September 15, 2014

What a truly special and amazing week it has been!  I don't know where to start!  We saw so many blessings and answers to prayers.  On Tuesday, we had zone training meeting on becoming consecrated missionaries and on having the right member with us at our lessons.  It was awesome!  They talked about the reason why we do everything we do has to center on our love for God and how sacrifice helps us to become consecrated missionaries, when we give our all to the Lord.  It made me think of Christ's sacrifice and love for us.   I always love feeling the spirit and the added guidance and counsel that we receive at our zone meetings so that was a nice treat to have it on my birthday!  Well, the rest of the day  was great too!  Bonnie had her baptismal interview after our zone training and did wonderful! 

Anyway, I had a great birthday.  Sister Cosgrove made me breakfast and the members we had dinner with surprised me with a cake!  Sister Cosgrove told them on Sunday without me knowing.  I think my favorite part of the day though was when we were at Bonnie's house and were following up on her reading in the Book of Mormon and her praying.  I have been praying very hard for her this past week, of course, but it was such a tender moment when she told us about how she did what we asked her to.  She had been reading the Book of Mormon in 2 Nephi and had been having a hard time with it.  It is not easy to understand.  We told her, as we have before, to pray for help and that prayer really makes a difference.  When we came back she told us that she had done it; she prayed before and said that it makes all the difference!  She flipped open her Book of Mormon and shared a verse of scripture with us that had spoken to her.  She told us that it was Heavenly Father answering her prayer and that He still had His arms open to her.  

Bonnie's baptism was amazing as well!  We had a conflict on Saturday so we held her baptism on Friday evening.  We were worried about the members of the branch coming to support her because it wasn't announced in church on Sunday.  We had nothing to worry about.  There was so many people there!  The Spirit was so strong in that room.  Her daughter and granddaughter came, as well as two other nonmembers!  Bonnie's daughter was really touched by everyone's love for her mom (kind of like how Lamoni's dad was by Ammon).  After the baptism we had a dinner appointment and the members just took us out for pizza.  While we were getting pizza Bonnie's daughter walked in!  I know it wasn't a coincidence that we went to the same place!  We invited her to eat with us but she had to leave.  It was still really neat and I think her heart was softened that night.  

I'm so very grateful for everything I have been so blessed with!  This gospel is true.  Well, I have to get going or I would tell you all more.  Hope you have a great week! love you!

The church is astoundingly true!