Well ladies and gentlemen, I'm getting
transferred! As hard and frustrating as this area has been, I love it and I'm
going to miss it so much. We worked hard. We really did. I tried to do my best
and some days I did and some days I couldn't. It is so hard to be able to accept that the
Lord is truly finished with you here and you did all you could, but I'm
starting to feel peace. We saw a lot of
little miracles in this area and exercised a lot of faith. I love the work again. If that is anything this area has taught me is
to love the work, no matter the difficulties, the setbacks, or the
cancellations.
I have made some life
long friends here! This ward has got to be one of the best. They are
incredible. But I know I will see them again, it's just a see you later.
Well I forgot my
planner so I don't really remember what happened this week but I'll try to
recap as best as I can.
Mon: Moved all day.
Crashed. That's it.
Tues: P-Day. Email.
Shop. The usual. Had a lesson with Alton at the Schnegelbergers. He is planning
to do baptisms at the temple this Wednesday and be baptized for his dad!!! Ahh
so exciting.
Wed: Alright I have a
story for this day! So we went and had a lesson with Lynda that night and it
was one of the most spiritual lessons of my life! We decided to show her the
Restoration DVD to continue to help her grasp the big picture and gain a
testimony of the Restoration of the gospel. It ended up being the perfect idea!
She got so much out of it. She also had
been given a gospel principles manual at church and had been reading out of it
as well as the Book of Mormon. She knows
it's true she just has to take that leap of faith. She has been Baptist her
whole life, her family is Baptist and she even spent some time studying at the
Baptist seminary! We are asking these people to make serious changes in their
life. To leave behind what they've been
taught and accept and live a new way. It's
not easy! So she said that she's waiting
for a real confirmation from God that this is what He wants her to do. She asked us to pray for her, So I said, well
do you want to pray right now? We all
kneeled down, something I rarely invite anyone to do. She asked me to offer it. I knew how important this prayer was going to
be and that I was going to have to rely on the spirit. The words just flowed without any thought. I prayed that Lynda would know that the Book
of Mormon was true, that Joseph Smith was the prophet of the Restoration and
that she would find her answer as to be baptized or not. I couldn't tell you the words I said exactly,
but it was one of the most powerful prayers I've ever offered. At the end, I asked Lynda how she felt now,
she said "I know the Book of Mormon is true." We extended a baptismal date right then and
there and she picked the end of the summer, August 20th!!
It was incredible, the
spirit just can't be described. Although
I won't be able to teach her anymore, there is a very good chance I'll be able
to get permission to come attend the baptism!
Thurs: Move-in day!
Funny story: We pull up to our new apartment and the Scotts had come out of the
apartment, the door locked behind them and the keys were left inside. We couldn't get ahold of the landlady so
S.Peterson attempted to pick the lock, no avail. I said, "Let's say a prayer!" So we
did. Then our neighbor came out and he opened the door with a credit card cause
the dead bolt wasn't locked, haha so we were able to get in and move in all of
our stuff. THEN we were on our way out
to go to lunch and the keys we had didn't work, locked out again. We come back and open up the door again with a
credit card. Thankfully a man came and
gave us the right key just a couple hours later! Things just never happen smoothly do
they?
I'm nearly out of time
so I'll wrap this up! I have been so
blessed to serve in this area. I know
that Heavenly Father is so aware of each one of us and He knows exactly what we
are going through and what we need. I
don't know how He does it, but I know that He knows me and He hears my prayers.
I have done some serious growing and
stretching in this area, but that is the purpose of this earth life, to work
out our salvation. We couldn't do that
without opposition. Bring on the next adventure!
Love, Sister Dearden
PS I only have 5 transfers
left. How did that happen?
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