Barry Manilow has got it right...Where does the time go?

email 18 August 2015

This week was amaaaaaazing. Wow. There were so many spiritual experiences. But first I'll start off with last p-day. We got to play four square and it's my new addiction!!! I love it so much! And it's the only sport that I'm not terrible at. I brought my sombrero so whoever the king was had to wear it. 

This last week we had the incredible opportunity to hear from an apostle of the Lord. It was one of the most spiritual experiences that I have had in my life. Elder Ballard spoke on several topics, but my favorite was his "doctrinal journey". He pretty much taught us the first discussion in a way that invited us to change. I don't really know how to explain it. Haha He spoke with simplicity, but it was very powerful. One of my favorite things that he said was to "Come to the feet of your best friend every Sunday." Meaning that we should use the atonement of Jesus Christ and change each week. I love that he called Him our best friend. I love my savior Jesus Christ. I love what He does for me. That I can go to the feet of him and drop all my sorrows, temptations, pains, worries, sins.....He takes them all. And makes me whole. Also president Jaggi asked me and Sister Betzold to organize a song for some sisters to sing for Elder Ballard. This was a week before and we were like "uhhhhhh what do we do??" So we prayed about the song and prayed about the sisters who should be in it. We had maybe 1 1/2 hours of practice. I KNOW that angels helped us sing that song on Saturday. Our voices were lifted. It was AMAZING. We sang "My Kindness Shall Not Depart From Thee" by Rob Gardner. It testified to me of Heavenly Father's unconditional love for ALL his children.

I heard a quote this week that I LOVE and I've been thinking a lot about. It says "Church is here to comfort the afflicted and to afflict the comfortable." Wow. I can testify STRONGLY of this quote Haha. We always need to be changing and growing. And there's no growth in a comfort zone. A lot of times I've tried to sit on the fence about things. Not completely wanting the change. But I don't want to be bad either. But Satan owns the fence, too. That's why when we look through the fence, it seems greener on the other side. But it's not. It never is. It's so important to get away from the fence. It's important to get far far away from it. And that's what church is for. :) It's there to help us be made whole. Whether that's by being comforted or being afflicted. Each tender mercy and each trial helps us towards our goal of being perfected in Christ. Allow yourself to comforted and afflicted this week :). 

This week Sister Richins and I were out visiting people and we had just gone to many houses that weren't interested. Sister Richins turns to me and asks me if we should visit someone else on that street. Usually we just go from point A to point B. Because it's not effective to tract. But this time we decided to pick a random house and try it. And the SAME thing happened in this contact as it did with Debbie that just got taught in West Weber. We were walking to the door, and after a day or rejection, I didn't have much hope for this one. But I recognized it and quickly repented and changed my mindset. We get there and this lady lets us right in! She's a member and her husband isn't. We were talking to her and getting to know her. And then we got on gospel topics. When we started to talk about Jesus Christ she started bawling. She told us that she needed us to come that day. That she needs the spirit back in her life. And guess what her name is? DEBBIE. It was amazing to see how similar yet how different these two women are. I think the part that's similar is that they were both prepared by Heavenly Father to receive our message. They both have different stories and different concerns. But the spirit was the same. The prompting was the same. And it's amazing the glow people have when they are truly ready. They're hearts are prepared and open to receive the gospel of Jesus Christ. We are now teaching Debbie and hoping that her husband will want to join in. Another interesting thing in common with the two Debbies is that I've only been prompted to promise a very specific blessing twice. And both have been with Debbies. Debbie #2 has some anxiety about big groups of people. So that's one of the reasons she doesn't go to church. And we promised her in the name of Jesus Christ that her anxiety will disappear as she reads the Book of Mormon. I know without a shadow of a doubt that this will happen. She has the faith to do it. And we do too. These are the precious experiences that I cherish. I'm not sure I'm worthy to have them. But Heavenly Father loves me enough to allow me to be part of His miracles. How grateful I am! 

Okay last thing.....I've been avoiding it. Tomorrow I reach my one year mark on my mission. It's definitely bitter sweet. I never want my mission to end! It's weird to be older in the mission now. I'm supposed to be the "experienced" one. Haha but I'm still over here trying to figure it out! It goes fast. But I still have 6 months of being a full-time servant of the Lord! I'm loving every second of it. I wouldn't want to be anywhere else in the world. :) 

Love ya lots! 
Sister Sarwos. (New one I got this week).