I Will Give Unto You Success

Holy Bologna! This week was G-L-O-R-I-O-U-S!

So, let's see if I can start from the beginning... This week started out pretty normal, like any other week. We taught a few lessons, tried to teach a few lessons (but the members and the investigator wouldn't stop talking long enough for us to teach lol), and sadly had to drop quite a few investigators who just aren't quite ready yet. That's always sad, but we have to remember that God won't forget about them and when they are ready he will lead the missionaries to them or them to the missionaries. So it will all be okay:)

Then, Thursday, we had our Zone Conference with Elder Zwick of the seventy. It was incredible. I wish I brought my notes with me, so that I could share some of the things that I learned! But, I think, more importantly that what I learned is how I felt. Throughout the meeting, I just knew and felt that I was right where I was supposed to be. I am here in Tampa Florida, serving under President Cusick, right now, for a reason. Some people think we are spoiled little missionaries. We have cars, iPads, washers and dryers in our apartment, even warm showers and AC are things that some missionaries live without. But we aren't spoiled. We are having exactly the experience that our Father in Heaven knows that we need. We have iPads because Heavenly Father needs us to learn how to use them wisely and effectively and kill any bad habits that we may have had before our mission (i.e. wasting time on Facebook, Pinterest or Instagram and pornography).

That was the biggest thing I picked up from the training is that our mission is just boot camp for life. We are here to learn how to be disciples and how to serve God our whole life through. Our mission is to build us, so that someday we can be good mothers and fathers and raise up our own Helaman's Army. There is so much more happening here than just find, teach, baptize. That is essential to our purpose and it provides opportunities for us to learn and grow. But God has a grander purpose here. President Cusick, President Monson, and our Heavenly Father have high expectations for us now and throughout our lives and we are learning how to reach those. I look around at all of the faithful missionaries that I serve with and never have I known so many people that were just so good. That had such a strong desire to improve and be like their Savior. Its glorious!

Right after the training on Thursday, we had to rush home to make it to our Open House. And even then, we were late. Sadly the open house was kind of a bust. Over 75 invites were handed out by the members, and only 5 people showed up. To be honest, if we weren't still on a spiritual high from the training that would have been pretty depressing. But we just brushed the dirt off, stood up and kept moving! We have another activity coming up this week that should bring in a lot of members to the church.

So, there is a scripture that I'm pretty sure most of you are familiar with. Its in Alma chapter 26 verse 27:

"Now when our hearts were depressed and we were about to turn back, the Lord comforted us and said: bear with patience thine afflictions and I will give unto you success..."

Sometimes, I get really sad on my mission. Sometimes, it doesn't feel like I'm doing any good. Of the five people that I helped to be baptized, only two are still attending church. One wants nothing to do with the church at all. And now, a year in I am finally seeing the promise of this verse be fulfilled:

"I will give unto you success."

Let me tell you about this "success". We will call him XYZ. XYZ was a church headquarter referral. He was in Salt Lake last week on temple square and requested that the missionaries here in Sebring come visit him when he gets back. So, we called and set up and appointment for this past Saturday.

So we went, we have both been feeling really good about this guy all week long. Then when his appointment rolled around EVERYTHING went wrong. It was the last day of the month, and since we had to travel so far for our training meetings we were out of miles. There was a relief society function happening at the church so it took forever for us to find a ride over there. When we finally found one, she showed up ten minutes late. Then when we were well on our way to his house, we realized we had forgotten his Book of Mormon and had to go back and get it! UGH! FINALLY, we show up at his house.

The front door was open, so we just went in to find XYZ sitting on the couch next to his wife ABC. ABC stands up and introduces herself as a member of the church from South Jordan, UT. And then she introduced us to her husband of only a week, XYZ. We then learn that they met online and were just married the week previous. XYZ has been SEARCHING for a church his whole life (he is now well into retirement). And he feels that he met ABC so that he could find this church. He asked us how many lessons he would have to have before he could get baptized, then he asked how long it would take. When we tried to set a baptism date with him (before we had even taught the lesson, mind you) forMarch 21, he asked if it could be sooner. So, within the first five minutes of meeting this guys, he now has a baptism date for March 14 and has agreed to meet with us four times a week. He was the perfect student throughout the lesson, he even took notes.

The next day, he showed up to church in his suit and tie and looked so spiffy that everyone assumed he was a member already! He would introduce himself as a "member-in-training". He is so prepared! He and his wife were already studying from the Book of Mormon together every day and he says that is his favorite part of the day!

 The best part is, they live in Utah part time!!

So, moral of the story, God knows us. He loves us. And in His own time, He will pour out the blessings, and fulfill all of His promises, so long as we stay faithful.

I love you all! Hope you have a fantastic week!

Sister Rowland