Wednesday, March 18, 2015

He is the same yesterday, today, and forever

Hello! This has been the busiest week that we have ever had here in Bemidji which is awesome. The work is really picking up.

Spring is in the air
Want to know what else is happening? Nice weather- Spring is in the air! That is good and bad though because all the snow melted so there is puddles everywhere. I tried to jump over one yesterday and I jumped right into it and soaked my feet. It was terrible! Don't try to jump over puddles in a skirt, it doesn't work out very well. But we did break record for having the warmest day in Bemidji for that day. It was so nice we rolled our windows down took advantage of it and went tracting!  Last weekend we held a "spring fling" for little kids in the church. We got a bouncy house and filled up a classroom all the way to the top with balloons! It was a great way for members to invite their friends with kids and for the less active members to come and meet the members as well. Also, a room full of balloons... come on... that just screams fun!  But Sister Haycock has always been scared of balloons so it was really funny.

One of the most fun parts of last week was that we got to help Beth clean up her grandma's house that had flooded.  We love Beth so anytime we get to hang out with her is awesome!

(Beth messaged me last week and sent these pictures of the girls helping clean the flooded house.  Looks like they had fun and got to put on jeans for the day)



Goodbye Rocker Dude, Hello Mr. Priesthood
Our investigator, "R" from Tennessee is really making a lot of progress.  He had long hair and looked like a biker/rocker dude and always comes to church in jeans and a t-shirt and a beanie. Well, this last Sunday, he was sick and couldn't come to church, so we went to check on him.  When he answered the door we were shocked. He had got a hair cut, bought a new white shirt and tie and suit and dress shoes!  He has really come so far and wants to be baptized.  He said he wants to be baptized before I am transferred which will most likely be in a couple of weeks since I have been here 7 months already.  But we need to help him quit smoking first. We love him and know that he will get there.  He has such a strong testimony already and is trying so hard.
 
M and S
Remember his roommates, M and S, who we met and started teaching last week?  They came to church without him on Sunday since he was sick, which was amazing!  It was perfect to because Kirsten spoke and her talk was awesome.  M's biggest struggle is that he didn't even believe in God when we first met him.  He was in the military and really suffers from PTSD.  He said that when he was overseas and prayed he didn't feel like his prayers were being answered.  He opened up to us and told us he really wants to believe what we are teaching him and that he really wants the gospel to heal him. He wants it to be true, he is just trying to figure it out.  He is coming from a difficult place where he still needs to believe that there is even a god.  He told us that if there is a God, he knows He sent us to him!  He is such a sweet man.  He gave me a horseshoe charm because he is sad that I wont be here for his baptism. He already says "when I get baptized" and stuff like that.  He tried to tell me he will wait for me to get off my mission so I can come back and see him be baptized but I told him no he has to do it as soon as he is ready.
 
An emotional lesson and a rewarding text
On Sunday when we went to check on R, we ended up teaching him, M and S while we were there. It was a very emotional but spiritual lesson.  They threw all kinds of questions at us and we really had to rely on the spirit to guide us so we could answer them.  Then the next morning, M texted us and told us that he's willing to open his heart to this and really try to change his life because he could feel that this was something that would mend is soul.  It was the most rewarding text message ever. Please pray for him!
 
He is the same yesterday, today, and forever
I love when I read in Alma about the missionaries in the Book of Mormon. Reading it helps me to better understand my calling as a missionary. It helps me understand that this is the Lord's work. He really does bless us and He leads us to the people that we are meant to find. I just read about Ammon and King Lamoni. They were long lost friends and Ammon found him and brought him the truth and so many generations were effected by that. It has helped me to see missionary work for what it truly is.  It reminds me of the sacredness of my calling and that this isn't anything new. It has been going on forever and it is the same as it has always been.  The only difference is that in the Book of Mormon the first lesson was the Plan of Salvation and now we teach the Restoration as the first lesson.  1 Nephi 10:18 "For he is the same yesterday, today, and forever; and the way is prepared for all men from the foundation of the world, if it so be that they repent and come unto him."

I love it here so much! I never want to leave but I will be okay with whatever happens. The church is true.

I love you all,

Sister Park
  
 
 

 





 




 

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