It’s been great! Katiuska has a baptismal date for the 17th.
Two weeks! We’re so excited!
So after church Katiuska came up to me and said she had
something to tell me. She then said she'd decided to be baptized! I was so
excited! I would have jumped for joy and shrieked but we were in the chapel. So
I just celebrated quietly. She explained that she realized there was more to
life than temporal and superficial things. And she knew that the gospel is what
matters. It’s the eternal things that matter and will bring lasting and eternal
joy and peace. She picked the 17th because it's the Sunday before transfers.
Just 2 weeks! We are very excited. So is the Branch. They’ve all come to love
her. Its’ going to be amazing!
The branch is very helpful. I love them all! They’re great! Our
teaching pool is pretty good. We are teaching a couple families and our
less-actives are progressing well. It’s so good to see their progression!
I’m doing really well! I had some rough days this past week,
really hard. But I realized something and it has given me tons of help! My
energy and desire to keep enduring to the end has been strengthened.
Thursday night was one of the hardest because I suddenly had
a fear for you all. I was really worried for you all. But as I prayed I had a
vision of us all in white in the celestial room of the Boston Temple. It was
really clear and it brought me so much comfort. And every time I started to
fear again I thought of that image and peace flooded my heart. Prayer is
amazing!
This week has been a lot of ups and downs for me. One moment
I'm on the clouds and happy, then the next I'm wondering if I even know what
I'm doing, never mind able to do it. I've learned a lot about humility and
relying upon the Lord in prayer. Sometimes I'm not very grateful for my
weaknesses. Especially when they are manifested in front of the members or
other missionaries. But I learned, or rather, re-learned a principle through
all of this. The Atonement is real. Imagine that! It's real! And, it works! Not
just for those who have committed major sins but also for me and the weaknesses
that "do so easily beset me." At the end of each day I look back upon
those things that I did well. Not on those things I didn't do well, or didn't
do at all. I think of what I've accomplished, of how I'm that much closer to
exaltation and to my Savior. Then I resolve to give my best and work just a
little harder the next day. Heavenly Father understands that I'm human and will
not have a perfect day. He understands that my best, most of the time, just is
not enough. My testimony of the Atonement and the Savior's love and forgiveness
has been strengthened. I know without doubt that the Atonement is real. I know
as I am prayerful and do my best I will obtain eternal life. I love this
gospel! And I love my Savior, Jesus Christ! He is my best friend.
Andrea - I did read your email. It helped a lot. It helped me
realize the important things in life, that what's important is a strong
testimony in the Savoir and his atonement, to have a relationship with my
Heavenly Father. It was kind of cool because a day or two later I read
President Monson’s talk from the YW general broadcast. I was reading it for the purpose to
help an investigator but it ended up helping myself. As well as Elder Scott’s
talk about personal revelation and inspiration. Both talks really helped.
Have you looked at the pictures? !!
Oh! President called me to let me know my release date is October
23. It’s a Tuesday. So I’ll probably fly home on Wednesday. Which reminds me
about something. I heard about something I thought would be neat. Before being
released I thought it would be cool to go to the temple and do a session as a
missionary. If it doesn't work out it's fine, just a thought. When I get more
information I’ll let you know. But it probably won't be until about 2 months
before my release date.
It’s funny because it seems a lot of people are asking me
now what I’ll do when I go home. I just smile and tell them "I don't
know" besides the holidays and just being with family, I have no idea. Nor
am I going to think about it until then. Well, at least not right now. I don’t'
want to be "trunky." We'll
see as time progresses.
I love you all forever! I'm so glad you're my family! I
couldn't have asked for any better!
FOREVER LOVE,
Hemana Stephenson
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