This week was awesome, we had a LOT of cool things happen, these are just some of the highlights!
One afternoon, we stopped by this lady named Dee who told us she has no interest in the chruch and that she wants her records to be removed and that she thought they already were...so we found out the process and went back to her house to tell her what it was and she let us in her home (that is the first time that has happened) and then we talked to her for 2 hours...and she didn't mention wanting to have her records removed once! Woah! And she gave us some Zumba DVDs to borrow and said she'd give us some herbal tea when we came back.....I was like, "wait, what just happened?" when we came out. There was definitely a lot of heart softening that happened those few times we met her!! haha Heavenly Father knows who we specifically need to be sent to!
On Wednesday morning we were able to go to the temple. Usually, we go the day before we fly home, but the Temple will be closed during that time, so I got the chance to go this week! It was so beautiful and I was filled with so much peace and gratitude to my Heavenly Father for knowing that He needed to send me on a mission. As always, after that beautiful experience, we faced a TON of opposition, it never ceases! hah! We met a lot of mean people and even got dropped by someone we were trying to work with, not to mention it is Valentine's Day so it seemed everyone was at date night! haha We kept treking, and I felt prompted to go finding on a specific street. We started knocking and we ended up meeting Marisol. It turns out that she had a super good friend who was Mormon when she lived in Mexico. We gave her a Book of Mormon and she told us she would read it to her 2 children she just adopted! Wow!! Friends, we will never know the impact we will have on others! Let's share the love we have! :)
We've been working with this member and trying to help her become a better member missionary and it has been one of MY FAVORITE experiences of my entire mission! She has such a strong desire to improve!!!! Those are the most fun people to help, that's for sure! She is so cute too! We invited her to study and pray this week in a way that has been different from what she is doing, and when we came back this week she said, " I can see why they tell us to do this everyday, it's awesome!!!" :) We were able to help her make connections and really see how it is "by small and simple things that great things are brought to pass." She told us she is never going to just read the scriptures again, but she will STUDY them :) guys, I'm not makin' this stuff up, seriously, it's awesome!
I have been really reflecting lately as my mission is coming to a close. I read this in my studies:
"3 And it came to pass that he was obedient unto the word of the Lord, wherefore he did as the Lord commanded him.
4 And it came to pass that he departed into the wilderness. And he left his house, and the land of his inheritance, and his gold, and his silver, and his precious things, and took nothing with him, save it were his family, and provisions, and tents, and departed into the wilderness.
5 And he came down by the borders near the shore of the Red Sea; and he traveled in the wilderness in the borders which are nearer the Red Sea; and he did travel in the wilderness with his family, which consisted of my mother, Sariah, and my elder brothers, who were Laman, Lemuel, and Sam.
6 And it came to pass that when he had traveled three days in the wilderness, he pitched his tent in a valley by the side of a river of water.
7 And it came to pass that he built an altar of stones, and made an offering unto the Lord, and gave thanks unto the Lord our God." (1 Nephi 2)
I wrote in my scriptures, "would I give thanks after giving up everything?" I looked at that question and pause for a minute. I realized that I am much more like Lehi than I realized. The Lord commanded Lehi to leave Jerusalem as He commanded me to serve a mission. He commanded Lehi to leave EVERYTHING except his family, I was asked to leave everything, school, work and even my family and friends. Lehi went and did as the Lord commanded and so have and I, and then he made an offering to the Lord as I have offered my service in the
mission field as an offering to Him. And I can say that at the end of this time I have profusely given thanks to the Lord for loving me enough to send me to the foreign land of Indiana to change my life forever. I know that when we follow the Lord's council, no matter how hard or difficult it may be that we are blessed 10 fold. I know that God knows what is best for us, and I am not sure words can adequately explain the gratitude I have to Him at this moment.
Serving with a Smile,
Sister Bradley
P I C S
The Indiana Indianapolis Temple (actually located in Carmel, IN) oh, and me, I am there too :)
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