Trying Time, Crazy Week, Lessons, and 'Girl Talk' with Sister Riggs

On Monday we met a new investigator named Dagi. She is a referral from the Nanto’s in the ward. She is awesome. She is German and is a recent widow and empty nester. Her children are in Germany for school. She knows a lot about the church and wants to know what happens when you die. We taught her the Plan of Salvation and how her husband is in the Spirit World learning about the church and choosing whether to accept it or not. We then talked about the three degrees of heaven and she insisted that Heaven cannot be like that. Everyone should be able to go to Heaven but she doesn’t believe that it should be separated. We told her that we will come back and explain it more to her.

On Tuesday we had zone conference with the Ashburn zone. It was great but I feel so overwhelmed at the things that I have to do and change. I struggle a ton with feeling inadequate and this just adds to my stress and during practice teaching Sister Jeppsen totally dominated and it was pointed out by the Elders that we practice taught with and it just made me feel even more inadequate and stupid. Then we had a lesson with Mary Jane and Kyle (a neighbor of the Heiner’s that Sister Jeppsen met while we were on splits). Kyle is super atheist but his mother is open to learning more. While at the Heiner’s, before we walked over to Mary Jane, I called Mary Rose (our investigator) and she told me that I had given her a cold and so we cannot see her for two weeks. Small thing, but it totally just broke me even more. I went into the bathroom and cried. I really felt like okay I am ready to go home. But then I decided to get up and keep moving. I don’t want this to be the end of my mission. I have too many people counting on me. I have to be that example to my family. I cannot let them see me quit. I have to finish.

Wednesday we met a less-active who said that God has called him another way. He is not sure where yet. We talked to him for a while and read some scriptures with him. He asked if we could come back another time. We then had a lesson with a guy from Bolivia named Miguel. He believes that truth is relative for each person. There is not a type of truth that all can believe in. Later on we had a lesson with Von, the less active, at the Belyea’s again. This time he was so dark. He must have been reading more anti-Mormon literature. He believes that God is not merciful if he has to change now. He believes that he can just wait until the afterlife to change (because then he can have proof- see God and Christ).

On Thursday we had zone training. President Riggs has given us some more mission rules. I again felt overwhelmed at the task at hand. We had a lesson with a recent convert, Luis, about the talk “The Fourth Missionary” by Elder Lawrence Corbrige. Sister Jeppsen had given it to him to read before I came. I have never read it before so it was a bit awkward but he learned a ton from reading it so that was awesome. It was good to hear too. I guess I am a lot like the third missionary (from what I heard). I am not giving my heart. It is hard to give my heart and feel like I am failing all of the time or feeling like that love is not being reciprocated.

On Friday we got to do service at the Olson’s, who are moving but will still be in the ward. That was exactly what I needed, to feel needed. We then had a wonderful lesson at the Walter’s with Peter. We watched the Atonement Bible Videos that the church put out. Brother Walter bore solemn testimony to Peter and his family. It was so wonderful. And I got to bear my testimony of tithing. Peter seemed to feel a lot better.

Saturday was an emotional low and spiritual high. I got to talk to Sister Riggs about everything. I got to really vocalize my concerns. She let me be completely upfront and absolutely, bluntly honest with her. It was just what I needed. I got to talk about my independent nature and how it is difficult to trust in God because I am use to doing everything by myself. I am also a very cautious person which makes it even more difficult to be open with people because I am always afraid that they will hurt me. I talked about how those things make it difficult here because my companion is the complete opposite. Because of her nature (loving, kind, social, etc.) people love her and compliment her all of the time (for instance, Brother Stark always talk about her and Sister Carter and the things that they did that I feel left out). I just feel like my weaknesses are so apparent in this companionship. I also opened up about something that I have struggled with ever since I joined this church that has also been weighing on my mind. I have the trials that my family is going through and I feel like I am constantly choosing the church over my family. I feel so stupid for ever thinking that I can be a missionary. I got to tell Sister Riggs all of this. She talked to me and helped me to see that I am not alone. I am not defeated. Nothing is wrong with me. I am not broken. I am okay. I can change and I can be better. But I have to really work on it. We went on splits again and I did member visits. It was great. We then had another lesson with Dagi and we felt like we needed to teach the Restoration. It was awesome her questions were all about the things that we covered. Like, while talking about prophets she asked: “So why aren’t there any prophets?” It was awesome.

On Sunday I had a pretty good day. We taught the Payne’s members who felt like they needed to meet with us weekly. It was a wonderful lesson. The theme of this year for them is becoming. But we felt like we needed to first talk about faith. It was perfect! The night before, Sister Payne wrote down some goals for Becoming and the first goal was to strengthen her faith. Then she talked about doubting and fearing and I got to talk to her about the things that I struggle with and how I have been able to realize how much God loves me and that has helped me to begin to strengthen my faith. During our revelation visit, Bishop Seneca (from the Seneca tribe, Iroquois nation, just saying how cool is that) gave us two referrals!

This week in my studies I have been studying the Priesthood. It has been so wonderful to learn so many things about it and its importance. It really is so amazing to have it on this earth. On Wednesday I got a Priesthood Blessing from Elder Belyea after the lesson with Von. It was such a tender moment and tender mercy to have felt the way that I did. 

I love you all and miss you so much. 

Love, 

Sister Diamond Evans

Washington DC South Mission

This Week, Insights, and Goals

This week has been a very interesting week. On Monday we had a lesson with Ken. He dropped us. He said that he wants all of this but he doesn’t want to do the things that will allow him to progress in his knowledge. He is not willing to pray, read the scriptures, meet with us, or come to church. He wants to take things slowly. We told him that it is through doing those things that he can know that there is a God and He loves us. But he is not willing to do those things. It was so sad. Because it was New Year’s Eve and we do not proselyte we spent the evening with our zone. We watched Brave and played games and some of us went out to Apple Bee’s for dinner. It was so fun. I got to hang out with Sister Anderson!

On Tuesday we had a great District Meeting about the Book of Mormon and watched Elder Holland’s talk on the subject. It was wonderful and then we tried to find scriptures in the Book of Mormon that answers many questions of the soul. It was fun. We had a wonderful lesson with a less-active, Von, whom we have been teaching. It was so wonderful. He opened up to us that he worries that he will be a hypocrite if he comes back to church. He doesn’t want to come back if he doesn’t know everything. He wants to have knowledge, not just faith in Christ.

On Wednesday we had a lesson with Priscilla. She knitted us a scarf. Mine is red. It is very diva-like. However, she told us that she has no intentions of being baptized. She has already been baptized and feels that the person that baptized her had the authority. We read so many scriptures about it but it just wasn’t going anywhere. We had a lesson with Luis, a recent convert, at Tuitti Fruitti, an ice cream/ yogurt place. Brother Elliott came with us. It was so amazing. Luis really needed Brother Elliott. Brother Elliott was able to bear testimony of the things that Luis is struggling with.

On Thursday we did service for and had a lesson with Mary Rose. It was great. She has a 24-hour caretaker named Victoria who has met with missionaries and gone to church! We then had a lesson with Peter about the Priesthood Authority, tithing, and Restoration.

On Friday I woke-up with a horrible cold and headache. I could barely breathe I was so congested. I took a nap but it didn’t get any better as the day progressed. We went to a Japanese Restaurant with the Nanto’s and we invited Erica (who dropped us). I tried Sushi and Wasabi for the first time. It tasted pretty good. None of our lessons panned out, no one was home.

Saturday we had a lesson in French! Good thing I took three semesters of French so I could understand some of it. Brother Garfield came with us to teach Charles (who is roommates with Terrance). It was fun to have the lesson in Charles native tongue (he is from the Congo and has been in the states for only 2 months). Later on we did splits with Sister Garfield and Sister Heiner. I went with Sister Garfield and had a wonderful experience. The lesson that we were supposed to have fell through. As we were going to the car to do the back up, I had a distinct feeling that we shouldn’t do it. I told Sister Garfield and she asked me if we could go to another member’s home. The member was a family that we were going to start the member revelation question with on Friday but wasn’t home. So I said sure as long as I can ask the question. We went over and they were all home (unusual because there are four teenagers who all have sports or something going on and are NEVER home). Sister Garfield told them the reason that she came over (to let one of the sons know that he is now in her Sunday school class) and it turned into a spiritual moment. She talked about how the new curriculum is like Preach My Gospel and is preparing the youth to go on missions. Sister Egber’s said somberly that she would love for her children to go on missions. Sister Garfield asked the son: “how has reading the scriptures helped you to know that there is a God”? He said that he didn’t know and his mother got to bear her testimony to him. It was so amazing. As Sister Garfield and I got into the car to leave Sister Garfield cried and confided in me that Brother Egber’s is not active at all and he only got baptized because he had been diagnosed with cancer for the third time. She is worried that the children will become less-active once the graduate high school and go on to college. It was wonderful. Sister Jeppsen had her own miracles as well. Then we had a lesson with Ben (a farmer that we have to teach very, very simply). He asked very deep and great questions such as: how are the people who hold the priesthood authorized to hold the priesthood, how was Salt Lake City, Utah chosen to be the headquarters of the church, etc. It was a learning experience for us as well.

On Sunday we had a lesson with Arnold, a recent convert, about the Word of Wisdom which he is struggling with. Church was so good. It was just what I needed. We then had a lesson with the Payne’s who asked us to come over weekly and teach them. They wanted to talk about “How to Be” the theme of this new year. It was perfect because General Conference, Elder Packer of the Seventy, President Riggs, and President Hilton- Stake President all have been talking about how we can “become.” We were able to bear testimony of that. All of our appointments feel through again but we were able to do some member work and we got a referral.

Spiritual Insights for the week:

From Jesus of Nazareth, Savior and King:

·         The Atonement was avoidable:

1.       He did not have to die if He didn’t want to.

2.       He could have denied being the son of God.

3.       He could have drunk the vinegar and gall/ myrrh to numb the pain.

4.       He could have not prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane.

5.       Most of all He could have not spoken up in the Grand Council and let Satan come.

6.       But I am grateful that He did, so I can become.

·         Drink from our tiny cups:

1.       It could be talking about sacrament where we remember the Atonement that Christ performed.

2.       Or the sacrifices that we make each day through forsaking our sins and turning our will over to God.

3.       Christ gave himself for me.

4.       I must repent each week because I am not perfect.

·         Prayer:

1.       Sometimes I forget that my prayers for the things that I want may not be the best for me.

2.       God knows me and He knows what I need. He knows what will make me happy in the long run.

·         Program of Progress- Repentance:

1.       Christ was perfect; therefore, He never had to repent.

2.       Only way to progression is repentance because we are all unclean.

3.       To repent is to change our mind about yourself, God, and the world

4.       To recognize who God is, who we are, and what the world is.

5.       It is through repentance that we can become better.

6.       Give our will over to God and let go of sin.

7.       It is humbling to say that I cannot do this anymore. I need your help. I give up. Please help me.

8.       Christ sacrificed Himself so that I can be the person that God wants me to be.

Mission Statement (Goal for 2013) - I AM Doctrine and Covenants 121:46-46; I DO Doctrine and Covenants 123:11-17; BECAUSE Doctrine and Covenants 130:20-21

I am:

·         Full of charity

·         Faithful

·         Virtuous

·         Confident

·         Receiving support from on High

·         Not alone

I do:

·         Know the rising generation

·         Work had

·         Keep the mission rules, even the small ones

·         All things that lie in my power and

·         I do them cheerfully

Because:

·         God is bound by rules

·         Blessings come

·         Obedience to rules brings blessings

Love,

Sister Diamond Evans

Mosiah 4:27