Another week flew by. how does that even happen.
Today we went to the countryside with Cinthia, who was baptized this week, the sister of Joalison, and their mom. It was beautiful and reminded me of home. instead of cars and pollution there were fields (granted instead of corn and hay it was sugar cane and macaxera) and open sky. We ate so many mangoes directly from the tree, Papaya and we knocked coconuts from the trees and drank directly from the coconut. i feel like it was a true northeast brazil experience. it was beautiful and i felt so happy to be in nature again...man i need to go camping this summer!
As i was riding in a van, returning to my area I talked with the driver. Even before the day began i remembered our new counsel to carry a Book of Mormon with us everywhere we go. It is PDAY but i decided to leave one in my bag. As i entered into the van i had an impression to take out my Book of Mormon. I ignored it but thought, why, should i talk to this driver? as he drove he started talking to me. he is A deacon in the Assembly of God church. We talked about my mission and how he also is a missionary in his church but most of all we talked of Christ and how important he is to us. it flowed perfectly and I had the opportunity to bring up that Christ ministered among the people here. i bore my testimony of the Book of Mormon how it helps me to get closer to my Savior daily. I asked him if i could give him the book. He was really excited and said yes. I wrote a dedication in the front for him and he said that his daughter could read english so i wrote in english. i felt the spirit super strong as i talked to this man about the thing that makes me most happy.
I have had a lot of great experiences this week in fact. I feel like a brand new missionary. Excited to talk to people. I made a contact with a young man after completing my goal for the day of contacts, and I felt the Spirit very strong as I talked to him. We will meet with him tomorrow, i dont know if it will go anywhere but it was a huge reminder that the Lord's elect are all around me and if I am not paying a attention they will pass me by.
As i said, Cinthia was baptized and also Fernanda. They are already super integrated into the ward. Cinthia is already working on personal progress each night and Joalison told his sister that he would like to serve a mission. WOW! Fernanda lives in the countryside during the week but stays with Flavia (my recent convert) on the weekends. she is going to bring a bunch of her friends to church on sunday that live in the countryside.
Sunday Katia (my recent convert) bore testimony the first time. She bore testimony of how the gospel has changed her life. how it is true. and the Spirit was SO STRONG. I then thought of Cristiane (another rc) who during the past weeks has told me how she falls in love with the gospel everyday and how even though it is difficult she pays her tithing FIRST. Then I think about Flavia who faces all sorts of comments from her family about the church but as soon as i told her that we dont buy things on sunday...she stopped. And then I hear her testimony to another member about keeping the Sabbath day holy. Then I look at her children and how even they have changed, more obedient and helpful. Excited everytime we walk by there house, holding my hand as we walk to an activity at church. Then I think of Beto and Joalison and oscar being sustained to receive the aaronic priesthood. I think of my recent converts in SErgipe that changed my life and of Martas family in Arapiraca-after almost one year the father was baptized and they are working on going to the temple. It could have been any other missionary, and for many it would have been any other missionary who got to teach these people...but i still have this feeling so amazingly strong each time i think of these people that I love so much and as i see them KEEPING their baptismal covenants. My joy is full.
Read Alma 24-30. I feel like Amon as he witnessed the Anti Nefi lehites literally sacrificing everything to keep their covenants with God. That they didnt even fear death because their faith and hope in the resurrection and Christ was SO STRONG. I feel that happiness that he talks about. I never really understood it. I always admired Amon and Alma but right now i can relate. Can their really be a greater feeling than this? I can only think of when I will see my children living up to their covenants because of their choice to keep them and walk rightly before the Lord.
Amon felt like this in Alma 26:
15Yea, they were encircled about with everlasting adarkness and destruction; but behold, he has brought them into his everlasting blight, yea, into everlasting salvation; and they are encircled about with the matchless bounty of his love; yea, and we have been instruments in his hands of doing this great and marvelous work.
16Therefore, let us aglory, yea, we will bglory in the Lord; yea, we will rejoice, for our joy is full; yea, we will praise our God forever. Behold, who can glory too much in the Lord? Yea, who can say too much of his great power, and of his cmercy, and of his long-suffering towards the children of men? Behold, I say unto you, I cannot say the smallest part which I feel.
Alma too felt this (Alma 28):
10 And behold, when I see many of my brethren truly penitent, and coming to the Lord their God, then is my soul filled with joy; then do I remember awhat the Lord has done for me, yea, even that he hath heard my prayer; yea, then do I remember his merciful arm which he extended towards me.
1 O that I were an angel, and could have the wish of mine heart, that I might go forth and speak with the atrump of God, with a voice to shake the earth, and cry repentance unto every people!
2Yea, I would declare unto every soul, as with the voice of thunder, repentance and the plan of redemption, that they should repent and acome unto our God, that there might not be more sorrow upon all the face of the earth.
Want world peace? It is the gospel and I have seen it change the world or at least each one of these peoples worlds.
I know that this is the Lord's work. It is so very essential to bringing to pass his eternal purposes. If we dont do it, who will? I know that we are His chosen servants and that through the Spirit we can be tools in the Lord's hands to help these wonderful people accept the gospel. i know Christ lives and guides this church. I know God hears and answers our prayers. He is merciful and full of love. He wants to help us. But we, like the Anti Nefi leitas, MUST bury our arms of rebellion and strive to live what Christ taught us. These teachings are found through the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. I know it is true. It just is.
I love the scriptures. read these chapters in alma this week!
Proud as ever to wear the tag,
Sister Peterson
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