Friday, March 14, 2014

March 10, 2014

The work is going so well here in Łódź! Beata is still progressing despite the fact that she got SUPER sick and couldn't come to church this week! She's still excited and working towards baptism and recognizes that Satan is doing all he can to prevent her from baptism, but knows that the Lord's strength is infinitely stronger! It's so amazing to see how determined she is! We finished teaching her the lessons the other day and so now we are preparing her for baptism and helping her to set habits now to become a real "kingdom builder" in the future. Baptism is not the end! The blessings of being baptized extend throughout our whole lives as we partake of the sacrament everyweek and after a year of membership can go to the temple and extends into the eternities! Aleks is another investigator who went on a trip to Scotland this week...we were worried that she'd decide to stay there in Scotland once she got there and we never heard from her all week! But then Sunday came and she came to church all on her own and totally amazed me with how faithful she is already! She's learning more about the Saviors power. She said, "I've only met Christ 2 weeks ago, and now I'm working and wanting to actually get to know Him." It's so amazing to see these amazing women deepening their faith in Christ and feeling His power as they pray for strength and guidance! I'm so blessed to be able to work with them!

It's already time to put away our big down jackets here in Łódź **knock on wood** and I'm SO excited! It's getting sunny and beautiful and Sister Moncur and I even got to go contacting in a park yesterday and there was a man with a popcorn and cotton candy stand! It's officially spring and i LOVE it! It's a time of rebirth where the world can start with a clean slate. It's just like with baptism and repentance! I love the primary song that goes "I like to...ponder on the beauty of an Earth made clean again. I want my life to be as clean as Earth right after rain. I want to be the best I can and live with God again." I love that! As we repent and are baptized, we are cleansed from our sins and are reborn... colors are brighter and the light in our life is more aparent and bright...just like during the springtime when the light starts to come a little sooner in the day and it's a little brighter and warmer...dethawing the cold just as repentance through Jezus Christ dethaws and brightens our souls. It's so amazing and I'm so grateful not only for the gorgeous weather and chirping birds, but for the opportunity to repent and undergo the glorious change and rebirth that the Earth undergoes at this time of the year. :)

Sister Moncur and I are doing great! We are teaching and contacting each day a little more in unison...she made phone calls for the first time on her mission the other day and did a great job and set up 2 meetings!...it's our goal that in 2 weeks we will be doing everything 50/50 and the week after that that she'll play the role of senior companion! So things are going really great here and we're making progress and loving the sun!
Funny: Sister Moncur and I were in Warsaw for 2 days this week for zone conferences and legal work and stuff and so one day were just got lost in Warsaw contacting and loving the whole time! There was a lady walking her dog that was absoltely not interested!... but her DOG WAS! The dog just sat right at our feet and REFUSED to budge! The lady practically yanked his collar off of his neck, but the dog did not want to leave our side! At least somebody there knew who were were and who we represented! 

Spiritual: Today I had an amazing personal study! Being 100% honest and absolutely open here: everyone here on the mission always says, "I've come to know my Savior so much better!" and I have always thought that I must be doing something wrong because I feel like I have, but not like a 180 degree change or anything... but today, I think I really made leaps of progress on my very gradual road to coming to know Christ better on my mission. The Spirit testified to me so strongly today as I studied to teach a woman who believes that Christ is only a historical figure that He is in fact the Savior. As I studied, my understanding was enlightened! Things were clicking and I finally know what it means that "Christ Lives!" And I know He does! I know that Christ died...His spirit left His body and He died just like each of us will. But He resurrected! His body and His spirit reunited! He is alive! He breathes! He loves! He is sad when we do what we shouldn't. He is happy when we do what is right. He has emotion! He doesn't live on the Earth, but reading 3 Nephi 11, I know and cannot deny that Jesus Christ AFTER He was killed, was a living being when He showed Himself to the peoples of America. He lives today and loves us and directs this church! I know that this church is true and I cannot deny it. I'm so grateful for this sacred experience of being able to come closer to my Savior this morning. Coming to know the Savior is not always a sudden thing like Alma the younger or Saul/Paul...for me it has taken time and much effort, but I've always had faith...and today I feel like a portion of that faith has become a knowledge, just like it is promised in Alma 32. These things are true.

Love,
Sister Blake

No comments:

Post a Comment