Week 40

Oh my goodness gracious, I don't even know where to start! LIFE IS SO GOOD! I LOVE being in Clark Lake (it now feels like home, and I've definitely made so many relationships with the members and the people here), I LOVE being Sis. Judd's companion, I LOVE being a sister training leader, I LOVE being a missionary, and I LOVE this gospel. 

Miracles:

I really feel a difference in the atmosphere of the ward since we've been doing short lessons with members. They know us and trust us better, they're able to see how the gospel has blessed their lives by discussing the doctrine of Christ, they're a lot more motivated to share the gospel, and each has resulted in them giving us names of less-active members to visit. By teaching the doctrine of Christ, the members are more impelled, not compelled, to share the gospel. It's coming from the inside-out, not the other way around. I'm also learning that we can do NOTHING without the members. Nothing sticks, nothing lasts, nothing keeps going without their help. Getting members to lessons and to meet people has been so key in spiritual progression - especially Amy and Ken. 

I don't exactly know what we did, if anything, for the Lord to POUR out blessings, but He is! It's truly amazing.

On exchanges (when one missionary switches another for 24 hours), Sis. Judd and Sis. Carlin (I went to Sis. Carlin's area with her companion, Sis. Keele. So great!) drove past a lady by our apartments who was pushing a stroller, had 2 kids roller-blading around her, and who looked absolutely exhausted. They felt prompted to talk to her, so they drove in a circle to come back and put up the front that they were getting something out of the trunk ;) She invited them over the next day, when I was back, and we had an AMAZING lesson with this lady, Kayla, and her 10 year old daughter Annie. Kayla initially said she just wanted to learn more, but as we taught them about the Restoration you could just see in their eyes that they believed it. Lisa said she's tried all sorts of churches and has studied with Jehovah's Witnesses, but things have never quite "sat well" with her - UNTIL NOW. Everything made sense in her mind and in her heart, and she seemed so relieved to find that what she has always believed, especially about living prophets, is true. She and Annie both committed to be baptized at the end of this month!!

Tanya is moving out of the ward :( but she's getting baptized THIS SATURDAY!! AH she's so great - she bore her testimony yesterday! She shared 2 Ne. 32:3 (I will always remember this scripture as Tanya's favorite) and said that scripture helped her feel that the Book of Mormon and this church is true. The Book of Mormon is SO POWERFUL. I'm learning to teach from it more, to help them understand that it's the keystone to everything - to let the prophets and the Spirit teach them, not me. She also said in her testimony that she's doing this for her. I love those words. Near the beginning of her testimony, she said "Hail Sister Hehl!" hahaha.

Amy and Ken came to church!!!! And they LOVED it! It was a spectacular fast and testimony meeting, and the Spirit was so strong. They had to leave afterwards because of their daughter, but they're reading and praying together daily (!) and they're excited for us to come back this week :)

Hurrah for Israel! 

Sister Hehl