We're Creating the IDEAL Here
April 29, 2013
On The Same Page
Oh boy, where to begin...
Do you know how INSPIRING it is to put two strong, worthy, able, and faithful sister missionaries together?It’s not only INSPIRING; it’s DANGEROUS. President Lima actually did a few of these practices before he did the switch. Sister DeOliveira and Sister Esteves (who was still junior at the time but they are of the same group, meaning they left the CTM at the same time) stayed together for a transfer, and they grew a LOT (not sure about baptisms). Sister Céspedes and Sister Carréra were put together, and they baptized 4 in one transfer. Mind you, Sister Carréra was supposed to go home because she would have to operate on her knee, but she decided to stay and spent a good portion of the transfer recuperating. Because of the support of Sister Céspedes and undying passion of Sister Carréra, they have opened the heavens here and miracles are pouring down. It wasn’t easy for Sister Carréra to be Juniored again, but just looooook at how the experiment worked OUT?!
On The Same Page
Oh boy, where to begin...
Do you know how INSPIRING it is to put two strong, worthy, able, and faithful sister missionaries together?It’s not only INSPIRING; it’s DANGEROUS. President Lima actually did a few of these practices before he did the switch. Sister DeOliveira and Sister Esteves (who was still junior at the time but they are of the same group, meaning they left the CTM at the same time) stayed together for a transfer, and they grew a LOT (not sure about baptisms). Sister Céspedes and Sister Carréra were put together, and they baptized 4 in one transfer. Mind you, Sister Carréra was supposed to go home because she would have to operate on her knee, but she decided to stay and spent a good portion of the transfer recuperating. Because of the support of Sister Céspedes and undying passion of Sister Carréra, they have opened the heavens here and miracles are pouring down. It wasn’t easy for Sister Carréra to be Juniored again, but just looooook at how the experiment worked OUT?!
Sunrise over Niterói
A NEW BEGINNING
A NEW BEGINNING
Our first week here, we found a family to baptize; and they will be baptized this SUNDAY. I feel like I am turning the page of my mission and Sister Céspedes just happens to have already written there, as if she was meant to be in my mission right now. We are each other’s 7th companion. And, as the #7 is the number of heaven, well, it’s already explained. The only thing that’s faulting is adjusting to her accent and really trusting that what she’s saying is correct, lol. I actually have always wanted to be Sister Céspedes’ companion. MAN, she is so SPIRITUAL; she’s read the Book of Mormon 5 times and has 3 different journals that she dutifully writes in. And among all she accomplishes, she happens to talk my EAR off. Always. Hahahaha, I love it.
I’ve never felt so COMFORTABLE teaching our “first lesson” together that wasn’t well-prepared. But, do you know how easy it is to work with someone who is on your same spiritual experiences level? UNfathomable. We are working like equals: swapping ideas, setting goals—not as senior wants to change something and junior follows suit, no. Not so. We’re putting our missions together and creating the IDEAL here. Man, I’m so excited!
I’ve never felt so COMFORTABLE teaching our “first lesson” together that wasn’t well-prepared. But, do you know how easy it is to work with someone who is on your same spiritual experiences level? UNfathomable. We are working like equals: swapping ideas, setting goals—not as senior wants to change something and junior follows suit, no. Not so. We’re putting our missions together and creating the IDEAL here. Man, I’m so excited!
PRAYER WORKS
I’ve been trying to slowly but truly do allllllllllll the commitments we give to our investigators. I have been praying every day to know if the church is true for a week and 4 days, and I’ve already had 2 answers. One was when I was studying. As I reflected on all the positive things that have happened—just how much I have grown because of the organization of the church, etc.—it came to me as a thought, “You’ve always known it’s true.” It hit me as if, “DURRR, why are you asking?” but in a kind way, as if I never need to doubt. The second time we were teaching a recent convert who has lost her testimony because she doesn’t have a great memory. When we were teaching, she asked, “Then, WHICH of all these churches is true?” I paused ONLY for a millionth of a second to breathe and said, “The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints” with all the conviction I could muster in my very being. Then I cried, and I cried, and I cried some more... not because I felt happy and filled with the Spirit, but because it was RELIEVING to get that off my chest, as if I had neglected saying it. That’s why people start having doubts… because they don’t repeat to themselves what they know to be true. I also cried thinking of allllll the people I always pass on the street who DON’T know that the true church of Jesus Christ was restored to the earth. |
DO YOU KNOW?!?! DO YOU BELIEVE?! HAVE YOU ASKED?? I also cried because my testimony didn’t penetrate her heart. Instead, she listened with her physical ears because some neighbor was calling her at the door.
The Holy Ghost
The family we found had a little upsetting lesson when the son decided to visit, brought in a knife-cutting spirit of contention, and said we were wasting our time.
“We’re Catholic! Plus, they don’t understand a thing you’re saying.”
Our soon-to-be WML said, “But you just said you have a brother, right?”
“Yes.”
“And he is of what church?” Thus, indicating that his whole family wasn’t all Catholic, and they have the ability to choose.
The son said nothing.
I LOVE MEMBERS!!! I followed that the worth of souls is great in the sight of God.
Another mother of a son we’re teaching cut into our tranquil lesson, talking about how Joseph Smith was a thief and went to prison a million times and no one liked him and that the Book of Mormon wasn’t true. She only had the courage to enter into the lesson after drinking her big shot of coffee. Good idea. So what did Sister Céspedes do? She started right into the conflict the mother brought up. Sister Céspedes told her straight-up that the story of Joseph Smith started with the persecution he received because he saw God and Jesus Christ. She explained that he was persecuted because of this and died a martyr for all he did. I then explained the story of Joseph through the side of the parents because, as a mother, she is worried that she will be confounded because she will let her son enter a church that isn’t true. Imagine the worries of Joseph’s parents when he said he saw God and Jesus Christ, but what did they do? THEY PRAYED, THEY BELIEVED, THEY ASKED GOD, and they READ THE BOOK THAT THEIR SON TRANSLATED BY THE POWER OF GOD and, yet, was very persecuted because of it.
I know I’m not wasting my time, you know why? I KNOW. (Know means you asked God in prayer and received an answer by the Holy Ghost, testifying of truth. Because truth never changes, and the Holy Ghost will never testify of lies; therefore, you know you have found truth.) I KNOW that the Book of Mormon is a Book given to us by God. I KNOW the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is TRUE because it is the church of JESUS CHRIST; HE is the way, the truth, and the life. Therefore, there is only one church that Jesus Christ established, restored, and is leading in these the last days.
DADDY! Hey, so here’s the thing. Last year around your birthday, I was getting used to being in the field and FORGOT about your birthday. THIS didn’t happen. I remembered you TO THE EXTENT that I chose and bought a Brazilian birthday dad card. Not quite sure why birthday cards here are SUPER EXPENSIVE. Each one is always more than $2, and they’re always sun-bleached because of the amount of time they have been collecting dust on the shelf. I wrote in it and DIDN’T send it, BUT I will send it today. I really love and appreciate you. And, don’t worry, I’m baptizing geezers older than you; so you still can be “reborn” every Sunday. In that aspect, you’re A BAAAABY! Loves, Sister Nelson |