April 30, 2012

Hi Family!

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TOMORROW ALLY!!!!!!!!  I'm in denial that you're almost 17, so I'm going to pretend that you're turning 15. HAPPY 15th BIRTHDAY!

 

This week was a good one. We met "Lloyd the Drifter" as we were tracting down a dirt road. His name isn't really Lloyd, but it's the name he goes by when he sells the arrowheads he makes. He had made several big birds out of old rakes and tractor parts. He was fun to talk to. 

 

Our investigators are doing well. We've been teaching a brother and a sister. The brother has been reading The Book of Mormon and praying about it and the sister hasn't been interested in really finding out if the church is true, but likes learning about it. They come to church every week. Yesterday after church the brother said he knew The Book of Mormon was true and that he needs to get baptized. He had a powerful spiritual experience that brought him to tears one day when he had read and prayed. His sister decided to get more serious about studying and said she would read and pray as well.  It's amazing that when people really follow Moroni's advice and read and pray sincerely, the Lord will always answer and they'll always know it's true. 

 

We taught a new man this week from Roland who we met one night when we were tracting. It was getting late and everyone we met was telling us we needed to go home so we were debating if we should or not. We decided to go to just one more house and we walked up and he was sitting on his porch looking really discouraged. He told us he believes in God but isn't close to him. He has 5 kids and he's a single dad and he's got a lot of hard things going on. When we came back and taught him he expressed all the guilt he has and his unwillingness to forgive himself. I'm so grateful for the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Without Jesus Christ we wouldn't be able to forgive ourselves or be forgiven, but because of Him we can. We can change. We can be different people than we were before. He said if he could really be completely free from his sins in the past, he'd die of happiness. That's the joy that the Gospel brings.  There is no greater happiness.  I'm grateful for this life. I'm learning that it is for changing and becoming more like the Savior, which we can only do with His help. 

 

I love you all so much!  I hope you have a wonderful week!

 

Love,

Sister Monson