Monday, January 16, 2017
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| Lots of rain |
Well folks another week has come and gone! Boy oh boy was it an exciting
one!
I hit my 14 month mark, not sure where time went but I officially feel
old in the mission. I'm holding on to every second!!
I'll start with Tuesday because that's where the real fun starts! We
went on exchanges and I went with Hermana Cragun to spend the day working with
the beautiful Spanish people of Gridley! It was so much fun! We were so
diligent and even though I couldn't really communicate with them, I really felt
the Spirit that day. We started off with a miracle! Our service canceled so we
decided to try some potentials. We tried to see L. but found out from H. that
he doesn't live there anymore. H. only spoke Spanish and the only thing he said
in English was "left side." Sister Cragun couldn't quite get what he
said so we headed over to the trailer next door. She didn't feel like it was
right so we turned to see H. in his back window pointing and giving us
directions to try to find his house. We never found it but we did meet Lupe! We
shared a message with her and got a return appointment! God works in mysterious
ways and nothing is ever a coincidence.
We went over to M.'s house to read the Book of Mormon with her.
This lady knows no English and I know very little Spanish so Sister Cragun
would translate everything. Well M. wanted me to participate so I read with
them from El Libro de Mormon. It was pretty fun, I struggled by Sister a
Cragun helped me out haha and M. even said I had a good accent and should be a
Spanish missionary! Haha
Wednesday was a day of interviews and diligence. President
Marston recently announced that he is to hold interviews every transfer so he's
had to cut the time down to 15 minutes per interview. It's quite the adjustment
because I'm used so spending at least 30 with him. So not everything gets
discussed but it definitely makes you prioritize. We discussed revelation and
how it's a flow and when we aren't obedient, we are slowly brought out of the
flow of revelation. So it's important to be obedient and keep ourselves worthy
of revelation for God.
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| Sister Cowden, Sister Gore & Pres. Marston |
Oh
he also told me that I, staying another 6 weeks in Gridley!! And I believe him
this time haha I am SO excited to stay and to continue to be companions with
Sister Cowden! She is such a joy to work with!
The rest of the day was filled with finding, with little success.
But we were able to help M. get a raise to mutual and she absolutely loved it.
We stopped by and found all the youth in the gym playing Crab soccer and M. was
right there laughing and having fun! She is really growing and her light is
just continuing the shine.
Thursday was our Zone meeting in Oroville. Sister Cowden did a
focus on companionship unity! We had each companionship talk together and
discuss their strengths and weaknesses. I've had many companions, some have
become best friends while others it is a bit tougher to work with. I have loved
each one of them and have learned something from them. My current companion and
I work in such good unity, our teaching is balanced and we are both driven. She
truly is such a blessing and an answer to prayer. I'm grateful for the Lords
pattern of preaching the gospel two by two.
Friday we had an amazing Mexican dinner with L. and J. They are a young couple with a
little baby. She fed us dinner and we shared the video "New Years: Look
not behind thee." We've been sharing it a lot and I just it. I love the
message of letting go of our past and moving forward. It's all possible because
of our Savior Jesus Christ. So grateful for Him. I'm especially grateful for
the opportunity to partake of the Sacrament each week and get a clean slate.
Christ just loves us so much! It's refreshing!
Saturday we had a lesson with A. and his dad J. The Spanish
Elders came with us and we taught the Restoration. This is probably my favorite
lesson to teach. It what makes the gospel and the church unique from others. I
am so grateful for a modern day Prophet and for revelation. Grateful to know
God loves us so much and that He is the same yesterday, today and forever.
Sunday was fantastic but a little tough. We had a couple set
lessons that fell through and we don't have too many people in Gridley that we
are working with currently, a lot of people on hold. But we had 4 investigators
at church so that was a miracle!!
Oh funny moment! We were in gospel principles class and
Brother Wilkins called on Sister Cowden to say the closing prayer. So she
stands up and asks me what the teachers name is. Right as she is about to start
we here Freona saying the prayer. So Sister Cowden slowly sits down and we do
our very best not to bust out laughing. But we lost it once she said "Amen."
She said afterwords, "I don't know if I was supposed to pray but I heard
Freona so I said it." Not sure how she got Freona from Sister Cowden but
okay 
Since we have church during our morning studies, we have started
coming in early and studying at night and boy is it needed. President Marston
calls studies our tithing for the day. My Sunday night studies have become some
of my favorite. I am so grateful for the time set apart just to study the word
of God and spitballs fill my cup! It is so incredibly needed and I pray that
when I go home I can make the time to continue to study each day.
Yesterday I read the talk "Press On" by Jospeh B
Wirlthlin from the October 2004 General Conference. He talked about the
importance of enduring to the end and that it's not just suffering through our
trials but that it is a process of coming into to Christ. Lately I have been
thinking a lot about consistency and that is not something I am very good at.
Elder Wirthlin says "Enduring to the end means that we have planted our
lives firmly on gospel soil, staying in the mainstream of the Church, humbly
serving our fellow men, living Christlike lives, and keeping our covenants.
Those who endure are balanced, consistent, humble, constantly improving, and
without guile. Their testimony is not based on worldly reasons--it is based on
truth, knowledge, experience, and the Spirit." It clicked for me, it's all
a process and reading this strengthened my desire to continue to endure and to
further come unto Christ each day.
Love y'all so
much! Like I always say, I love the Lord and I love being a missionary!
Open your mouth
this week and share the good news of the Gospel and let me know how it goes!
And, if you don't know about the gospel, open your ears and heart and listen!
Love y'all
Sister Emily Gore
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