Friends and Family!
Shout out to all of those who
wrote me this week, i loved getting your letters! Thank you!
It seems like i was just
e-mailing, haha i guess because i kind of was! our p-day got changed to monday
this week, because transfers are on friday! I can't believe that i have already
been here for a transfer. time FLIES on the mission. it seems like one big blur
of time. crazy. can't wait to find out what will happen/if there will be any
changes. i will let you know next week!
This week was really great. i
love being a missionary. even on the days that are "unsuccessful", i
still love it. Serving the Lord is the best! I found this quote this week by
Ezra Taft Benson and wanted to share it with you all:
"The Lord works from the
inside out. The world works from the outside in. The world would take people
out of the slums. Christ takes the slums out of people, and then they take
themselves out of the slums. The world would mold men by changing their
environment. Christ changes men, who then change their environment. The world
would shape human behavior, but Christ can change human nature."
I know that only through Jesus
Christ can we be changed, and that the savior has that power to literally
change us. This week i saw so many people change because of their reliance on
the atonement, and it has changed me. It has been incredible.
On Wednesday we planned out our
whole day, and seriously we did not have one minute that was not planned out to
be visiting people. It was the craziest-planned day that i have had yet while
being in Nebraska, so i was so excited to start the day. We had 6 lessons
planned with some less actives along with our investigators. Anyway, long story
short, 4 out of the 6 lessons we planned cancelled on us. boo. that has never
happened and so i guess the Lord was telling me it was time to experience what
"real" mission life is like! but, it was incredible how even though
so many of our lessons were cancelled, the Lord truly led us to where we needed
to be. I really learned that this is not our work at ALL. it is solely the Lord's
work. Even though we had planned out this "awesome" day, haha that is
not what the Lord had in store for our day. Even though we did not do what we
planned, and at the time it was super discouraging, it was amazing because at
the end of the day, we had found 2 new investigators. The Lord, and only He,
knew that we didnt need to teach our other investigators. He needed us to find
these people.
Thursday we had a training for
all the trainers/trainees in the mission. We got to go to Lincoln, which is such
a cool city. I hope i get to serve there. President Weston gave the training,
and the spirit was so strong the entire time. I have such a desire to be a
better missionary and to devote every thought and action to the Lord. When the
meeting was finishing up and the AP's were concluding the meeting, they said
"and now we would like to have sister peterson come bear her testimony,
and then we will close". So, i got to bear my testimony in front of 50 or
so of the missionaries, and man was it humbling. But, the Lord knew that i
needed to have that opportunity. and i love bearing my testimony of Christ, so
no complaints :)
After the training, sister
whittaker and i headed back to our area. I had this really strong prompting
that we should visit a referral that we had received from church head quarters.
Two girls named Sara and Angela had requested a Joy to the World DVD, so we
were supposed to go drop it off at their house. We drove over there, and i
knocked on the door. A man answered, and i said that are missionaries from the
church of jesus christ of latter-day saints, and we were looking for angela and
sara. the man told us that angela wasnt there but that sara was. He goes and
gets sara, and then comes back and starts telling us how he was about to leave to
go to the gym and so what did we need. haha i love how rude people are to
missionaries. anyway, haha i said, well, we are representatives of Jesus
Christ. he instantly cut me off and said, "did you say Jesus Christ? Come
on in!" He let us right into his house and started telling us that he has
been looking for a church to go to for 30 years. He asked us where and when
church was, and when we could come teach him. haha!! that NEVER happens! i
think sister whittaker and i were both speechless and stunned, because i dont
even remember what we talked to him about, but we are teaching him this week!
The Lord is SO good to us. His name is Brian, and is incredible. i cant wait to
see what happens with him!
On Friday, we taught Troy's
friend Amanda. She is INCREDIBLE. she really opened up to us and told us how
her mother passed away and how she has been bitter and angry at God ever since.
We taught her about the plan of salvation, and taught her about how Heavenly
Father loves each of us. We were all in tears, it was amazing. We asked her to
pray, and she said that she would. The prayer that she said (which was the
first prayer she has said in years) was hands down the most amazing
experience/prayer i have ever heard. This is what she said "God, thank you
so much for having the sisters come teach me about you today. i miss you.
Amen". She said it with such sincerity that i couldnt help but weep after
we left the lesson. the Lord loves each of us so much, and all we have to do is
ask him and talk to him in order to feel His love. It makes me cry even just
thinking about it. It's these types of moments on the mission that make every
moment worth it.
I had a really neat experience
happen this week with Sister Whittaker that i wanted to tell you all about. So,
i dont know if you remember, but when i was in the MTC i was really struggling
one day and prayed to feel of God's love. Instantly as i said Amen, the words
"Fear not i am with thee, oh be not dismayed. for i am thy God and will
still give thee aid.." came into my head. it was a huge answer to prayer
and an incredible experience that i will never forget. This week, Sister
Whittaker found out some news about her younger brother that was really hard
for her. She told me that the night after she found out, she was praying and
really couldnt say anything but just cry. Instantly, right after she prayed for
peace and comfort from Heavenly Father, the words "Fear not i am with
thee, oh be not dismayed. for i am thy God and will still give thee aid"
came immediately into her head. I hadnt told her about my experience in the MTC
when she shared this with me.
There is no doubt in my mind
that the Lord knows us, and loves us all individually, and EXACTLY the same.
There is no doubt in my mind that Heavenly Father answers the prayers of His
children. Hearing sister whittakers experience was seriously life changing for
me, because I know now that God lives. I know that He does. There is NO
coincidence that she had the exact same experience as me, and it is because
there IS a God.
I am so thankful that i am
here, and that i get to be a part of the Lord's work. It is so humbling and
most days, actually all days, i feel inadequate to be here. But i am so
grateful that the Lord has blessed me and sent me to Nebraska, and am trying
every single day to become better.
Thank you for your prayers.
Prayer is real. If you havent prayed in a while, get on your knees and pray
right now. Heavenly Father will answer your prayers. Trust me.
i love you all.
Sister Lauren
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