A Whole Bunch of Letters

We've received a whole bunch of letters from Kathleen that I have just neglected to post for the last few weeks.  So I am going to make up for it by posting this cute picture and excerpts below from a few of her letters.  -- Rebecca Sykes

April 20, 2015

We finally met with Mle this week. This was the woman who ushered us into her house to talk to her children a week ago. We finally caught her when she was home and we had a wonderful lesson with her. 

This was another one of those times where you have something planned for someone, but you realize that they need something else. We wanted to teach her about the restoration this week, but the Spirit guided us away from that as we started talking to her. She first started talking to us and peppering us with questions: Why are we on a mission, do we have two last names or just one, who was our family etc.

As we started teaching I was going to ask why she was interested in meeting with us, but I got an impression to instead ask who Jesus Christ was in her life. She opened up to us about how she is really struggling. She is out of work because she broke her hand and still can´t move it. She has a daughter that is in jail in her country. Another in France who´s about to have a baby and she can´t visit. Her son ran off to go live with a much older girlfriend. And last of all, her other daughter got mixed up with gypsies and a dangerous lifestyle. Like any parent, she is very pained, but she believes the Lord is still with her. And he is.

We talked about the Atonement of Jesus Christ and that he understands what she feels. We also explained that because of the Gospel, families can be united now and in eternity. She has many things to hope for. We taught her how to pray and invited her to pray at the end of the lesson. She really appeared to feel that the Lord was listening to her. You could tell that she knew she was talking to her Father in Heaven. Hermana Griffin asked her if we could do anything for her at the end of the lesson, and she really appreciated that we took such an interest in her and her needs.

4/27/15  Grandes Noticias!!

I have some awesome news... Followed by more awesome news. Actually I´m pretty sure this is going to be a great email.

First off, we were in companionship study today when we recieved an ominous phonecall from our district leader. He said that all the missionaries are to read the ENTIRE bulletin. Hermana Griffin and I were both a little nervous about what this meant. Maybe it meant there was going to be a split in the mission. Perhaps we were going to be collectively called to repentance (although I´m not sure why I thought this as we appear to be a pretty good mission).

We had to go to 4 different computer cafés in order to find two computers side by side (mission rule) in the small space of 45 minutes. We quickly signed on to see what happened only to find out... Drumroll please... 

We´re getting iPads!!!

We have a seminar on the 7th to train us how to use them. I´m crazy excited for this!

In the way of spiritual things this week I wanted to talk about something really important to missionary work: Invitations.

It´s basically what all good missionary work is based on. It´s part of the plan of God for us to learn how to put off our natural inclinations to be selfish and serve ourselves. As missionaries, we can not make people do the right thing no matter how much it will make them happy. The only thing we can do is invite. This is the way that the Lord works with his children in order to help them do good.

I read this in Moroni 7:13,16

"But behold, that which is of God inviteth and enticeth to do good continually; wherefore, every thing which inviteth and enticeth to do good, and to love God, and to serve him, is inspired of God... For behold, the Spirit of Christ is given to every man, that he may know good from evil; wherefore, I show unto you the way to judge; for every thing which inviteth to do good, and to persuade to believe in Christ, is sent forth by the power and gift of Christ; wherefore ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of God."