August 5th, 2013

Hello Everyone!!!!

i am full to bursting! CAPS CAN'T EVEN EXPRESS HOW HAPPY I AM!!!

MIRACLES ABOUND!! 

My God is a God of MIRACLES.

this week has been crazy. so much has happened! biggest things: tuesday we got in contact with a referral from some other elders, jo. we also met his girlfriend kat, and we PUT THEM ON DATE FOR BAPTISM ONAUGUST 31!!  it was a great lesson! we had a church tour with them thursday and it was kinda rough cause there was a lot of competing to talk, but we ended it in the chapel and the Spirit was SO strong. we sang "I am a child of God," talked about Jesus Christ and how this is His gospel, and how through Him we can get through anything. Kat cried and jo said he almost did. it was so amazing to SEE them EXPERIENCE the gospel and the Spirit!

and the HIGHLIGHT OF MY LIFE:

yesterday was seriously the best day of my life. shannon (another investigator), kat, and jo all came to church! and to smorrow's and my shock and wonder, JO GOT UP AND BORE HIS TESTIMONY. HE SAID THAT HE KNOWS THIS IS THE TRUE CHURCH AND THAT HE IS COMMITTED. WE didn't even know all of that! he made people cry with his testimony! luckily he didn't swear over the pulpit, haha. but seriously, it was amazing. i'm still in shock. i mean, WHAT JUST HAPPENED? is this real life? sure doesn't feel like it! OUR INVESTIGATOR BORE HIS TESTIMONY. we taught the lesson in relief society about missionary work and in the middle of it, kat raised her hand and thanked us for being her friends, for sharing the truth with her, and for helping her feel so happy. jaw dropped, it's fine. i just can't believe it. i feel SO BLESSED to be witness and a part of this miracle. and it'll only get better!! they know it's true! we have to work on the word of wisdom and the law of chastity, but i KNOW it's possible, and the Lord will help them do anything they need to in order to get baptized, as long as they put in the effort to know that it's true for themselves and trust in Jesus Christ. it is INSANE how prepared they are - kat stopped drugs and alcohol ON HER OWN 2 weeks before we met her - one of many examples. they've been through so much but they are really looking for the truth, and THEY KNOW THEY'VE FOUND IT!

this tuesday we also did exchanges, and i got to be with sister barlow from my MTC district! oh it was great, and i've come to love her so much more now - REALLY love her. we met this AMAZING girl, elizabeth, 17 years old, and we put her ON DATE FOR AUGUST 31!! she was so prepared too! 2 of her grandparents died last summer, and since then she's had a much closer relationship with God. and it was such a miracle we found her home, not busy, right then - she lives with her mom in another city and was just visiting! i'm still sad that i'll probably never see her again, cause we made a real connection and i really love her! but i just had the thought: we'll hug in heaven. :D AH this is the best joy - gospel joy!

i think the biggest miracle of my mission overall is how many people i love. i never knew my heart could be this big. and it keeps growing! 

we also finally made contact with another referral, marsel! we had an awesome church tour with him friday, although he didn't come to our church (we really hope he went to 9 o'clock church with his aunt, who's a member, like he said he would). he got the chills when i recited joseph smith's account of the first vision. we put him on date for baptism for AUGUST 24!! 

shannon has been investigating the church for 8 years, on and off, and we still haven't had an actual lesson with her but we will tomorrow, actually. she considers herself an "honorary member" cause she's been taught so much, haha. she's really awesome though - super nice, outgoing, everything. she really loves the people and the social aspect of it, but she's working on trying to feel the Spirit more. she felt it SUPER strongly at a YSA activity about a month ago, (made her cry) and she wants to feel it again. and she's found the more sure-fire way

 to feel the Spirit! read the Book of Mormon :)

i LOVE "the psalm of nephi" : 2 Ne 4. please read it, everyone? thanks :) 

oh how i love you. every single one of you. yes, that sounds cheesy, but IT'S TRUE! there is NO LIMIT to how many people we can love! i am determined to love as many people as humanly possible in this life. 

Hurrah for Israel!

Sister Hehl