Family,
Well, I just have a lot to share with you this week! First of all, I was so excited to hear about Rachael's baptism, and see pictures!
I love hearing about your experiences in the summer. I had another Star Wars moment. I am honestly trying to focus on uplifting things, and recently I've been doing and feeling a lot better about my focus, BUT there is just something about riding your bike in between motorcycles and cars and then going on to the sidewalk and then back of the street that just sometimes makes me think of being in a star wars movie. Such is the life of Smilthling, I suppose.
PARABLE OF THE TALENTS- Here are some insights and thoughts I've had during my studies this week and through my pondering... :) 1) D&C 60:2-3, 13. Don't be idle or bury your talents. I thought about how being idle is one form of burying your talents, also not just not sharing, but also not practicing or developing your talents is also a form of burying... Made me ask, what are talents God has given me to bless others that I'm ignoring or not developing.
Well, I just have a lot to share with you this week! First of all, I was so excited to hear about Rachael's baptism, and see pictures!
I love hearing about your experiences in the summer. I had another Star Wars moment. I am honestly trying to focus on uplifting things, and recently I've been doing and feeling a lot better about my focus, BUT there is just something about riding your bike in between motorcycles and cars and then going on to the sidewalk and then back of the street that just sometimes makes me think of being in a star wars movie. Such is the life of Smilthling, I suppose.
PARABLE OF THE TALENTS- Here are some insights and thoughts I've had during my studies this week and through my pondering... :) 1) D&C 60:2-3, 13. Don't be idle or bury your talents. I thought about how being idle is one form of burying your talents, also not just not sharing, but also not practicing or developing your talents is also a form of burying... Made me ask, what are talents God has given me to bless others that I'm ignoring or not developing.
My time is short, but look up "The Call to Be Christlike". Maybe read and discuss at a family night? It is so amazing to realize that in this dispensation, we are no longer running, we are here to stay and here to fight for Christ. Satan is going to put up his best fight but guess what? (D&C 88:110-116) He's going to lose. I love that the Book of Mormon gives us clear examples of those on the Lord's side, and the enemy's strategies. So ultimately remember, the question isn't "Who will win?" Scriptures tell us who will win. The question is, "Which side are you striving to be on?" And trust me, as we are simple doing our best to repent and love others, the Spirit will let us know how we're doing and we will always feel Christ's love for us. Because He truly always loves us. Always.
WEEKLY MIRACLE TRACKER-
This week first and foremost I need to acknowledge the miracle of me speaking Chinese. It truly is amazing sometimes I have these moments I hear myself and I'm like, what? Chinese is coming out of my mouth? The gift of tongues is definitely real! This week we had a super cool experience. A lady we just started talking to on the street (after almost walking away and we shared a couple of HBT phrases) stayed and asked me, what is your testimony? I was totally caught off guard, so she asked again, what is your testimony of this message? And I had the great opportunity to say, I know Jesus Christ lives. And then she asked, how do you know? And I was able (remember, in Chinese!) to tell her a little about how through Christ's atonement I've felt of His love and my family relationships have gotten stronger. I've been forgiven of mistakes, and I know who I am... have a sense of belonging. After that she said, why don't you give me your number and if I have a need I'll call you. She was going to just walk away at first! The Spirit works amazing things, as we are worthy, and as we seek to find people willing to listen to the Spirit. That has been the biggest change and really helped us this week. We saw great miracles while contacting because we were trying to follow the Spirit and we were praying to find people, not prepared to become our new investigators, but that would be prepared to listen to the Spirit. We just had plans to do all we could to create an atmosphere the Spirit could teach in. It was amazing to feel, after 5 hours on the street Friday and another 5 Saturday, so at peace, and spiritually uplifted, and we met some really great people (who we then sent the referral to where they live, but as long as they are feeling the Spirit and learning the gospel, it doesn't matter which missionaries are doing it).
FACEBOOK FINDING-
Facebook, by the way, it an awesome tool! We are loving posting on members walls and then we write down if their friends like our post, and which post. We can then ask the member about that friend, and invite them to open a gospel conversation or some small thing. Also, we have started posting on the ward missionary page pictures and scriptures but also miracles we see while doing the Lord's work. We hope this will help the members get to know us better and be more excited about missionary work.
Put on the armor of God! Pray! Read! Go to church and the temple! Serve and love! Stand strong in faith in Christ. Love you!
-Sister Smith
WEEKLY MIRACLE TRACKER-
This week first and foremost I need to acknowledge the miracle of me speaking Chinese. It truly is amazing sometimes I have these moments I hear myself and I'm like, what? Chinese is coming out of my mouth? The gift of tongues is definitely real! This week we had a super cool experience. A lady we just started talking to on the street (after almost walking away and we shared a couple of HBT phrases) stayed and asked me, what is your testimony? I was totally caught off guard, so she asked again, what is your testimony of this message? And I had the great opportunity to say, I know Jesus Christ lives. And then she asked, how do you know? And I was able (remember, in Chinese!) to tell her a little about how through Christ's atonement I've felt of His love and my family relationships have gotten stronger. I've been forgiven of mistakes, and I know who I am... have a sense of belonging. After that she said, why don't you give me your number and if I have a need I'll call you. She was going to just walk away at first! The Spirit works amazing things, as we are worthy, and as we seek to find people willing to listen to the Spirit. That has been the biggest change and really helped us this week. We saw great miracles while contacting because we were trying to follow the Spirit and we were praying to find people, not prepared to become our new investigators, but that would be prepared to listen to the Spirit. We just had plans to do all we could to create an atmosphere the Spirit could teach in. It was amazing to feel, after 5 hours on the street Friday and another 5 Saturday, so at peace, and spiritually uplifted, and we met some really great people (who we then sent the referral to where they live, but as long as they are feeling the Spirit and learning the gospel, it doesn't matter which missionaries are doing it).
FACEBOOK FINDING-
Facebook, by the way, it an awesome tool! We are loving posting on members walls and then we write down if their friends like our post, and which post. We can then ask the member about that friend, and invite them to open a gospel conversation or some small thing. Also, we have started posting on the ward missionary page pictures and scriptures but also miracles we see while doing the Lord's work. We hope this will help the members get to know us better and be more excited about missionary work.
Put on the armor of God! Pray! Read! Go to church and the temple! Serve and love! Stand strong in faith in Christ. Love you!
-Sister Smith