Obedience seems to be the theme of the week. I studied that this morning. Obedience is being willing to obey. I also learned that Christ had to allow his will to be "swallowed up in the will of the Father." Oh that is hard!! But I'm going to try it this week. But I also learned from 1 Nephi 3:7 that obedience is a package deal. If I obey, the Lord will provide the way and walk with me. Sweet!! It's also one of the few ways I can give back to my Heavenly Father and show my love for Him. So obedience it is!!
We will most likely get iPads Thursday!! I'm so stoked! Our leaders have them and they used them at zone meeting. I was so jealous!! They are going to be so convenient!! As of right now they say they are going to be the churches and we won't keep them... But I think they'll let us pay for them and take them home. I don't know how that will work. Also with this whole iPad thing.. they are allowing missionaries to do Facebook right from their iPads! So the Zone Leaders texted us and asked if we were on Facebook. I said no.. . but that I would pray about it again. I try to tell myself that I have an open mind about it.. but I really don't. I was stubborn and said I'm not getting on. Mainly because I told so many people that I didn't want to teach through Facebook and I didn't want them to say "Ha! You got on! " But I was reading my patriarchal blessing and it says that I have the responsibility to spread the gospel.. through the means of electronic devices! So I prayed and did a whole morning study about whether I should get on. I kept reading about the Lord hastening His work which means to "speed up." I thought... This is the time to speed up the work and use EVERY tool to share the gospel. I then came to the conclusion that I need to practice obedience. To be a Facebook missionary you have to be obedient. You can't get on for the day if you don't have a perfect morning. So Heavenly Father told me to be obedient and then I will most likely be starting the process to get on next week. It's exciting! The Lord is really taking off with His work! Now is the time!!!
We moved Breanna's baptism back because she needs some more spiritual preparation before she is baptized. She even brought it up that she feels she needs a few more lessons. So she's reset for the 23rd. She'll be ready by then.
Wanda is just too funny! She has this really skinny dog named Bella that she just loves and pampers and takes everywhere! She also talks about how she goes out to burger joints and to steak places. She is just so old and funny! I love her! Wanda is doing good. She's reading the Book of Mormon daily!
They cancelled church yesterday because the parking lot had ice. Actually the ice is pretty scary. We saw a truck sideways in a ditch this last week and 2 semi's off the highway.
Kate we haven't seen... she obviously didn't come to church because it was cancelled.. but we're going to see her this week.
There's a lady here in the ward named Mama Eyestone. She has just started to come back and is trying to stop smoking. She has had a faithful home teacher for 20 years! I believe now that home teachers, as friends, can be such a good influence.
One of our investigators, Jeff, texted us a question. We had asked him to read 3 Nephi 11. He asked about verse 34. This was his text:
"It states in 3 Nephi 11:34 that if yous aren't baptized, you're damned. Yet there's that thing about after death yous still could be baptized. If you're damned, how does that work?" We were so excited to research this!! We immediately prayed and searched. We looked at the Bible Dictionary definition for damnation. It said it was the opposite of salvation. All who do not obtain the fullness of celestial exaltation will to some degree be limited in their progress and privileges and hence be damned to that extent. I thought that was so cool! Then we looked at the footnotes and it said "baptism, essential" Basically, baptism helps us move forward. Without it, we are halted and cannot progress and do not get the privileges of the Holy Ghost. We need baptism to progress and dwell with God! This applies now and after death. Damnation (progress cut off) is applied at judgement. That is when we are judged to a kingdom. Damnation means.. if we are sent to a kingdom other than the celestial, we cannot progress past that kingdom and we are stopped... He didn't really understand that.. We even went over and explained it in person. But it was so cool to have the revelation about it! Also.. he asked me at the end if I had been a member my whole life. I said "yes." He said "I want to meet a convert!" I said "even though I have been a member my whole life.. I didn't start to gain a strong testimony until a few months ago." He said "Really?" I explained that I knew things were right and true and I loved the temple and other things... but I didn't have a real, solid testimony until I got out here and it was truly tested. He kind of smiled a little and I knew that the spirit had touched him because I had to find out for myself the hard way if the gospel was true. It was such a cool visit!!
Friday I had a good study! I wanted to know more about Christ and feel closer to Him because I just felt distanced that morning. I started by reading Alma 7 about His atonement. Then I read 3 Nephi 11. I found myself just crying! I wrote:
I can't even write how much I love Jesus Christ. He is my perfect older brother. He knows how I feel and I feel His love and support for me. I honestly can't wait until the day when I can feel the prints in His hands for myself and KNOW He died for me. I can't wait to just hug Him tight! I know He is real and that He knows me and is aware of me. I love Him!!
I just felt so filled with His love! It was seriously amazing!
Then on Saturday we had a crazy good day!! We went to contact a potential investigator. Her name is Holly. Sister Ferrin met her with her last companion. She didn't really want to go back because she just didn't have the desire to.. but we were in her neighborhood so I said "Lets just go contact her real quick."
I thought over and over that we needed to re-contact her. I didn't even know her but I just knew we should. We went and knocked on the trailer door. She is in her 30's, works at McDonalds and takes care of her mom and her step-dad. Her step-dad (Jimmy) is pretty funny. He showed us a picture and said (with his toothless talk) "I had the prettiest blond hair you've ever seen!" Haha. Well, then we started the first lesson. We switched off every principle and we just brought the spirit right in. And for the first real time in a lesson, I quoted the first vision! Holly's eyes were locked on mine and when I finished she just felt overwhelmed with the spirit. She said she'd do anything to feel that way all the time! She committed to baptism and we have another appointment set up with her! Amazing right?!
Well that's not all.. We then went to a member's house, Brother Folgham's. He and his wife are members and they have a less-active daughter, Sarah, who is getting a divorce, is 22, and has a 2 year old little girl. Last Sunday Brother Folgham brought his cousin Larry to church. Sister Ferrin asked how he liked it and if he wanted to know more.. he said yes, so we taught him and it was another perfect lesson! He committed to baptism too.
THEN!! We met with a new investigator that Sister Ferrin has been trying to contact for 2 months. She is amazing and totally agreed that she needs the gospel. She's in a rough spot. Her name is Cathy and she is a hair dresser and is struggling with family. But we're going to commit her to baptism at our lesson this week. That means we will have 2 people with a baptism date and 3 committed to baptism! Whoo hoo! That's the most I've ever seen! It was such a good spiritually filled day!
My mission is going by too fast. I always think the days are so long but then I look back and realize that a whole week just happened. I'm halfway through this transfer! I'm almost 1/3 done with my mission. I don't like how fast it's going!! When are they going to change the time that sisters can serve for 2 years? I'd do it!
Well that's about it for this week! I'm bound to have another great week. I always look forward to your emails. I love you so much! Have a great week!
~Sister Rokovitz~
Sister Ferrin and Sister Rokovitz
Worked on a puzzle since we were stuck inside due to the ice.
I tried biscuits and gravy for the first time and.....it's not bad! I liked it.
