Tuesday, March 31, 2015

Week 28 - Don't Let the Fear of Striking Out Keep You From Playing the Game‏

Well Hello!!!!!

This week has been great! Let me just start by saying THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR MY PACKAGE!!!!!! it was great to receive, although the Zone Leaders tried holding it for ransom, and tried stealing my fruit! But it's OK, I got it all in the end, minus one grapefruit, but that's a price I was willing to pay!!!! It was so strange though! I saw the Zone Leaders that morning, and they were like "Hey, we're eating dinner with your dad tonight" It was so crazy to hear!!!! Like it just didn't makes sense coming from them! And then I don't know how but they somehow managed to get him to go out on splits with them!!!!!!!! All the while they were texting me and telling me everything that was happening, it was like I was stuck in some crazy alternate universe! Seriously it was strange! I was told they came close to setting a baptism date as well, and then you know what would have happening? I would have gotten a voice mail saying "Elders and Sisters this is Elder Wright, and Brother Sondrup, and we just set a baptismal date with....explain what happened" I don't know if my brain would have been able to take that! I seriously don't know! But hey you never know! Seems like it was a fun evening though so hey i'll take it! The Elders said if dad's ever in town again he is more then welcome to go out with them again, so keep that in mind I guess!!!!!

Well crazy miracle of the week!!!!! We have the most amazing investigator!!!!! I LOVE HER SO MUCH!!!!!! She is seriously the best, I don't know what I would do without Her in my life!!!!! She keeps all of her commitments perfectly, and then she does more! For instance this last week we left her a section in Preach My Gospel to read (she has her own copy of it!!!!) and you know what she did? She read the ENTIRE chapter, did every single practice, read all the scripture references, and took pages of notes on it! SERIOUSLY?! I don't know that most missionaries do that much work, I know I haven't! But don't worry repentance is real!!! She seriously just thirsts after knowledge and she desire with her whole soul to know that these things are true. It's people like her-the one and a million investigator-who make all the hard times disappear, she truly helps remind me as to why I came on a mission, what my purpose is, and the greater happiness that can be felt when one truly comes to know their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. This Gospel truly is a Gospel of happiness, and I am so fortunate to get to go and proclaim that all day everyday! Yes, not everyone will be like her, but everyone can benefit from this message, and as we practice charity, and show others a small glimpse of what their Heavenly Father, and Savior Jesus Christ feel for them they will desire it deep in their hearts and they to will come to know that these things are true!!!!!! OK testimony tangent over! Anyway as we were teaching her this week (we were showing her how to use footnotes!!! Coincidentally, this was the night the ZL's went out with Dad) I was a little distracted, for obvious reason, but that's still no excuse!!!! Anyway, I pray everyday to have someone placed in my path to invite to be baptized (invite daily is something president has asked us to do, he has promised great blessings, and success if we do this, invite with boldness and love daily, often we invite on doorsteps, YIKES, but you know what? I have yet to have 1 person be upset with me for it, just goes to show what love and the Lord can do!!!!!Truly a miracle! ). The lesson went good, but as soon as I walked out the door I had this feeling of "you didn't do enough, why didn't you invite her?" and I truly had no answer, it wasn't fear, in fact I invite her at every lesson to be baptized, it's almost expected now, but she knows I do it out of love so she is never offended! It wasn't out of laziness, or not having the opportunity, I just didn't, and I was so shocked by it! Never have I felt more ashamed that I hadn't invited!!! The spirit truly took that moment to teach me, reprimanded me a little, and let me know that there was more to do. I really pondered this in my heart and continued with that thinking as we went to dinner. I just couldn't get it off my mind!!!!!! Why didn't I do it?! and why was I being bugged so much!!!! She always says she's not ready anyway so what difference would it have made? Well here's the thing, it doesn't matter if I thought it would make a difference or not, as much as I love her I do not know her nearly as well as the Lord, and I do not fully understand how he is preparing her, it's the Lord's timing, not mine. But it was a promise I was given from my mission president, a true servant of the Lord that if I invite everyday I will see miracles, I will see the great role of timing, and the Lord in everyone's life. So as I began to truly understand this-all the while trying to keep up casual dinner conversation, that's another thing of the Lord's timing, we never know when he'll answer prayers or we'll receive revelation-our phone began to buzz, and buzz, and buzz. It was a mixture of people who texted all at once. But sandwiched right in the middle were a few text messages from her asking if she could set her baptism date for May 2nd, she said she didn't really know if she had a clear answer, but she knows she has been so happy lately, she said she knows that if this is not the right path God will stop her, but for now she's just telling him her plans, and waiting for his response. She also said she thinks she's known for a couple weeks she wanted to be baptized, and she saw May 2nd on a calender, and she knew that was her day. She says she still wants to learn more, which just goes to show how amazing she is, but she feels like she's ready!!!! As I read this I wanted to weep!!!!!!!! I mostly jumped around, but even more than the excitement I felt in my heart I could feel just how full my soul was. I could feel the greater testimony that I was able gain in such a short amount of time. I knew why I was so bothered by not inviting, the Lord had truly prepared her, and all I needed to do was act on the counsel I had received so many times before. All I needed to do was invite, which is literally the purpose of a missionary! To invite others to come unto Christ! But I didn't, I didn't put my full trust and confidence in the Lord, and I didn't act. Here he had literally put someone right in my path-the thing I pray for everyday- and I didn't act! Thank goodness she is so amazing and has such great determination, and a testimony to act and invite herself! But I cant help but think how many people has the Lord prepared, how many people are ready and waiting, but simply are not receiving because we are to fearful to act, we are to scared to invite with love and be bold. The thought kept crossing my mind of "I am stopping others eternal progression, because of my own fears and laziness". Now I am sure you are thinking "whoa don't be to hard on yourself! You're doing a good job!" and I know I am doing good. But I know I can do better, I will never let the chance pass me by again to invite my brothers and sisters, I wont allow them to be lost because of my own fears. I do not know alot of things in this life, but I do know my Heavenly Father Loves me, I do know that Jesus is the Christ, and I do know that I have a knowledge and testimony that others need to hear. Maybe some wont be ready-it's about the Lord's timing remember?-but I know that all of them will be able to feel my love for them, and my desires for their happiness. I am so grateful for Lord giving me such a learning opportunity, showing me my weaknesses so that he can help make them strong. It's a miracle she texted us, and it's a miracle she is so ready to commit, but it's an even greater miracle and testimony to me to know that my Heavenly Father is so hyper aware of me, that he would give me such a great opportunity to learn! Our Heavenly Father is truly more amazing then we can ever comprehend!

Well that was long! Anyway this week was great! But to top it off, yesterday I go the most exciting surprise EVER!!!!!! We were leaving church and I was checking a voice mail and you know what it said?! "Hey it's Annie! (as in Annie McPherson my former comp. and one of my most favorite people ever!!!!!!!!!) I am coming to Idaho Falls right now, and I want to see you, and catch up! and maybe crash with you for the evening!!!!!!!! Call me back! Love you!!!!!" STOP IT RIGHT NOW!!!! I was about to have a melt down!!!!!!! Annie came and saw me!!!!! She is so amazing I just love her!!!!!! And really she was exactly what I needed right now!!!!!! She had to go take a test in Rexburg, but she's coming back for dinner tonight!!!!! So I get even more time with her!!!!!! We only stayed up until like 3 talking, and that was so not enough time!!!!!! Side note, I am not even tired!!!!! You would think so, but no!!!! I am sure it'll catch up to me tomorrow though......Anyway she is so amazing and she was the cherry on top of an amazing week here in the Ammon Foothills!!!!!! The Lord is truly here and preparing the people and me, how blessed am I to be able to be apart of this great work!!!!! I don't know what plans he has in store but I know truly marvelous work is coming forth here! One greater then I ever imagined possible! Yes I face hard times, but truly the good, outweigh the bad a trillion to one. and how could we ever truly call something bad when it is simply a gift given from our Savior for us to grow? Adversity is not to be feared but embraced and overcome! Always remember that, and if you happen to forget, talked to your Heavenly Father about it, he is truly preparing the way!!! Love you all and have an awesome week!!!!!!!

Love Always,
Sister Kaycie Sondrup
 


 

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