Dear Family!
It was BRILLIANT to talk
with you! (I felt that word was extra appropriate ;)) Thanks to
everyone for being there and making it such a wonderful experience! I
love you all!!! I'm grateful for Heavenly Father prompting me to find
the hangout app so I could talk with all of you. I would have been so
sad if it hadn't all worked out. But it did. What a blessing from God!!!
This week was great! Especially because I got to see
all of you! Also, because we met so many wonderful people! We're still
trying to find those who are really committed and ready to progress. I
know they will come (probably right before I leave, but they will come
nonetheless :)). We had a self referral from mormon.org.
Her name is Rose. She is AMAZING. After our lesson, Sister Wen and I
were literally jumping up and down and having a party. First of all, she
is so normal: has a job, lives close to the church, didn't feel the
need to pour all her life's problems on us (I've noticed that some
people just don't really have anyone to talk with so once we try and
teach them, because we love them and listen they like to tell us
EVERYTHING that is happening in their life and tell us all their
problems and issues. I'm grateful they recognize they can trust us, but I
wish they would let us just teach them the gospel so they can get what
will really help them. Anyway, sorry for that tangent. Rose is not like
those people just described. She has a sincere desire to find peace. She
asks so many great questions and then she really listens to what we are
saying. She's pretty busy so it will be difficult to meet with her
often, but I know if she will sincerely read and pray she'll want to
make the time to learn more from us. She can tell that we are really
converted to what we teach and she wants that. I know what we have is
what she is looking for. We just need to help her see that and feel
that! I can't wait for her to come to church on Sunday!
Then after skyping on Saturday
we were heading home and started talking to this adorable African
family, A mum and three beautiful daughters (7,5, and1). They were
asking lots of questions and then I just started talking with the girls
and Sister Wen was teaching the mum and answering her questions. I
mostly was talking with the 7 yr old. She is so great! She has so much
faith in God and Jesus Christ. She asked all the right questions and is
really curious and desirous to learn more. She asked lots and lots about
the Book of Mormon. When I finished explaining, it was like a lightbulb
went on and she said, "Oh I get it. So the Book of Mormon is just
another thing that will help us get closer to Jesus; I'm still learning
how to get close to Jesus." My heart was filled with so much joy. Even a
child can understand the truths of gospel because they are that simple.
She understands what so many people don't; that we all just need to
continue learning how to get close to Jesus and that our loving Heavenly
Father will give us all that he can to help us to do that! And she
shared so much more about how she is helping her friends and school to
think about if God is there and be a good example. She was absolutely
delighted when I told her that she could keep the copy of the Book of
Mormon that she was holding. I hope we all can be that delighted to have
this sacred record. I learned so much from this sweet little girl. Then
when we got off the bus, Sister Wen told me about her conversation with
the mum. She has a good friend who use to live in Ilford that went to
our church, but she moved to Manchester. The friend told this mum that
she needed to go to this church, but when the mum tried to find it she
couldn't. The mum said she has only heard great things about the church
and she set up an appointment for us to come and teach her family!! I
can't wait! And I think it shows that no effort on a members part is
wasted. That member helped us to find this family and be able to teach
them. I don't think the mum would have been as eager to have us around
if she hadn't already heard all these great things and been invited to
come.
I just finished reading "Our search for Happiness" by M. Russell
Ballard (it's part of the missionary library). I really loved it! I
especially loved a part I read today.
"You can NEVER do more for the Lord than He can do for you." I'm
grateful that in all things the Lord looks to bless us more and more. I
am so grateful for this time that I can come to know Him better and
become more like Him. Yesterday
in sacrament meeting the talks were on Christlike attributes. Members
of the stake came and spoke and both talks were brilliant! I learned so
much. One shared about the story when someone goes to heaven and they
ask what do you know about Jesus Christ? and he keeps giving factual
answers and they ask a few more times. Then the next person goes in and
when they ask him he falls down and says, " My Lord and Saviour." Then
the speaker asked Do we know OF the Saviour or do we KNOW the Saviour? I
pray that I can truly come to know Him as I become more and more like
Him. I know He is my Saviour and that with His help one day we can all
be perfect.
We also had a great RS lesson on the Book of Mormon. The bishop's
daughter, who is also a ward missionary, gave a wonderful lesson (we're
hoping to get her on a mission ;) She's 22 and so great!). I learned so
much and my testimony grew more and more. The spirit was there so strong
and so many sisters bore powerful testimonies of the Book of Mormon and
the restored gospel. Something I loved: "There is never a substitute
for the workings of the spirit." People may ask for proof and want to
see how the Book of Mormon is true. But all of that will not help them
to know that it is true. That can only come from the Holy Spirit. That
is the only way that true conversion can happen.
I love you all! Have a great week!!!
Love,
Sister Davis xoxo
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