So it's been a
pretty great week. We found some new investigators on the street who
have all accepted to receive the discussions so we're excited about
that. :) I love breaking social norms haha. People on the street think
we're strangers but little do they know we're siblings :D
Speaking
of family and the human race.... this week I've been studying a lot
about the fall of Adam and Eve, the mortal existence, and our need for a
Savior. I learned again that there are two things that we cannot
overcome alone... sin and death. So when we talk about salvation, that
is what we are being saved from--sin and death. Thanks to Jesus Christ
we can LIVE again. After we die. Be resurrected. That is how we overcome
death. He will make possible for us what would otherwise be impossible
without him.
Then there's sin. We have all
sinned. But Him--never--which is why he has the power to forgive us, if
we live his gospel. Those are his conditions. Faith, Repentance, Baptism
in his name by his authority, receiving the gift of the holy ghost,
and enduring to the end. That's it, and we are saved. He will forgive us
and we will overcome our sins. Again, making possible that which would
otherwise be impossible without him.
I think
before my mission I sometimes would let myself get angry or frustrated
by my questions and things I didn't understand, that I wouldn't just let
myself accept the simplicity of the gospel. But now I have. :) I feel
like I've reconnected with the faith I had as a child, even with all the
knowledge and questions I still have. It's pretty amazing. It feels
like the fear of free falling mixed with the constant reminder that I
have a working parachute. That fear is actually dispelled when I
remember Christ. He truly is the light and the life of the world.
As for the work and lessons and stuff, we've had some really interesting experience this week! haha
So
we taught this man who after being raised in a Catholic family has now
stopped believing in God. His reliance on physical evidence and
scientific proof has prevented him from having a relationship with his Father in Heaven which was pretty sad to hear about. He rejected our
testimonies and there was really nothing we could do for him. Nothing we
said would make him sit and think until we asked him why he didn't want
to believe. He didn't really have an answer to that one. I still really
liked talking to him though because he was really upfront and honest
with us about what he believed. My favorite part was at the end of the
lesson when he opened up enough to ask us what we thought of him and his
beliefs and way of life. I told him I thought he was missing the
purpose of his life and his divine potential as a child of God. He
thought that was interesting and from the look in his eyes I could tell
that was the first time he had ever realized that not believing in God
might actually be closing doors instead of opening them. But then after a
moment he returned to his same doubts and we all ended up agreeing that
it would be better not to make a return appointment. But we let him
know that we would still be there for him and that he could call us if
he ever changed his mind.
It was a pretty
intense experience. But also a landmark for me in my spiritual progress.
I came out from that lesson undented which probably wouldn't have been
the case before my mission. But I'm different now and Christ is the
reason. :)
Love you all lots and lots. :)
Hermana Cannon II
1.
So Leonardo is an investigator from my first area, Nunoa, who I taught
with Hermana Andersen. He got baptized on Saturday and President gave us
permission to go back to Nunoa for the baptism even though I'm not in
that area anymore! It was magic.
2. My companion with her old companion, who is now in Nunoa. :)
3.
I got to see Paola again while I was in Nunoa! Hopefully you remember
her haha. She got baptized in Februrary. We hugged and she cried.
