Heya!
So...they do not tell you that when you go on a mission your body decides to rebel..talk about 6 pounds later. I am getting chunky people it is bad!!! HELP..is that an option :p
Do not ever underestimate the power of the spirit...because I did this week and was dead wrong. Saturday night we went to Life Church with our investigator Phillip so that Sunday he would come to our church meeting. We do that a ton here because almost everyone goes to a church. It is a good way to get people to make the sacrifice to miss church to see that we respect where they come from too. Well....life church is life church, the band, the lights, the free lemonade and chips, oh and I almost forgot a bit of Jesus. No but in all reality, Life church is just not what I am personally used to for a Sunday service. It was definitely a ton of fun though.
Sunday morning rolls around and Phillip walks in the meeting at 9:30...on time. I died laughing though because 5 minutes before he got there he sent us a text with some choice words saying "oh "crap" I left my bible and book of Mormon at home". LOVED it. We are all imperfect people here...people :p He came in and sat down and the Sacrament service started. I was so stressed because I kept thinking there is no way that he is going to like this if he is used to life church. The choir then sang and they..well they sounded like the church choir and to top it off the stake patriarch got up and started talking about the Lineage of Joseph and the pearl of great price. I thought for sure it was over. Our ward mission leader looked at me with an "Oooh nooo" face. Hahah it was rough. He ended up staying for Gospel Priniciples and then Priesthood on his own. It feels like your letting the baby birdy out of the nest when the guys stay for Elders Quorum.
Well we were asked to give the Restoration in five minutes at the beginning of the class and so we stayed in Elders Quorum for opening exercises. A man in there was ordained to a Priest and received the Aaronic priesthood, I am sure it was a lot for Phillip to take in. It turned out that after class he sat down with our mission president and had questions and they explained it all to him. Because he is from the Ivory Coast his native language is french and so the first counselor came in and spoke french with him. Even though he understands English well I think it was a huge clarity to hear the story of Joseph Smith (what the lesson was on!!! That was no coincedence) in french. He made the comment that next time he comes he wants to dress nicer!!! It was a miracle. I am pretty sure every single person, give or take a couple, talked with him at church and genuinely made him feel welcome. As missionaries there is nothing better! After church when we were walking him out he had said "That choir was so good, and unlike life church, your church felt more like what church should be. During the music, it was easier to listen to the spirit. I thought "did he really just say that...it clicked for him" So I will say again, do not ever underestimate the power of the spirit. I have a testimony that the organization of our church is of God even when people are not perfect. I am so grateful to be a missionary and experience miracles like this. You never ever know who will be prepared for the gospel. Even when church can be hard and sometimes boring there is something that you will find in the gospel of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints that you will find no where else. It is simply Christ's church on the earth today. I feel so lucky.
Sunday morning rolls around and Phillip walks in the meeting at 9:30...on time. I died laughing though because 5 minutes before he got there he sent us a text with some choice words saying "oh "crap" I left my bible and book of Mormon at home". LOVED it. We are all imperfect people here...people :p He came in and sat down and the Sacrament service started. I was so stressed because I kept thinking there is no way that he is going to like this if he is used to life church. The choir then sang and they..well they sounded like the church choir and to top it off the stake patriarch got up and started talking about the Lineage of Joseph and the pearl of great price. I thought for sure it was over. Our ward mission leader looked at me with an "Oooh nooo" face. Hahah it was rough. He ended up staying for Gospel Priniciples and then Priesthood on his own. It feels like your letting the baby birdy out of the nest when the guys stay for Elders Quorum.
Well we were asked to give the Restoration in five minutes at the beginning of the class and so we stayed in Elders Quorum for opening exercises. A man in there was ordained to a Priest and received the Aaronic priesthood, I am sure it was a lot for Phillip to take in. It turned out that after class he sat down with our mission president and had questions and they explained it all to him. Because he is from the Ivory Coast his native language is french and so the first counselor came in and spoke french with him. Even though he understands English well I think it was a huge clarity to hear the story of Joseph Smith (what the lesson was on!!! That was no coincedence) in french. He made the comment that next time he comes he wants to dress nicer!!! It was a miracle. I am pretty sure every single person, give or take a couple, talked with him at church and genuinely made him feel welcome. As missionaries there is nothing better! After church when we were walking him out he had said "That choir was so good, and unlike life church, your church felt more like what church should be. During the music, it was easier to listen to the spirit. I thought "did he really just say that...it clicked for him" So I will say again, do not ever underestimate the power of the spirit. I have a testimony that the organization of our church is of God even when people are not perfect. I am so grateful to be a missionary and experience miracles like this. You never ever know who will be prepared for the gospel. Even when church can be hard and sometimes boring there is something that you will find in the gospel of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints that you will find no where else. It is simply Christ's church on the earth today. I feel so lucky.
I know that was one long spiritual blurb but it was the highlight of my week and I wanted to share it with you all.
Love you tons,
Sister E.
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