As I have loved you, love one another

March 28, 2016

This Easter was the best one I have yet to, and may ever, have.

Sisters Pday (preparation day)

My current joy surpasses attending a 1975 concert, binge watching Parks and Rec, and petting 1000 cats. My heart is so full it can only be described in terms of the upmost cheesiness. Get ready.

As you all know, yesterday was Easter Sunday. Guess who was in attendance at our church service? Four investigators, three inactive members (who all haven't attended in 6+ years), three recent converts (who hadn't been coming), and one potential investigator. Lets expand on that, shall we?

Weeks ago, we met a man named Hector who lives in North Carolina. We didn't expect to see him again, but we ended up seeing him in a parking lot! And....he came to church!! Also, three others came to church...one for the first time! And he LOVED it!

A married inactive couple came (the ones who called us), and a random guy who we called showed up! He is 23, and doesn't know much at all about Christianity, but said we could visit him and he would come next week!

Then, huge Miracle, a member met a young woman at Taco Bell and invited her to church! We now have her number, and she wants to be taught!! Ahhhh!!!!!! MIRACLES MIRACLES!!!!!

Then, later that night, we had a church tour with Zan. Oh my goodness, no words can describe this man. We had planned on showing him the church so he would be more comfortable coming to church, but there ended up being a baptismal service going on. Coincidence?? I think not! We were able to show Zan around a little, attend the baptism, and then show him the chapel.

He loved it. He said that the chapel felt sacred and he could feel the spirit. We asked if he had read the pamphlet about the plan of salvation (we have taught him part of it, and left the pamphlet) and he said "Yes....I read the first half and thought about it for two hours....then read the last half and started freaking out and thought about it for hours as well." He is the deepest thinker I have met in my entire life, and has tons and tons of questions. But the coolest part is he prioritized these questions, and knows what matters and what doesn't right now. Like I said in my last email, he is the most self aware person I've met. In between our lessons he reads the chapters we assign more than once, he writes in a study journal, and he ponders everything. Ahhhhh. I could go on and on and on...

It's really opened up my eyes because I think A LOT like he does, yet I let my questions get in my own way. I now have proof that you can be a functional human being and a logical thinker all at the same time.

During one of Zan's lessons I made a realization.

Before this life we were spirits and didn't have a body. When we came to earth, we passed through a veil that caused us to forget the life before this one. But when we hear truth our spirits are able to remember it, because our spirits aren't hearing this truth for the first time. Our bodies, however, are hearing this truth for the first time. So sometimes, even when we feel in our spirits that something is true, it logically doesn't make sense to us...And we feel this sort of friction within ourselves. But we need to trust our spirits, we need to trust the Holy Ghost.

Some scriptures I loved this week are:

-D&C 38: 1 Thus saith the Lord your God, even Jesus Christ, the Great I Am, Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the same which looked upon the wide expanse of eternity, and all the seraphic hosts of heaven, before the world was made;

2 The same which knoweth all things, for all things are present before mine eyes;

3 I am the same which spake, and the world was made, and all things came by me.

EVERYTHING IS PRESENT TENSE. That's why God knows everything, yet we still have our agency.

-D&C 38: 27 Behold, this I have given unto you as a parable, and it is even as I am. I say unto you, be one; and if ye are not one ye are not mine.

-4 Nephi 1:17 There were no robbers, nor murderers, neither were there Lamanites, nor any manner of -ites; but they were in one, the children of Christ, and heirs to the kingdom of God.

NO LABELS!! They lived in peace, and got rid of cliques. Ahhhh. One day.

Well, I love you all. I'm incredibly happy, and life is so so good.

But, here's the news the breaks my heart: I got back to Nauvoo April 12th. I will miss the baptisms of all of these people. Cry with me.

Sorry this is scattered, I'm literally walking through Walmart right now. Anyways, lyrics today come from the hymn love one another ❤️

Have a great week!!!