Well Hello!!!!
Oh my goodness. It has been a little bit of a weird week again. But, ya know, it was still great! It is weird when Heavenly Father is teaching you something new, like maybe a different way to feel the spirit or maybe even sometimes you might get distracted and not be as close to it. Either way, it takes a lot of work to figure out life and get to where Heavenly Father wants you to be! So I'm sorry, this weekly is probably going to not be as excited as some in the past. But I will tell you that incredible things happened, miracles! ️ still so very blessed, even though life is weird sometimes! Haha.
Well.... let us just start with Pam since she stole the show this week! She is the purest person I have ever met... EVER. As I may have mentioned before, she has a disability which makes her processing a little slower than normal, but she is still all there and definitely accountable! We had her interview this week! She did amazing and you could feel the spirit so strongly. Our District Leader, who interviewed her, was prompted to ask the baptismal questions in a way that she was able to understand to show her accountability and readiness to be baptized! We had the rare privilege of sitting in on that interview because she asked us to to make her feel more comfortable. The spirit was so strong and I felt SO much love for her, it was ridiculous! Then everything went relatively smooth with getting everything together. There were points when the members would ask questions that seemed like they didn't feel like she was ready... quite honestly, that burnt my butt... I got super bugged by that. But, they saw at her baptism that she was clearly ready and able to make this decision on her own. That was a tender mercy from the Lord to me. I just really wish all of them could of been in all of her lessons because I have never taught someone so pure and prepared! But all is well. The members are still amazing and I understand where they were coming from!
Her baptism was incredible... oh man. One of my favorite baptisms. The spirit was so strong.. As Sister Ward spoke on baptism, Pam started to cry and that's when everyone else lost it too. Haha! Typical RS thing. It was powerful though. Then Sister Whitesell and I walked Pam into to the font. She was crying and you could tell the spirit was within her. We watched her be baptized and the spirit was so strong. Even the noisy little baby stopped to watch this sacred ordinance take place. Afterwards, we taught the restoration and once again, as I recited the first vision, there came a special peace into the room and into our hearts. That same little baby just stopped and listened. That always blows me away how the spirit commands the room at times like these. After a beautiful talk on the Holy Ghost by Sister Scott, Bishop Hawkley closed the meeting. What he said was so powerful... He said that we were hand picked to knock on Pam's door and to teach her. I felt at that time that Pam was one of those I promised I would find. I also knew Sister Whitesell had made that same promise to her. I believe 100% that we all knew each other in the premortal realm. I have had that inclination for quite awhile. It was just powerful to have someone else verbalize it. I felt very blessed to have the spirit tell me that. It was such a beautiful baptism.. ️
On Sunday Pam was confirmed and if was the most beautiful blessing EVER! The spirit was so strong! It was amazing because Bro. Bidia said in her blessing that we were guided to her and this time in her life so that Heavenly Father could help her and be with her more.. isn't that AMAZING! That's like 3 witnesses that we were clearly lead to her! GAH! It's just so amazing.. she said she felt good but different. She's just so pure.. ️
Another miracle we had this week! Saturday we were out and we had been on a roll with receive very direct and specific promptings as to where to go. Well, I felt prompted to stop at this one house we have driven past a million times on our way to Durham. I have wanted to tract it for a long time, so the spirit let me know that it was a perfect time! So we walked up and saw a guy working on his El Camino. His name is Ed and he has SUCH a powerful testimony of the Savior and what the life is for and how to live it. Basically a dry Mormon... haha. we talked with him for a long time and he agreed to meet with us. So that was great! Such a miracle!
Something else, Vivian, Thelma's roommate agreed to meet with us for real and she and Thelma also came to the baptism! Chelsea also came!! GAHH!!! She's so golden! ️ lots of great things!
The rest of the week was good! We went on exchanges so that was good. I went to a different ward in Chico for the day with Sister Crowther. She's so cute! I'll send a selfie! There's also lots of pictures for this week so that will be exciting cuz everybody loves pictures, no? YES!
I love you guys so much!! I hope you enjoy your week! The Lord loves each of you! ️
Love,
Sister Hood
P.S.... there's this story I want to share with y'all because it really touched my heart! It's kinda long so I just bare with it. It's worth it I promise! Here ya go! Enjoy!
The Room
By, Joshua Harris
In that place between wakefulness and dreams, I found myself in the room. There were no distinguishing features save for the mysterious array of black filing cabinets. They were like the ones in libraries that list titles by author or subject in alphabetical order. But these files, which stretched from floor to ceiling and seemingly endlessly in either direction, had very different headings. As I drew near the wall of files, the first to catch my attention was one that read “Girls I Have Liked.” I opened it and began flipping through the cards. I quickly shut it, shocked to realize that I recognized the names written on each one.
And then without being told, I knew exactly where I was. This lifeless room with its small files was a crude catalog system for my life. Here were written the actions of my every moment, big and small, in a detail my memory couldn’t match.
A sense of wonder and curiosity, coupled with horror, stirred within me as I began randomly opening files and exploring their content. Some brought joy and sweet memories; others a sense of shame and regret so intense that I would look over my shoulder to see if anyone was watching. A file named “Friends” was next to one marked “Friends I Have Betrayed.”
The titles ranged from the mundane to the outright weird. “Books I Have Read,” “Lies I Have Told,” “Comfort I Have Given,” “Jokes I Have Laughed At.” Some were almost hilarious in their exactness: “Things I’ve Yelled at My Brothers.” Others I couldn’t laugh at: “Things I Have Done in My Anger,” “Things I Have Muttered Under My Breath at My Parents.” I never ceased to be surprised by the contents. Often there were many more cards than I expected. Sometimes fewer than I hoped.
I was overwhelmed by the sheer volume of the life I had lived. Could it be possible that I had the time in my 20 years to write each of these thousands or even millions of cards? But each card confirmed this truth. Each was written in my own handwriting. Each signed with my signature.
When I pulled out the file marked “Songs I Have Listened To,” I realized the files grew to contain their contents. The cards were packed tightly, and yet after two or three yards, I hadn’t found the end of the file. I shut it, shamed, not so much by the quality of music, but more by the vast amount of time I knew that file represented.
When I came to a file marked “Lust,” I felt a chill run through my body. I pulled the file out only an inch, not willing to test its size, and drew out a card. I shuddered at its detailed content. I felt sick to think that such a moment had been recorded.
An almost animal rage broke on me. One thought dominated my mind: “No one must ever see these cards! No one must ever see this room! I have to destroy them!” In an insane frenzy I yanked the file out. Its size didn’t matter now. I had to empty it and burn the cards. But as I took it at one end and began pounding it on the floor, I could not dislodge a single card. I became desperate and pulled out a card, only to find it as strong as steel when I tried to tear it
Defeated and utterly helpless, I returned the file to its slot. Leaning my forehead against the wall, I let out a long, self-pitying sigh. And then I saw it. The title bore “People I Have Shared the Gospel With.” The handle was brighter than those around it, newer, almost unused. I pulled on its handle and a small box not more than three inches long fell into my hands. I could count the cards it contained on one hand.
And then the tears came. I began to weep. Sobs so deep that they hurt started in my stomach and shook through me. I fell on my knees and cried. I cried out of shame, from the overwhelming shame of it all. The rows of file shelves swirled in my tear-filled eyes. No one must ever, ever know of this room. I must lock it up and hide the key.
But then as I pushed away the tears, I saw Him. No, please not Him. Not here. Oh, anyone but Jesus.
I watched helplessly as He began to open the files and read the cards. I couldn’t bear to watch His response. And in the moments I could bring myself to look at His face, I saw a sorrow deeper than my own. He seemed to intuitively go to the worst boxes. Why did He have to read every one?
Finally He turned and looked at me from across the room. He looked at me with pity in His eyes. But this was a pity that didn’t anger me. I dropped my head, covered my face with my hands and began to cry again. He walked over and put His arm around me. He could have said so many things. But He didn’t say a word. He just cried with me.
Then He got up and walked back to the wall of files. Starting at one end of the room, He took out a file and, one by one, began to sign His name over mine on each card.
“No!” I shouted rushing to Him. All I could find to say was “No, no,” as I pulled the card from Him. His name shouldn’t be on these cards. But there it was, written in red so rich, so dark, so alive. The name of Jesus covered mine. It was written with His blood.
He gently took the card back. He smiled a sad smile and began to sign the cards. I don’t think I’ll ever understand how He did it so quickly, but the next instant it seemed I heard Him close the last file and walk back to my side. He placed His hand on my shoulder and said, “It is finished.”
I stood up, and He led me out of the room. There was no lock on its door. There were still cards to be written.
Let Him shine through you!
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