his ex-wife to our visits and have been holding hands and snuggling. They also mentioned that they could get back together again. Both Sister Lee and I feel that this is starting to get serious and that they cannot be living together. Alex keeps going to his friend that is a member and that friend tells him that "it's okay" and the members that we bring on lessons say the same thing and that this is a "dumb" reason for us to not let him be baptized. We are getting frustrated to the point that we don't want to bring members anymore. We are going to have President Rozsa (Stake President) come with us tonight and we both feel we need to be bold in a loving ways and tell him again that he cannot be baptized because he is living in SIN. I hope that tonight we will be able to explain things in a way that he will understand and that he will pay attention to what the holy ghost is telling him. Alex means so much to us and it hurts us see him like this. He has changed. He use to have this glow and bright smile on his face all the time and always dressed in a suit to church, but yesterday he seemed different and he didn't look as nice. He dressed down and we are afraid that we are loosing Alex. Satan does know how to mess with people and influence them to do things that they know is not right. It makes me sad to see him like this and to see his progression go down. Satan works really hard on our investigators and it is hard because we can't always be there and "hold their hand" they need to make their own choices. It is scary because now that we have taught him the law of Chasity he is accountable for the knowledge that he knows. I pray for the spirit to be with us tonight as we teach him that he will be able to understand and that his heart may still be open and that he will want to make this final change. This is the only thing that is stopping him from being baptized.
We also saw Francis this week. My heart still aches for her. She is calling out for help, but what we try to share with her about this gospel is what she needs and that this is where she can find great joy and peace from it, she doesn't think it will. We shared with her the power of the Atonement and that Jesus Christ died for us so that when we are in pain and when we feel that no one is there for us, that He is there and will be with us and give us strength. I testified to her that everything that seems unfair in this life WILL be made right in the end. God will make everything work out. Right now she feels like she is a horrible mother because her three sons don't come around and aren't there for her. All she says she hears from them is about their mother-in-law. She is very upset and feels very unloved. I know that this is not true. I know that she has a Heavenly Father who loves her and knows what she is going through. He wants to help her and is morning with her. She just needs to open that door and let Him in and let the power of the Atonement in her life. I love Francis. I want her to be happy. I know this is what she needs.
I just want to end with my testimony. I am grateful for this great Plan of Happiness that we have. I am grateful for the knowledge that I know that I have a Heavenly Father who loves me and is WILLING to help us when we ask for help. I know that it is only through the atonement that we are able to cast our burdens to him and feel that joy and peace. I want everyone to know how much their Heavenly Father loves them. I want to help them to know of this happiness that we have from following the commandments. Without the atonement I could bot be forgiven of my sins and be cleansed to enter the kingdom of God. I am forever grateful for the choice that I made to serve a mission. I have seen myself grow and my testimony grow along side with all those that I have been able to help.
I hope that you all have a great week and remember that I love you and you are always in my prayers.
Love Sister Ackley
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