Last week my companion and I set a goal to have more spiritual experiences in our every day lives. Don´t get me wrong, the mission is very very spiritual but it is also easy to fall into a routine and forget to seek the Lord´s will in everything. So we decided to change that once again. To really really seek His will and His words in EVERY situation. We had some really cool experiences as a result. Every single day something wonderful happened in our lessons and in our lives. So I´m going to share some of my favorites.
Last week we visited a less active that a member had told us about as a reference. (We have a new rule in the zone that we cannot contact. It is not allowed to ever knock on a door. We have to work directly under references and service. We still talk with every one we meet on the street but if we have extra time in place of knocking on a stranger´s door, we visit a member and try and encourage them to share the gospel or we strengthen their own testimony with a lesson. It´s been a bit difficult but I think it´s wonderful!). Anyway, this lady hadn´t been to church in a long time and she said it is because she didn´t have a testimony of the Book of Mormon. She didn´t want to be in a church if she didn´t know that it was true. Pretty reasonable enough. Then she basically told us not to come back. She said she knew that the member had high hopes of sharing a faith with her old friend once more but that it wasn´t going to happen. She was very eloquent and polite about the whole thing. She said she felt she could still have faith without going to church but thanked us for bringing the spirit into her home for one afternoon.
We could have stopped right there and left like she had implied. Or we could have argued with her and shared some scripture about how the church is true. Instead I felt the spirit prompt me to say that we weren´t there to bring her back to church. We were really there to help her get to know her Savior and build faith in Him. The entire environment changed and we were able to share a lesson. Earlier that morning I had changed my entire study schedule because I felt like I should read in Ezequiel of all places. In that lesson I learned why. I shared Ezek 34:11-12 and then asked her to share what she had understood. I was thinking that maybe we could talk about how the Lord rescues, knows, and loves us, but she said something different. She said she was like a lost sheep that the Lord was going to look for and help and that maybe we were an answer. We invited her to read and pray about the Book of Mormon again. Then we finished with a kneeling prayer. I have not felt the spirit that strong in a lesson for a long time. Will she return to church really quickly? Probably not. But she was able to feel the spirit and know that she is a loved daughter of God that day and we were able to feel the spirit work through us.
Another day we were able to have a member with us in every single lesson. We had several experiences that day as the members took over and taught and testified of the truths that they live. It sounds so much better coming from them as they talk with their neighbors and friends! One of the lessons was with Clariluz and Gregori. We had a member of the bishopric with us and we had explained that we had a plan to teach about tithing. When we started singing the hymn I felt like we needed to change the theme. After the opening prayer I glanced quickly at my companion and the member and said, "Today we are going to talk about the atonement." Neither of them looked surprised and we continued with this theme. Each person ended up talking a little bit about what Christ means to them in a sort of mini testimony meeting. It was absolutely amazing. Afterward, the member told me that he had prayed to change the topic but hadn´t said anything. He thanked us for following the spirit. We don´t always have the blessing to hear about the results of when we follow the spirit but it definitely is special when we follow a prompting and then later find out just what happened.
Another goal we had this week was to learn the conversion stories of more members in the ward. So when we drop by the member´s houses we have asked them to teach us about their conversion in place of us sharing a message. We heard some really cool stories including some funny ones (one member had visited a witch to learn about his fate and she had said that 2 men would bring a gift that would change his life. When the missionaries came he took it as a sign and then later gained a testimony as he read the Book of Mormon).
One night we were a little pressed because all of our appointments had fallen through and we weren´t sure what we were going to do. We decided to drop by a less active who lives with the Relief Society President. She wasn´t there so we started talking with her husband. We talked about nothing for like 45 minutes. I kept thinking "Maybe we should go. We´re just wasting time." But it just didn´t feel like we needed to leave their house so we stayed a little longer which goes against everything that they teach you. Two more members came to visit and we just kept talking. Then another family dropped by. At this point we had be there like an hour and a half. Usually I go crazy just "wasting time" like that but I still didn´t feel like we should leave the house. I asked them if we could share a spiritual thought and they all agreed (all like 12 of the members). Then I asked them if they would share their conversion stories. Each of them proceeded to do so. The power went out and we just continued sharing by candle light. The spirit was so strong as they each remembered the moment that they KNEW that this church is true and just what that knowledge meant for them. Almost all were references. So afterward I invited them to help others find the happiness they have in their lives. We gave them each a pamphlet to give to someone and then practiced some simple examples of how to present it like "This is the most important thing in my life. Will you please read this and accept an invitation to learn a little bit more about my beliefs? Nothing else makes me this happy and that´s why I want to share it with you." Each one agreed to do so and a few of them asked for an extra pamphlet (Even the RS president who is usually really closed off to us!)
It was awesome to see why we had felt ok to sit in the member´s house so long. The Lord was bringing people to that house to have a spiritual moment and He orchestrated the entire thing actually. How else do 12 members randomly end up in the same house at the same time as the missionaries unplanned? It was even cooler though when each and every single one of those members bore their testimony on Sunday and shared how their testimony had been rekindled the night before. Each of them thanked us separately for the opportunity to share their story and feel the spirit so strong in their lives again. I knew then even more fully that the spirit was what guided us there that night and showed us what to do.
There are so many other wonderful experiences that I would love to share with all of you but my time is short! I want you all to know that the Lord does really know us. He is aware of our situation. When we take time to look for His will and try and do the things that He would have us do He is able to work miracles through us. Look for the ways to follow the spirit in your life this week. If a thought pops into your head, follow the instructions. The first time. You will be amazed to see the results.
I love this gospel and love being able to tell everyone I meet that we are in the truth (it doesn´t sound as cool in English. haha. Estamos en la verdad has a better ring to it). Love you all and hope that all is going well! Until next week...share your testimony, follow the spirit, join in this marvelous work in whatever way is possible.
Hermana Ewell
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