The Spirit

Hiya Family!

This week was absolutely fabulous! Mostly because....drum roll please...Brother S-- set a baptismal date! He is planning on December 20, and although I have a feeling that I won't be here, I am so proud of him for committing to something! He wants a Friday, because that's his favorite day of the week, and he wants December because he feels good about it. I sure hope that he stays on the right track and doesn't drink or smoke. He can do it! I am so happy about my first ever baptismal-date-investigator!

Sometimes, when I compare myself to other missionaries, it doesn't seem like I've done that much. In six months, most missionaries have trained. One missionary has double trained and was Sister Training Leader at 6 months. Many have whitewashed new areas. I have just been trained and then been in an area where many missionaries have been before. BUT. Outward results do not signify lack of work. God doesn't love people with higher callings anymore than He loves those with smaller callings. He loves us all, regardless of our talent and ability and regardless of whether we are training, whitewashing, or are junior companion. Random preachy thought. :)

On P-day, we went into Glasgow and met up with Sister ASHDOWN! That was so much fun! We just went up and down Buchanan Street (the main street in Glasgow) shopping, going into places, and being happy to be around each other. It's amazing how when people hear you are going to the same mission as someone they know, they tell you to say hi to that person. I'm not sure they realize that they probably have much more contact than you do: we just don't see people other than our zones or our companions! It's pretty funny. But it made the trip to Glasgow way fun! :)

We were teaching Brother McC-- this week in the flower gardens and a bird came by, leaving us with a surprise. Hahaha.

One of my most spiritual learning moments of this week was yesterday. We were going on a bus to try by a potential investigator, and I felt like we should drop by our investigator who hasn't been getting back to us, A--.   I was really nervous to try-by, because she usually is a set appointment person and I'd never tried by before. I felt the Spirit though, and so I felt like we needed to get off the bus and try by her. As we prayed, I prayed that she wouldn't be offended and that it would be okay. I was really nervous and tried to talk myself out of going to her door, but we went anyway--and she let us in! She said she had just been thinking about us, and we were able to walk for a while with her and set up an appointment! It was a real miracle and reminded me that when the Spirit prompts us to do something, we need to do it with no hesitation! When we do something that the Spirit asks us to, we show Heavenly Father that we trust Him.

The same thing has happened as I have been working on my bus contacting this week--I am absolute rubbish at it--and I have been seeing miracles! Our numbers haven't necessarily improved, but our missionary work definitely has. We've been working to sacrifice some things (getting out the door at 10, getting to bed at 10:30 and not at 10:35, and bus contacting) in order to achieve the goals we have set for ourselves. When we set goals, I believe that we need to sacrifice some things in order for God to grant us the success of our goals. If we have the faith to set high and unreachable goals, God will send us miracles if we are willing to sacrifice for them.

I can't really think of anything else, besides some really funny drunk people who were talking to us yesterday and singing at the bus station. Apparently 5 o'clock on a Sunday evening is the time to go home from your drinking. And drunk people are sure friendly, I tell you what! They also smell a bit. But there you go.

Missionary work is the best! Sometimes I don't really know what I'm doing out here, but luckily Heavenly Father does, and He can direct my paths and my words. So many times I have not known what I was about to say as the words came out of my mouth. I can feel the Spirit powerfully in these moments, and I know that even when I don't know what I'm going to say or can't remember what I said after, I know that my teaching was powerful and also had nothing to do with me! I am privileged to be an instrument in God's hands. 

I love the Lord! I love the church! I love the Book of Mormon! And I love all of you! 

Be good member missionaries this week! Pray for some missionary experiences and they will come your way--in abundance! Can you imagine if everyone would have done the missionary work that came from that talk, "Set a Date"?  That would be awesome! 

I love you all!! 

Sister Ricks