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| My District |
Wow! Crazy to think I'm a third of the way done. It has been the hardest 6th months, but there is no price that could pay for the lessons I've learned, the people I've met, and the testimony I have gained.
First off, I am overjoyed because AL AND SOPHIE GOT BAPTIZED! I was so sad I couldn't be there for the special day, but I was able to video call them afterwards to talk about their experience.
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| Factiming Al and Sophie on their baptism day |
I am taken back at how much influence a child can have. A few months ago, Sophie asked her dad if they could go to church. He searched for local churches in the area and came across ours. As we began to teach them, Sophie was at church every single week without fail. One week, her dad was sick but Sophie wanted to go so much that Al arranged for a family friend to get her to church. I am truly amazed at her desire to come to church and read The Book of Mormon. I am so blessed to have gotten the opportunity to teach them about the gospel!!
On Saturday I had a really neat expeirence. I sat by a woman named P. on the bus and began to talk to her. I told her what my purpose was as a missionary and offered to help her with English since it wasn't her first language. Although she couldn't say much, she was beaming. She translated something on her phone from Farsi into English which said, "I was praying and asking God yesterday to find a friend who could help me with my English." And to make it a real PROPOR MIRACLE she and her husband came to church yesterday! That was the first friends we have had come to church in the 7 weeks I've been here!! Wow. It was the best day.
As I began my study of Come Follow Me this week, I noticed something in the first verse of 1 Nephi. Nephi says, "having seen many afflictions in the course of my days..." and when you look at the footnote it says, "affliction; blessing". I began to study more about the correlation between the two words. In Alma 7:5 it says, "My joy cometh...after wading through much affliction and sorrow." Another verse I loved was in Alma 28:8- "And this is the account of Ammon and his brethren, their journeyings in the land of Nephi, their sufferings in the land, their sorrows, and their afflictions, AND their incomprehensible joy." Without their sufferings, they could not experience this joy! So back to Nephi....our afflictions are blessings as they ultimately help us to be able to feel joy! The Book of Mormon is filled with so much wisdom and truth. My love for it grows each time I read it!
As it is the start of a new year, take some time to think about what you can do this year to BECOME a more dedicated disciple of Jesus Christ. Rather than saying, "new year, new me" perhaps say, "this year, better me." Its the little choices we make daily that determine who we become!
Cheers! Sister Jones
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| Pday with my district |
