November 10, 2015
Hello family and friends!
Last week and this week we spent a lot of time trying to contact some potential investigators and some LA names our relief society president gave to us. No one has been home, and to be honest, it's been pretty disappointing. Appointments keep falling though, no one is interested, and it's just been challenging for me. However, yesterday was a life-changer! Well, mission changer, i guess. Since we went to the Temple today, yesterday was a regular day, so we tried to contact some LA again. Some weren't home, then, we tried a lady who just happened to be outside about to rake leaves. We offered to help, and she knew who we were, and didn't want anything to do with us. She said she already did the whole Mormon thing like 4 years ago. After that comment was made, the conversation took a turn! She then had so many fond memories about the church and the people there, and she lit up! She did not look happy when we first got there, but once we started asking inspired questions and showed her that we cared, she opened up to us, and committed to come to church!!!! She hasn't been for 4 years, and after a 15 minute conversation, she is going to come! She also said that we made her day by stopping by! I felt great! After weeks of disappointment, we finally got something good out if it! Then once we left her, we went and street contacted into this guy who was pretty interesting. His name is "Mr. Wonderful". Haha I'm pretty sure he wasn't all there, but it was an amazing experience for me. Since my first area was tons of street contacting, I realized that I feel really comfortable in that area, and as we were talking to him, I felt like I was "home". I felt like a real missionary again! Just the things I said, how happy I was, how excited I was to talk to someone about the gospel, it was great! Then we saw another LA who we haven't been able to see for a while, and when we saw her, she was in really poor spirits. After visiting with her for a while and talking about prayer and the atonement, her spirits were lifted, and she said we made her day as well! Oh man, I really love missionary work. It's the best thing ever! To see the lord work in the lives of others and see how much He is a part of this work, it's simply amazing.
We also had zone conference this weekend at the JSM. Elder Neilson came (the general authority over the missionary department) and it was amazing! I got chastised by the spirit a lot though (which President Stoker said is a good thing, because it means that we're actually listening...), but I learned so much more about the importance of working in unity with your companion, as well as the atonement. The atonement is amazing!
Here is one of my favorite quotes from a talk we read in preparation for it. It's from April 2014 conference, "Bear up their Burdens with Ease", by Elder Bednar.
"Thus, the Savior has suffered not just for our sins and iniquities--but also for our physical pains and anguish, our weaknesses and shortcomings, our fears and frustrations, our disappointments and discouragement, our regrets and remorse, our despair and desperation, the injustices and inequities we experience, and the emotional distresses that beset us.
There is no physical pain, no spiritual wound, no anguish of soul or heartache, no infirmity or weakness you or I ever confront in mortality that the Savior did not experience first. In a moment of weakness we may cry out, “No one knows what it is like. No one understands.” But the Son of God perfectly knows and understands, for He has felt and borne our individual burdens. And because of His infinite and eternal sacrifice (see Alma 34:14), He has perfect empathy and can extend to us His arm of mercy. He can reach out, touch, succor, heal, and strengthen us to be more than we could ever be and help us to do that which we could never do relying only upon our own power."
The Savior is truly with us and knows what we're going though. He understands the times that we are hurt, depressed, frustrated, feeling alone, etc. He knows everything! He experienced everything! He is the one we can turn to when times get tough and we don't feel like anyone can help us. He can. Turn to him, and see the many miracles and blessings that come from using the atonement more fully in your lives.
I love you all, and I am so grateful to be a missionary and to be a member of the true church. I think so many times that this church has to be true, because no one would put this much effort into anything if it wasn't true. That was confirmed to me again today as we went to the temple. This gospel is true, and if we hold to the rod in these last days, and turn to Christ and Heavenly Father constantly, we will not fail.
Keep PUSHing!
Sister Pierce
P.s. I'll send pictures next week of the temple. And of Lorraine's baptism since she's getting baptized this Saturday!! So exciting!! Have a great week!
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