This week has been so crazy, I don't know where to start! We have a
new investigator that we're super excited about- well, it's actually a
family! They are amazing and we really are hopeful that they will be
baptized! We've only taught two lessons so far, and we're going back
on Wednesday. We've met with so many people, I've lost count. The
thing that's brought us the most success has definitely been focusing
on part- member families and on names that members of the ward council
gave us. We've also been shotgun tracting- meaning we just knock a few
doors around whoever we're visiting! We've actually seen a lot of
success from that- we've met two people who are interested and that
we'll hopefully be teaching! We've also been meeting with a lot of
people who are less active, and will be teaching some of them as well.
Hopefully they will feel the Spirit and a desire to come back to
church! God definitely does not do random- we were able to have things
come together so that we could see and meet people we needed to
multiple times. Yesterday we actually went to see someone and as we
got out of the car to go their apartment, we ran into him right by our
parking spot coming back from getting a package! It was crazy! We've
seen a lot of miracles this week! I am more tired than I've ever been,
but also more motivated- there's a lot to do!
As for funny stories...well, we had a few! This one is the best
though- We were at Cortina's house (she was baptized recently so we're
teaching her the recent convert lessons) and she has a lot of animals.
She's got a gorgeous black poodle named Misty, a chameleon, a lizard,
and a turtle. So of course we wanted to hold the turtle. He's tiny,
fits in the palm of your hand. Well, I guess Sister Forsyth made him
nervous or something because he peed all over her! We laughed really
hard about that. And we went out to sushi this week- Sister Forsyth
has never had sushi before! We ate a lot. We even ate fish eggs! I
tried the raw tuna and it was pretty weird. Then last night, we met
this old man who was definitely interesting. A less active member,
kind of grouchy- we'd been asked to drop by. Sister Forsyth shared the
'You Are Special' story with the puppets with gray dots and gold stars
(even though we couldn't remember the names of the puppets). He had
this sweet dog named Oscar....who was so filthy! My skirt had
gray....stuff from his fur all over, and my fingers were gray where I
scratched his ears!
This week has been amazing for my testimony too. As we've met so many
different people who either have left the church, or haven't yet
joined, or even meeting with active members, I feel like I've learned
a lot about how different each of Heavenly Father's children are. In
Relief Society yesterday, we talked about the parable of the seeds,
and the discussion stuck on the seeds in stony ground, those who
"received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the
word, and anon with joy receiveth it; Yet hath he not root in himself,
but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth
because of the word, by and by he is offended." (Matt 13:20-21). We
have seen a lot of people who left the church because they were
offended, by doctrine, or by an individual. As we talk to them, I just
want to tell them, "can't you see you're risking your own salvation on
hurt feelings? Can't you see that you're hurting yourself even more by
leaving church meetings behind?" And as they've left behind going to
church, many of them have also neglected their scripture study and
prayers as well. Sister Forsyth and I talked about it in training, how
leaving church because of offense is like trying to stab someone else
with the hilt of a sword- sure they may get bruises, but the person
holding the sword is hurt far worse. This rambled on for far longer
than I meant it to, but the real point is, do not lose sight of the
big picture. Why do we go to church? To partake of the Sacrament and
renew our covenants. We go to church for God, not for people. (The
people just come as a package deal). We go to church because we
spiritually need that for our week. We go to church because we are all
imperfect. There is a bigger picture to be seen. Why are we a part of
this church? Because it is true. Because it is the one path to
salvation. I know I cannot afford to leave this path behind. I read in
Matthew 16, "what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?"
Okay, I promise that's it for the rambling! It's just something I've
been thinking about a lot this week- focusing on the big, eternal
picture for our own progression. Speaking of eternal progression,
someone I was teaching in Hazel Dell got baptized this week and we got
to go! His name is Logan. He's an eleven year old that we were
teaching because he didn't get baptized at eight. It was really great
to be there! It was weird too, to be back in Hazel Dell, because I
feel like I've changed so much since leaving even though it hasn't
been that long.
Anyway, I hope you all have a wonderful week! Stay close to what you
know is right, and don't forget to step back and look at the big
picture sometimes!
Stay strong!
Sister Jacobs
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