I entered into the MTC. Crazy! How fast can a year go?
One of things that I've been working on is having hope that things will work out for the best. Like most missionaries, I've experienced a lot of disappointment on my mission. Even amazing missionaries, like Alma, and Aaron, and Ammon, experienced disappointment at times. Alma, after being rejected by the people of Ammonihah, is described as "being weighed down with sorrow, wading through much tribulation and anguish of soul." The sons of Mosiah describe how they felt about heading out on their missions later: "When our hearts were depressed, and we were about to turn back, behold, the Lord comforted us, and said: Go amongst thy brethren, the Lamanites, and bear with patience thine afflictions, and I will give unto you success."
Now, I'm not facing half of the trials and afflictions that they faced! Luckily, no prison or smiting or being bound for me! But there have been days of a lot of walking and a lot of shut doors. People who think we're misguided or evil or who knows what. The tough thing for me is not the rejection. It's not allowing yourself to harden your heart against the rejection. It would be easier to say, "Whatever. They rejected the gospel. Their loss." But that's not the example of these missionaries! No matter how much rejection they faced, their hearts were still full of hope. They pressed on, hoping that they might bring "some soul" unto repentance.
And then they were blessed immeasurably! Think of Nephi, in Helaman 10:4-5. "Blessed art thou, Nephi, for those things which thou hast done; for I have beheld how thou hast with unwearyingness declared the word, which I have given unto thee, unto this people. And thou hast not feared them, and hast not sought thine own life, but hast sought my will, and to keep my commandments. And now, because thou hast done this with such unwearyingness, behold, I will bless thee forever; and I will make thee mighty in word and in deed, in faith and in works; yea, even that all things shall be done unto thee according to thy word, for thou shalt not ask that which is contrary to my will."
I am still working on my unwearyingness, and my hope. But I have reason to be more optimistic this week!
I think I mentioned that we're working with a part-member couple, and the wife is preparing for baptism. I should tell more of the story!
We visited Matt and Carol for the first time pretty early on in my time here in Paris. Matt has been less active for most of his life, and he is a self-described "long-haired hippie." He's Carol's third husband, so they've been married for about ten years. Since they've been married, she's helped him to make a lot of changes in his life. She's the absolute sweetest person you'll ever meet. Extremely tender. Well, Sister Schwenke and I visited them first, and they were very friendly, and very talkative. We continued to visit them, and eventually Carol began investigating the church. Continue on... teaching principle by principle, we taught most of the lessons. When we first invited her to be baptized, she was hesitant. Some of her family was against her joining. But after a while, of reading and praying, we invited her to pray about a specific date: October 4. She prayed, and she received an answer: yes! She and Matt have been to church two weeks in a row, and they are just joining right into the branch family. This week was testimony meeting, and Carol actually wanted to get up and share her testimony! She was a little too nervous to share it in sacrament meeting, but she shared it with us in Gospel Principles, and it was so wonderful.
So hopefully we'll be preparing a baptismal service over the next couple of weeks!
This week was a mix bag of good/hard. We had an excellent zone training on the importance of teaching people about the Atonement and about salvation.
Not many pictures this week, sorry D:
Helped a member move into the branch, which was fun! Drove out at 8 pm and moved in without any lights turned on. Oh, the joys of missionary work! Getting eaten alive by mosquitoes!
I think that the thing that I'm most excited for with the changing seasons is the deaths of millions of mosquitoes. I know, I shouldn't wish death on any of God's creation... but come on.
Lots of love!
Sister Barret
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