Hello Familia,
This past week was the biggest roller coaster I have ever
been on...spiritually speaking.
We are not alone.
We've experienced some of the most heart breaking situations
with our investigators. Sister Crow and I were kicked out of our investigators
home, and found out that Joe is in Jail for 4 years now?....Bill doesn't want
to be baptized and neither does Marie, AND Donna, Joey right now, and Katie is
no longer answering us. All 6 them. We were heart broken, President was going
to come to our baptism, (his very last as a Mission President) and we felt
we had let him down.
This may not seem like a lot, but as a missionary this is
our life. We have been praying and dreaming and thinking about each of these
people to help them progress, and it is heart wrenching. Before sacrament
meeting yesterday I couldn't control the tears. I love these people here, we
felt we had done everything we could to help them progress. I said a prayer
asking for strength to help this area grow, I felt completely beat.
All of a sudden a member came out of the chapel and said
"Sisters, there is a young man sitting in the back row of the chapel, he
has read the whole Book of Mormon and read all about the church on the
internet, he wants to be baptized." I looked at Sister Crow and started to
cry. I was overcome by this HUGE tender mercy from a loving Heavenly Father. He
never said this work would be easy, BUT that it would be worth it. At that very
moment I remembered we are not alone. Heavenly Father requires that we do
everything we can and when we CANNOT go on any longer THEN he will provide help
for us.
We had a linger longer after church and Diego said that he
wants to serve a mission. He is simply incredible and prepared.
We went to the temple. I love the city and it was a tender
mercy to be able to travel there, we take the subways and the path, which means
there is A LOT of people to talk to. :) what a great thing for missionaries,
right? The subways trap the heat and humidity, its hotter down there than
outside, we spent three hours trying to find our way to the temple, we all
arrived sticky and sweaty but So HAPPY to be able to enter into the House of
the Lord. It was a tender mercy and all of us left with a renewed desire to be
better.
Sister Crow and I also went to Ellis Island to help
with family history. We mostly help people look at ship manifests and get
the people in charge to answer the real questions...:) People from ALL over the
world are turning their hearts to Elijah literally ALL over. I love watching
people find their ancestors there, sometimes I can't understand what their
saying, but I can see their reaction. (hand signs are a must) everywhere more
and more people want to become involved with their history. It is amazing. I
met a WHOLE family of Mormons from Logan Utah. I wanted to shout "Your of
the covenant too!" but I contained it, they were so kind and took a
picture of me with their cute kids to send to you, so sweet. I was touched by
their kindness.
This work is not easy. I've never experienced the adversary
working so hard to stop the work from progressing. I have realized that we will
NOT appreciate what our Savior has done for us until we experience pain, trials
and temptations. I know this work is not easy, BUT it is worth it. This is
simply the truth. I love these scriptures in the Doctrine and Covenants"
And this is the gospel, the glad tidings, which the voice of the heavens bore
record unto us- that HE CAME into the world....that ALL might be saved by
him" (D&C 76:40-42) and we ALL can be, make the decision now to turn
to him, He has already paid the price! In the tough weeks we can still continue
moving forward.
I am grateful for his love.
I simply love all of you! Have an incredible week, and good
luck with the Ragnar! Keep spreading the truth!
Sending love from Jersey
Sister Houghton
Fun Fact: Takes 20 min to get to NYC from we're we
live...unless your following missionaries then it takes 3 hours
love you!
xox
No comments:
Post a Comment