Desolate!

There have been many things going on this week, but yet, at the same time, a lot of things have slowed down.

Our IOs (invitations to others) has really slowed down, along with gaining new investigators. 

Here are some miracles that happened this week! 

Monday: We taught the Santos family! We had a scheduled appointment that day with the lady we met at the laundry mat on July 4th. We went there, and her mother told us that she had left the moment it came to our appointment. After this visit, my companion and I had a prompting to pray and ask for guidance in the car. As we did, it occurred to me to drive straight ahead to the dead end up ahead where the park was. We tracted in this area - about two households, and then Sister Charlesworth had a prompting to talk to the man who just walked into his backyard. We waited until he came out again to talk to him. We told us who we were, and he welcomed us into his home. He and his family are Filipino and speak Tagalog; they know a small portion of English. 

His 10-year-old grandson asked us who we were here to see. Sister Charlesworth said, "All of you!" and we eventually went back to the kitchen were they were about to have dinner. We taught by the pictures of the Restoration pamphlet; The younger father could speak a little English and he was able to follow along (along with the boy - he understood what had said to him). When it came to the first vision with Jesus Christ and God as separate beings, there was something about this where he was intrigued, and that the spirit touched him to let him know that what we had told him, was true. He has this enlightened look on his face. Him and his son were the most receptive. We don't have a return appointment yet. This family of 5 are almost investigators!

Tuesday: The dishwasher is fixed! The moment Sister Evans left, it broke and we have been doing dishes by hand. It took up most of my lunch and dinner hours to clean them and I ended up doing most of them. Oh goodness. What a blessing to have a dishwasher! 

Wednesday: We were mostly on time to our appointments, and we also were able to talk to Ali about one of her setbacks from joining. She told us that she didn't like our views on how we only see a marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God, and not marriages of the same gender. We told her that we would do some more research later on this, and we did! 

In Romans 1:24-32 it talks about how homosexuality is a sin (for those who act on those desires). 

verses 28-31 talk about the natural consequences of going against this commandment of God, such as developing a reprobate mind, lust, hate toward others, are without natural affection, and going against parents. 

Verse 32 talks about those who support homosexuality and have pleasure in what they do is also a sin. 

Leviticus also talks about homosexuality in Leviticus 18:22 and how it is an abomination unto the Lord. 

It doesn't really talk about this in the Book of Mormon. 

My companion and I both agree that the [guility] take the truth to be hard (1 Nephi 16:2).

I have a strong testimony that Marriage between a man and a woman is of God; homosexuality does not fulfill part of God's plan that he has for us - we are to procreate, within the bonds of marriage, and raise children in a positive, nurturing environment, in which the Gospel can be taught, and observed. 

. . . 

This week I had been studying Virtue and it seems like most of the people we have been seeing this week all had issues with Homosexuality. It seems the moment I write down a goal, it is set in stone and then a lot of trials come with developing that Christ-like Attribute. 

Proverbs 21:10 - A Virtuous woman's worth is far above the price of rubies :D 

. . .

Thursday: We taught Anette! We taught the Book of Mormon and she was very open to it. She is Catholic and she is very kind. We also have a return appointment. :D This was our first full attempt to teach the Book of Mormon in this new way that our Mission President has introduced to us. 

Friday: Our investigator, Toni, rescheduled. Before we walked over to the door, there was a handwritten note. We hoped that it was a note that said she needed to reschedule. When we got to the door, that impression was right! She did reschedule! My companion exclaimed, this is what happens when we have hope! When we think of positive things, good things will happen because of them (usually). 

In the 'Adjusting to Missionary Life' handbook (on page... 36? Or in the 30s), it talks about how worrying is a way of practicing failure. Indeed it is. When we think of all these negative things that may or may not happen to us, some of them may be personal prophecies. Our actions come from our thoughts and if we entertain those thoughts. We may think negatively of others because of what 'might' happen. When we think positively, we can react positively, since we already made the decision beforehand to do so. 

Saturday: We visited a new move in and they were very nice. We realized that they were a part member family. The Husband is not a member, and we invited him to read the book of Mormon. He hadn't read the book all the way through. Many missionaries, and even a stake president had told him different answers on where the gold plates went. My companion and I couldn't believe how some missionaries did not know the answer. We told him that they were taken up by an angel. He wanted to know where that answer came from. The next day, we texted his wife and it is found under the Testimony of the Prophet Joseph Smith in the Book of Mormon, and it is under Joseph Smith History, 1:60 (you can find this on lds.org if you don't have the book).

. . . 

Something that wasn't a miracle was that on Sunday, I felt super sick for a long period of time. I had to lie down for a bit and that helped. 

 Oh! Also! I pretty much got to a sad point where I planked on the ground and cried because the Less Actives which we have been teaching haven't been coming to church. I usually don't get like that. But, I did; I want them to partake of the goodness of the gospel, and to access the power of the Atonement! Only in our church, do we have that access because we have the proper Priesthood Authority! 

. . .

Anyways! So much good has come out of this week! 

We pretty much have a dinner appointment everyday this week! This usually doesn't happen! 

...

Monday: We went and saw the sunrise at Virginia Beach. We had a lot of fun! We even got to take a group picture. 

 

This is all I can say for now. 

-Sister A. Marshall