Hello Everyone,
Sorry about my hiatus last week. I decide to just write my parents,
not that I don't love the rest of you :)
So I also haven't written a real email about what's been going on in
this world for awhile, so I will catch you all up to speed this week
:)
So I will hit the highlights from the last few weeks....sorry in
advance if this is a long email then....
So first off, we had a mini missionary!! The greatest experience ever.
It's kind of like having a child. So she came for a long weekend. She
lived with us and did everything we do. She came on Thursday night and
stayed until Sunday evening. She was awesome. We weren't expecting to
get someone who spoke Spanish, but conveniently she had taken Spanish
for 7yrs! So she could understand a lot. She was pretty nervous to
speak, but we kind of made her do it :) and she did awesome. She
wasn't sure if she wanted to come on a mission when she came. But she
would be an awesome missionary. It was a really humbling experience,
to have someone who is there to learn and grow from you. I mean yes,
we teach people all day long and I guess they are there to learn from
me. But it's different, she was there to see how I do missionary work,
and how Hermana Frisbie does missionary work, and how we work
together. She was there to learn how to be a missionary. Not to learn
the gospel. It was a really cool experience.
We also had zone training! And interviews! :) can I just take a minute
to say again, how much I love President Fenn, he is just so frank. But
so loving. He has no shame in calling people out. But it's because he
really loves them. We had a great interview and I was able to talk to
him about some of the things that have been going on that have been
challenging. We also had an awesome zone training. I love the leaders
of this mission. They are so humble and sincere. They're just good
people. Meetings are the best. I have never loved meetings more than I
do on my mission. Sad news though.....our zone is suppose to be able
to go to the Nauvoo temple....well we aren't allowed anymore....so I
don't get to go to the Nauvoo temple, or the temple in general for 3
more transfers..... Significant bummer of my life. But in order to
save miles we got to have a sleep over in Morton with the English
sisters. So there was us, the English sisters who are always with us
since they live next door, and the English sisters in Morton.....the
best, except I woke up on the ground. It's cool though. They live in
an apartment above a members house. It's way sweet. Plus they can see
tons of fireflies :) and even though we can see them from our middle
of nowhere apartment, we can't see them as well. Oh! Side
note....there is billions of bunnies here. All shapes and sizes. They
just run around everywhere. Terrorizing people gardens. It's not cute
anymore. It's obnoxious, they are everywhere. Anyway at zone training
we talked all about Joseph and Hyrum Smith...hence the email a couple
weeks ago and it was the coolest experience. At the end we all sang
Praise to the Man and on the last chorus we stood and I couldn't even
get the words out. I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet and he did
the work The Lord commanded him to do. I had it confirmed so strongly
to me in that moment. I know he was. I know everyone can know if the
only ask with a real desire to know.
Also let me tell you one of my greatest and funniest experiences thus
far on the mission....so we are knock doors and we find this younger
black lady, and she lets us right in and wants to hear what we
believe. It started off really well, she began telling us how she came
to have faith in Jesus Christ and some of it was a little questionable
but mostly it was really good and we were like yeah this is great. So
then we bring up the Book of Mormon and start to testify and teach of
the Book of Mormon and how critical it is, and she immediately changed
and basically began trying to teach us about how the bible is
sufficient and it hasn't been translated 'privately' or differently.
That every bible you read is the same......wait what? That the holy
bible is pure and sufficient. We just kept trying to testify and then
she pulled out some scriptures and stuff it was so weird. We were just
like lady, WE DO BELIEVE IN THE BIBLE BUT only as far as it is
translated correctly and that is part of the purpose of the Book of
Mormon. So here is the best part, she says, "Do you believe in
judgement day?" to which we of course respond yes, and then she says,
" Do you really believe at judgement day Jesus Christ is going to ask
y if you followed the teachings in the Book of Mormon?" And we said
yes, we know it. And she was just in complete unbelief and she started
to tell us about how we really need to question for ourselves the
things we have been taught, and find the truth in the holy bible and
not believe the words of our parents, or friends, or even a
pastor...etc. She just hard core tried to teach us and invite us. It
was crazy. But while she was talking I did think about my testimony
and if I did know these things were true for myself. And after I
thought about it, I just stopped her and told her as I will tell you,
that there is nothing that she could say, or that anyone can say that
will shake my testimony that I know the Book of Mormon is true. It is
the word of God. It is there to help us know the truth, and to obtain
salvation. I invite everyone everywhere to read it and see for
themselves, to know for themselves like I know that the Book of Mormon
is the word of God. The spirit was there very strongly when I told her
that, and it's because I know it. With all my heart I know it. She
couldn't say anything. So we prayed with her and left. She asked if
she could pray and we said yes, knowing what was about to
happen....and during her prayer she prayed that we would have open
hearts and be able to find and accept the truth and know that the
Bible was true(which we know) and that it want changed by man and that
we would have the courage to accept the truth even if meant losing a
friend or making other sacrifices. It was so weird. But I do want the
Holy Ghost to testify of truth to me, and it has. I know that this
truth is true. I know that the Book of Mormon. The spirit has
testified this to me. It was an interesting experience because
everything she was asking us to do we would do and come out with
stronger testimonies, but we were asking her to do the same things and
she wasn't willing to do them. Satan is so real. He really confuses
people and lulls them into false security in false yet pleasing
doctrines. We left that house graciously but boldly without backing
down or seeking common ground. I love being a missionary and being
able to declare boldly to people unchangeable truths at the guidance
of the spirit.
Being a missionary is hard. It's the hardest thing I have ever
consistently done, but it is also the most rewarding.
I know I have a lot of people who read this email and don't know if
this church is true, or maybe don't believe it is. I want to tell you
it is. In this church is the authority of Jesus Christ as given to his
apostles in the bible. With that authority we make covenants, such as
baptism. Which is absolutely necessary for salvation, but can only
open the doors of Heaven when preformed by someone who holds the
authority of Jesus Christ. This gospel requires you all. Your whole
heart and soul. Sometimes your sweat, blood and tears. Because that is
what was required of Jesus Christ when he laid down His life to make
salvation possible. He set the terms in which we could receive this
salvation, this mercy and grace, and I know it is contained within the
pages in the Book of Mormon and preformed by priesthood authority.
Salvation is not a cheap experience. So this is not a Sunday only
religion. "Let us here observe, that a religion that does not require
the sacrifice of all things never has power sufficient to produce the
faith necessary unto life and salvation; for, from the first existence
of man, the faith necessary unto the enjoyment of life and salvation
never could be obtained without the sacrifice of all earthly things.
It was through this sacrifice, and this only, that God has ordained
that men should enjoy eternal life; and it is through the medium of
the sacrifice of all earthly things that men do actually know that
they are doing the things that are well pleasing in the sight of God.
When a man has offered in sacrifice all that he has for the truth’s
sake, not even withholding his life, and believing before God that he
has been called to make this sacrifice because he seeks to do his
will, he does know, most assuredly, that God does and will accept his
sacrifice and offering, and that he has not, nor will not seek his
face in vain. Under these circumstances, then, he can obtain the faith
necessary for him to lay hold on eternal life" (Joseph Smith). Though
it requires our all, the blessing are so much more then we could ever
deserve. An eternal life with our God, our Savior, and our families.
The life that God lives. Can you imagine that! And the best that we
can do is a small repayment for the best the Jesus Christ did. I know
that you can know this for yourself through faith, earnest prayer, and
consistent reading in the Book of Mormon. The gospel of Jesus Christ,
answers with certainty the questions of the soul.... Where did we come
from, why are we here, and where are we going after we die...what
happens to our families...will we ever see them again after we die...
Find the truth for yourself. It will bring more peace, strength, and
pure joy into your life then you have ever previously experienced. I
promise.
Fight the good fight. I love you. I know there is so much more to this
life, and that we have a greater potential then we now understand,
that these are found in the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Love,
Hermana Simmons
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