| Elder Richards and I this morning. |
| We participated in the Renton Day of Service Saturday the 10th. We did some good work cleaning up yard waste around a members newly bought home which had not had any yard work done on it for 50 years. Fun stuffs! |
Hello Family and Friends! My journey of being in the Renton Zone and serving in the Skyway ward continues on through my 7th month here. Spending large amounts of time in areas has been an experience I am familiar with on my mission.
Missionary work is a compelling experience which I love. "Doing your time" for 2 years is one thing, but actually devoting all your "heart, might, mind, and strength" is another. The latter is difficult and stretching every day, but that is what will result in the biggest change of character in my self. The Lord molds and shapes you into the person you need to become, but can only do so if you are willing. We need to be willing and when we are it happens!
Two little quote thing-y's. "God can make the willing able, but not the able willing." When we become willing for God to shape and mold us, it is at that time we are endowed with power knowing that all of our experiences shall be for our good (D&C121). We are given a multitude of experiences and we choose our response. The other quote is something we can do when we are faced with our challenges, trials, and hardships. In the end there are really only two results and this truth is highlighted so well in The Book of Mormon. "We can choose to become bitter or to become better." It is a fact that everyone is going to face some sort of challenge and trail, but the difference is on how to choose to react to that fact.
Heavenly Father is always so good to me (even when my finite mind doesnt understand why at times). We have as always been blessed with a multitude of blessings and miralces this week. One of them involved the Relief Society President again, Sister Kemp. Earlier in the week we had another lesson with Mia and during the lesson we came to understand how truly connected she was to her belief towards Mary and praying to her. We had some members who addressed her concern well, without us going out and directly saying "We dont pray to Mary or any other Saints. Only to Heavenly Father." We understood though that we needed to talk about this.
We brought this up in a coordination meeting with the ward to find out that Sister Kemp used to be Catholic and totally understands Mia's concern. In her busy schedule of being a Relief Society President and in finishing a book she made the time to come to a lesson with us. Having her there connecting with Mia on her level with her understanding of where she was coming was amazing. During the lesson Sister Kemp was the one who told her, but because we taught this doctrine and difference of belief with love and Mia received with an open heart she understood. If she did know that this church was Gods church, she said she would join it.
She came to church on Sunday and enjoyed it. She really likes the church, but feels that spiritually everything is the same or pretty similar to what she believes in. What she does notice as the difference is the sense of community and the focus on family that her other church is lacking for her. She really loves Relief Society and feels the Spirit here, but shares she feels it at her old church as well. This week some of our goals is to help her understand the Plan of Salvation and just how important it is to join. She is praying, but not recognizing her answer yet.
Another man who come to church on Sunday was John. We met him contacting and was very kind to listen to us. He is from Alaska and is an Eskimo! Here in south Seattle, you meet all sorts of different races and cultures. Its awesome! John has had some strokes and lives in an assisted living place pretty close to where Sister Fabon lives. She took him to come to church on Sunday and helped him out. It was really kind of her and I am glad she is able to play a part in helping the work move forward in the ward.
Elder Richards my new companion is super awesome! He has been out for just over 13 months and is from Bountiful, Utah. I love his desire to improve and progress as a missionary.
Thats about all for today!
Sincerely,
Elder Sumsion
No comments:
Post a Comment