Sister Jennifer Bradley, Indianapolis Indiana Mission : Church is Cancelled

Well, for the first time in my entire life, all of church was cancelled, all activities, everything. Seriously, everything. The fireside that night, all 3 wards in our building and several other buildings all didn't have church. That devious Indiana weather was at it again, this time with freezing rain (which I didn't even know existed until my mission) everything was coated in ice, it's like everything was glazed (kinda like how donuts are glazed haha). Crazy. Bring a friend to church day was supposed to be that Sunday too, but never fear! It has been postponed! Maybe someone who needed to attend wouldn't have been able to make it yesterday! :)

Ladies and gentleman, friends and family, brothers and sisters, we have waited many many days for this time to finally arrive for the Indiana Indianapolis mission. I am pleased to tell you that technology, more specifically smart phones, have arrived! haha the joke at the beginning of my mission was "3 months" but that 3 months turned into years, and years into my whole mission, except the last 2 1/2 weeks! :) " Behold, and lo, I will take care of your flocks, and will raise up elders and send unto them.

Behold, I will hasten my work in its time." (D&C 88:72-73) the Lord is hastening HIS work, He is helping us find HIS elect, and this is a glorious way to do it. The Lord has great trust in us.

I had a really cool experience contacting this week. We knocked on a door and this cute lady answered. I feel that is one of the most beautiful experiences I had where I literally felt the Lord speaking through me. Not my words, but His. Before walking up to the door I thought, what am I going to say? There are countless approaches, but I felt that we would be guided. I put my trust in God, and ended up bearing one of the most powerful testimonies I have ever borne. I know the lady felt it, and I felt it, and my companion felt it. We talked about prophets and I asked her, "Why do you think there aren't prophets anymore if God has always worked through them in the past?" She paused and you could see her mind opened to the possibility that God might work through prophets again. We gave her a Book of Mormon and invited her to read and pray and ask God, himself, the source of all truth. She took the Book of Mormon and now what happens is in her hands with the agency she has.

We taught Carla and she told us about this Anti-Mormon video she watched. From my experience all anti-Mormon literature is just truth twisted. We asked her some of her questions but this lady never ceased to amaze me. She told us some of the things it talked about and she said that it strengthened her testimony...God definitely chooses His elect, and when we have faith, nothing can shake us! She is starting to find answers to her questions on her own now! It is amazing to see how we are filled when we thirst after knowledge!!! :)

Today Mosiah 4:9-10 really stood out to me.

"Believe in God; believe that he is, and that he created all things, both in heaven and in earth; believe that he has all wisdom, and all power, both in heaven and in earth; believe that man doth not comprehend all the things which the Lord can comprehend.

And again, believe that ye must repent of your sins and forsake them, and humble yourselves before God; and ask in sincerity of heart that he would forgive you; and now, if you believe all these things see that ye dothem."

My companion Sister Gotay would quote this man Dr. Jim and would say, "It's simple, but just not easy." In theory, it is easy to believe in God and in His great majesty and power. We are standing on this beautiful earth in a vast and ever expanding universe, surrounded with endless possibilities and God's endless love, and yet, sometimes I think we forget to do the only thing He asks of us.

"If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love." (John 15:10) What can we do to "try a little harder to be a little better" (Hinckley) and push ourselves the 2nd mile? To taste of God's love is most desirable above all other things. What can we sacrifice to feel it a little more? What can we do to share that with others? How can we make our lives more purposeful? I know that God knows all. I know that He wants us to repent and experience the joy that comes from it's fruits. I know that Jesus Christ lives and is my Savior, and that He love me enough to die for me so that I and you could have a chance to become better.

Serving with a Smile,

Sister Bradley

Picture time!