Dear Family,
Good week.
Highlights:
Pret. We found a Pret in Glasgow. We got it and ate it in the middle of
Buchanan Street in downtown Glasgow. Seriously, it was just right back to the
days of London, and it was so much fun. I love Glasgow, it is one of the prettiest
cities in the world, and has the coolest train station, by far. Love it.
We found a new
investigator and lost them in the same week. Haha. It was the girlfriend of a
less-active in our ward, and she just moved back to Ireland the visit after we
gave her a Book of Mormon. How funny is that? Seed is planted and may be reaped
somewhere else. :)
We stopped a man
after our dinner appointment with the Spiers (they are so nice, seriously love
their family) and this guy that we stopped turned out to be an all-out crazy.
We were talking about God, and then he said, "I am the perfect person for
you two to be talking to. I can see the Holy Spirit in your eyes but they are
pinned." I don't know what that means, but he told us that the Catholic
faith is the only true church on the Earth. He told us that we needed to really
look at ourselves and open our minds. He told us that he had the gift of
healing and the gift of tongues, and then he grabbed our hands and started sort
of praying with us and then put his hands on our heads and started
"speaking in tongues." Oh my goodness, it was so scary! I know that
this kind of thing is dangerous, but I was absolutely stunned and had clearly
never been in that situation before--as I assume not many have--and so after a
little bit I backed away, told him he was making me uncomfortable, and we
walked away. Seriously, it was scary. But we were okay! We said our own prayer
after and felt better.
We went by a lady
that we'd chapped into a few weeks ago, L--, who hasn't been home ever since.
She was there but was very busy, but I remembered the counsel of one of our
AP's, Elder Okebrand, who said, "Be a little bit persistent." I asked
her if she had five minutes that we could come in and share a scripture, and
she let us in! We shared Alma 7:11-12, which is my go-to thanks to Sister
Nicoll, and then we left! Just a five-minute appointment, but she knows that we
are friendly and nice and won't stay around for forever. And she said we could
come back. Miracle!
Whilst chapping, we
ran into a really nice lady named J--. At the end of our conversation (she is
very involved in the Church of Scotland) we asked if we could pray with her,
and so she invited us in to pray and have a wee blether. My second invite into
a house EVER! It was awesome. At the end, she told us we could come back
anytime (which is solid, because she's unemployed), and then we ran into her
today in City Center. Seriously, it was awesome. A little miracle and a little
friend for the Church.
I got out of the
shower one night this week, and it smelled like s'mores in our flat, but then
Sister Jackson had just gotten confused and put her jacket on the fireplace to
heat it up faster.....:) That jacket went in the bin.
So those were mostly
the funny bits of the week. I am always writing the funny stuff in my e-mails,
because I feel like most missionary e-mails are all spiritual and that makes
everybody skim and not read. But maybe mine are a little far in the other
direction, eh? I don't know. Maybe I'm just not spiritual.
A man in our ward was
talking in Church and he was saying how the DOING in the gospel makes the
difference. When we obtain answers, it is because we act on something. When
Joseph Smith wanted to know the truth, he read the scripture that poses the
question (if any of you lack wisdom) let him ask of God (an answer that can be
obtained only through Action.) We need to ACT if we want answers. That is why
we are always committed to do things, because that is the only way we will
obtain answers. Some people don't have a testimony of going to church. Usually
those are the people who don't go. Some people don't have a testimony of the
Book of Mormon. Those people probably haven't read it. They haven't gotten their
answer, because they haven't put any action forth to get their answer. Even
Satan knows the principles of the gospel, and I'm sure that he knows what the
Book of Mormon says. But he doesn't obtain the reward, because he chooses to
act opposite to what the Book says. Interesting idea. It reminds us that we
need to act on the truths that we know rather than to read the book and assume
it will be absorbed in us.
Quote of the week:
"Are there so many fascinating, exciting things to do or so many
challenges pressing down upon you that it is hard to keep focused on that which
is essential? When things of the world crowd in, all too often, the wrong
things take highest priority. Then it is easy to forget the fundamental purpose
of life. Satan has a powerful tool to use against good people. It is
distraction. He would have good people fill life with "good things"
so there is no room for the essential ones. Have you unconsciously been caught
in that trap?"
Go out and do some
essential things this week! Because, really, nothing else matters. :)
The Church is True! I
promise!
Sister Ricks
No comments:
Post a Comment