This past week has been a learning experience for me. On Monday the Centreville zone had a Christmas message and lunch with our Stake President. President Riggs came as well. It was so great. President Hilton read an excerpt from the book “A Touch of Christmas”. It was the part where an old man struggling financially received gifts for his family by an unknown person and then he, a few years later, saved a little child’s life without the family seeing him. He talked to us about as we continue to serve God, do it with an eye single to the glory of God. Not to our credit, to us, but to Him- it’s His work. He said that God chose me to stand in His place (to say, do, and become what He wants). President Riggs asked us where our heart is. He asked if I am “being” the Lord’s will. Have I received? Am I feeling the condescension of God? He talked a lot about the condescension of God. I could go on and on about that phrase.
Tuesday night we found out that we will not be transferred. On Wednesday we had four lessons! It was great. On Thursday the Aquia Sisters (Sister Patten and Sister King) came with us to do service at a member’s home. It was great to be able to talk to Sister Patten and to see how much we have grown in just a month. It was nice to be able to talk to each other and apologize and laugh. I love her so much. I truly have grown so much and now I can notice how much she has helped me.
On Friday we had a tough lesson. We had a lesson with a person that our bishop received revelation that we should teach. He was very abrasive. He said that we were not Christians: we do not think that Christ is the only way to salvation that we need Joseph Smith; therefore, we are not Christians. He did not allow us to talk at all. I wanted to leave and I told my companion that but she did not want too. She is the senior companion. I just left feeling so defeated and so upset. Argh!
On Sunday we had a lesson with Peter, who is on date for baptism on December 29th. But it went nowhere. We have taught him many times to read from the Book of Mormon every day and pray about his baptismal date and about the Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith. He said that he does not feel like he is ready to be baptized because he does not know enough. We have gone over the baptismal interview questions and he has answered each of them appropriately so we told him that he is definitely ready. But he still feels like he is not ready AND he is not praying about his baptismal date. I feel like we are trying to force him to be baptized because of our mission goal of 480 baptisms this month and we are not there yet. I feel like he is no longer a person but a number that we are trying to force to be ready. If He is not praying then there is something that is stopping him from doing it and we still have not figured it out.
On a more spiritual note I am still studying the talk: “Jesus of Nazareth, Savior and King” and this week I pondered on:
My testimony of Jesus Christ; What I have seen, felt, and heard that has testified of Christ; my reasons and experiences that testified of Christ; and what has the Spirit witnessed to me of Jesus Christ. It has been really interesting and powerful of recognize and to go through, especially as it is nearing Christmas.
I look at this world and I know that there had to be a supreme creator. This world is too fascinating for there not to be. I could not be created by science along. There is a meaning to this life. I cannot just “exist”; someone must have created me for a specific purpose. The scripture say that God created me and that Christ was born. I know that the scriptures teach of Christ. I believe in the scriptures. So it must have happened. My parents taught me to believe in Christ. They are older and wiser than I am. They have been through more in their life.
I know that Christ loves me and is fully aware of me. I know that I am a child of God. It has been wonderful to continue to realize that.
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