Its amazing how work brings happiness. The harder we worked this week the happier Sister McCallum and I both felt. Miracles came around every corner as we talked to everyone we could. We found so many new people to teach! I've never gotten this many new investigators in just a week! Let alone a month! :) It was amazing how the Lord used us as his hands to help his children and opened our eyes to see those opportunities to talk to everyone around us. By opening our mouths to everyone it seemed like more people came to us than ever before. Like, Heavenly Father was leading them to us knowing that we would open our mouths and share His gospel with them. As we open our mouths God leads His children to us.
Cool experience; Family was outside playing with their new puppy. The puppy ran up to us and the little boy followed. Perfect way to meet the family! "Cute Dog!" The father is a little rough around the edges, no shirt on, smoking, tattoos everywhere, looked kinda mad. We asked the father how he was raised and how that has helped him as a father. He lit up as he talked about his sons and told us how grateful he was to be raised Christian, that Christ had given him a solid foundation. (Key word - solid foundation) We then asked, "do you want that foundation for your family?" He replied, "Of course." Right then, wadda bing, wadda bam! Helaman 5 :12 came to my mind and my scriptures literally fell open to it! It was perfect. We related the scripture to him by saying, "Just like you, there was a father who wanted his children to have a solid foundation in their life, and just like you, he knew the only solid foundation is built upon and found in Christ. This is the counsel he gave to his sons....(Helaman 5:12) "And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall." After we read that scripture we paused... he was impressed on how well we knew the scriptures, it wasn't us though, it was totally the spirit! We asked if he believed what we had shared and he replied, "Absolutely and I know my family needs that foundation." We then testified of eternal families, his eyes started softened and he looked different from only 10 minutes before. He was literally taken back by the idea of eternal families and said, "Whoa, that is awesome." :) IT IS AWESOME! Awesome to know these truths and to have that solid foundation, to know that families are eternal, and that God loves each and everyone of us! (It was funny how during all of this the puppy was destroying their new landscape haha but he didn't even notice, he was so tuned in with what we were sharing that nothing else could distract him.) We left him a book of Mormon. He thanked us for it and asked us to come back before we did! :) He said something interesting before we left, "my dad is a pastor, I don't think he will be okay with this... but I can feel that its good and my family needs it."
I know the Lord is preparing His children to hear His gospel. There are people out there thirsting for what we have and its our great opportunity to help them come unto Christ and be filled. I love being a part of His work and doing it with Him. I know there are people waiting out there for us to share this with them and I am so grateful for how the Lord has lead so many people into our path this week, trusting that we will open our mouths and declare the happiness to them! :)
We had so many fun experience this week but this will be the last experience I share for today... we had a lesson with Terson. He speaks Chuukee. The language barrier makes it really difficult to teach sometimes but last night was pretty dang sweet. We read 3 Nephi 17 in a Chuukee Book of Mormon, "Ewe Puken Mormon." As he read in his language, he taught us what was being said in each verse. The scriptures came alive to him as he read them in his own language. When he read verse 5; "And it came to pass that when Jesus had thus spoken, he cast his eyes round about again on the multitude, and beheld they were in tears, and did look steadfastly upon him as if they would ask him to tarry a little longer with them." (He read this is Chuukee though) Terson exclaimed, "He tarry longer! He tarry longer! He tarry longer with the people!" Then we read verse 7 "Have ye any that are sick among you? Bring them hither. Have ye any that are lame, or blind, or halt, or maimed, or leprous, or that are withered, or that are deaf , or that are afflicted in any manner? Bring them hither and I will heal them, for I have compassion upon you; my bowels are filled with mercy." He exclaimed again, "He heal all! He heal all colors! He heal me! He heal you! He heals all. He loves all." :) It was so sweet to see him get so excited as he learned and how as I tried to follow with my english book of mormon and my chuukee book of mormon, side by side, the spirit taught me what I needed to learn as well but the coolest thing was how the Spirit taught him in his language, the language of Chuukee hehe and also the language of his heart. <3 We invited him to be baptized and he cannot wait! We set a date for August 1st! :D I am excited for him to be baptized, I am excited to see his growth, and I am excited for him to continue to teach us the scriptures in his language, hopefully I can start catching on to Chuukee a little bit faster :) Most of all I am grateful for that experience because it taught me how no matter who we are, where we are from, what language we speak, God knows our hearts and speaks to our understanding. He loves us and always will. The gospel of Jesus Christ is for everyone! :)
Have a fantastic week,
Sister Coats
Quotes from President Ezra Taft Benson that I liked :)
“We not only need to say more about the Book of Mormon, but we need to do more with it.”
“The secret to missionary work is work. Work, work, work!”
“If you really want to receive joy and happiness, then serve others with all your heart. Lift their burden, and your own burden will be lighter.”
“We not only need to say more about the Book of Mormon, but we need to do more with it.”
“The secret to missionary work is work. Work, work, work!”
“If you really want to receive joy and happiness, then serve others with all your heart. Lift their burden, and your own burden will be lighter.”
PS: When Sister Owsley and Sister James and gosh... when they left, I had to hold back the tears! I hugged Owsley for like forever and sister James, she hit me again hahah #lovinghit #itswhatwedo ;) I miss the missionaries that went home! But hey Owsley told me a wonderful thing! The Hennessys were coming! :) I got the best surprise ever!!! The Hennessys came to visit me! Oh how I've missed them!!!! Its amazing how Heavenly Father leads certain people into your life and your life is forever changed because of it. :)
Rose & me! <3
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