SO MANY MIRACLES THIS WEEK
Tuesday I had an exchange with Sis Bauer and it was incredible :) We felt a little weird, though because it just felt like normal companions again. back in the groove. We had such a great day that started with service at the food pantry. I love doing service! It really does just bring so much love to my heart.
I think the best part of the day, though, was teaching Georgie and Morgan, a new investigator whose mom is a member in our ward. We taught them ALL the commandments from lesson 4 except tithing in one lesson!! WOOHOO! That's Sabbath Day observance, following the prophet, 10 commandments, law of Chastity, Word of Wisdom, obeying the law, and a few others. Such a powerhouse lesson and it felt so great to feel the spirit and teach with Sis Bauer again. Morgan even said she wanted to get baptized!! She came to the baptism for Georgie Saturday and we have another lesson with her tomorrow :)
Later that night, Sascha Otteson called us with his mom and asked us to start teaching him the lessons!!! What!! We were blown away. We had our first lesson with him Sunday and it went super duper well. More to follow.
Wednesday was an incredible zone conference and I don't have time to talk about all I learned, but the one thing that really stuck out to me was that I felt the Spirit whisper to me, "Keep acting, even though you are not a perfect companion. Even though you are challenged by health and emotions. Keep acting - in my work and name and it will be enough. You can't fail - I will help you." He can help me. I know that if I do all I can, all in my power and control, it's not me who will make it enough. He will make it enough. That little whisper from the Spirit was, as always, so needed and perfectly timed.
Friday we had a little miracle with Breezy (we've been out of touch for a couple weeks because she and her dad got in a fight and he took her phone and wouldn't let her come to church... dang.) and we knocked on her door to invite her to the baptism. She couldn't come, but she came to game night at the Ottesons' that night and it was so fun!
Saturday we had the baptism of course, and that was just practically perfect in every way as they always are. Sure there were hiccups, but the Spirit was strong and everyone left with a full heart and a smile. Saturday night we had the adult session of stake conference, and it was sooooo inspiring. I wish I could share with you all that was said, but my favorite parts were these:We find rocks when we dig. So when we start trying to improve and beautify the garden of our hearts and lives, we often find rocks, or weaknesses or impediments to our progress, that have to be dug out and removed so we can grow. The Atonement can help us get those rocks out. In her talk, Sister Orgill shared part of a letter I wrote to President about my exchange with Sis Corpuz. It was funny because I didn't realize it was my letter (she didn't use our names) until halfway through. I'm just sitting taking notes, when all the sudden, I'm like... wait.... this is familiar.... haha it was cool. It was about how Sis Corpuz prayed that everyone we visited the next day would be home, and they were!!! I never thought to even ask that. And then I watched in awe as her faith wrought miracles and we taught lesson after lesson that day. Elder Golden talked about a lot, but it was cool when he told us we are losing the SAME amount of people each year as we were 20 years ago - that means FAR LESS percentage wise. He said that the church has done actual studies that say that LDS families who daily study the scriptures and pray together never fall away. Also, more people than ever before in the church hold a current temple recommend, pay an honest tithe, a faithful fast offering, and read and pray every day. Then about missionary work: A mother raising 6 children is as much engaged in the work of Salvation as the retired couple who submits 20,000 names a year to the temple. We must live the gospel according to the needs and circumstances we have. Of all ages, old and young, you will be safer on a mission than at home - stats prove it. 70% of our senior couples at any given time are repeat senior missionaries. Those were just the cool things I wrote down.
Sunday we had a lesson with the "A" family on commandments, and we taught them the song, "Keep the Commandments." We played a game where I would say something that sounded like a commandment (Pay your tithing, or Eat lots of lollipops) and they had to grab a toy ball from the middle of the table and whoever grabbed it first had to say whether it was really a commandment or not and then they could get an extra point if they could shoot a basket across the room. :) It was a smash hit haha. But we kinda wanted to cry when they told us they are moving this weekend to a different ward and stake. We are going to work hard this week to make their transition as smooth as possible and help them meet their new ward and missionaries.
Finally, today we did cool service. We went to Big Air, the trampoline gym where we go every few months for p-day, and we got to crawl under the trampolines and sweep and vacuum down there! It was SOOOO dirty and dusty, we basically rolled in dirt for an hour and a half, but it was kinda fun. We felt like spiderman crawling around with masks on in the 2-3 foot crawlspace with headlamps. We even used trap doors to get down there. Then we got to jump for a while when the job was done :)
So that was my week!!! One last thing before I go. It's not complete, but several people have asked me for ideas on how they can help the missionaries. So here's what I've got so far.
*READ "The Power of Everyday Missionaries," by Clayton Christensen. He's now a general authority and it is worth. every. minute. That's my number one suggestion.
(some of these ideas depend on the mission's rules, but they're ok where I am)
*have the missionaries walk your dog - it's a great conversation starter! I don't know if that actually works on a military base though...
*our ward has a letter from one of our missionaries serving from the ward printed in the program each Sunday.
*do family history! tell your friends about family history! invite them to do their own family history! 70% of investigators who do family history are baptized.
*play basketball with the missionaries and invite nonmember or less active friends.
*invite friends to dinner, with or without the missionaries. It is sooo important for nonmembers to feel the spirit present in a member's home.
*play motab(Mormon Tabernacle Choir) or other church type music in the car whenever you give someone a ride.
*keep a BoM (Book of Mormon) in plain sight in your car.
*use social media!!! add to the good in the world.
*just have nonmembers in your home.
*wear byu or church stuff like hoodies or ctr rings.
*pray not just for the missionaries to find people, but that YOU will find people to teach.
*when talking to nonmembers use the FULL name of the church, not just lds or Mormon.
*have the missionaries teach lessons in your home, or go with them to lessons!
*instead of asking the missionaries about what sport they played in high school, ask about their investigators or potentials! ask about the miracles they've seen! ask about what they've learned recently! but especially ask about people who may be coming to church and ask the missionaries to introduce you. EVERY investigator needs a FRIEND.
*have pictures of temples or Christ in your home, car, and wallet.
*carry a BoM in your car or purse and be ready to give it to someone.
*read your scriptures in public, such as a park.
*talk about things you did or learned at church or recent church activities with your friends when they ask what you did that weekend.
*invite, invite, invite people to come to church, to activities, to your home, to dinner, to a missionary lesson, even to be baptized! (our bishop's son legitimately invited his friend to be baptized 3 weeks ago. super epic 15-year-old. and guess what? he was baptized Saturday.)
Basically, keep being AWESOME!! I love you! :)
--
Sister Heather Bambas
California Irvine Mission
heather.bambas@myldsmail.net