Hello everyone, we had some BIG miracles this week, so buckle up! haha, but seriously we were really blessed this week. You know that you're doing it right when you feel like you had nothing to do with it. Let me explain: There is nothing I love more than just feeling like an instrument in the Lord's hand. None of this "success" is because of me, or because I'm a "great missionary." Never is, never was, never will be. It is such a blessing, exhilarating at times, to wake up, get out the door and just watch the Lord use you in His work. Once we let go of our own plans, ideas, pre-conceived notions, the Lord is able to fulfill his designs. And when He is able to use me, imperfect little me...that is the best feeling in the world. That's why it is so important to have the spirit. How can we be lead if we aren't listening? And how can others feel it, if I don't live it?
Going along with that, this last week we watched a David Archuletta return missionary interview/video thing. It was super inspiring, I'd invite you all to watch it. Anyways, there was a part that really struck me. When he was on American Idol, for one of the performances he performed "Imagine," (The Beatles). I don't know if you all watched that, but I remember when he sang it and that it was pretty moving. Anyways, his vocal coach recounted the conversation they had the day after:
"That was a really good performance last night David, congratulations. But you and I both know that it wasn't perfect."
"It wasn't my goal to be technically perfect."
"Oh really, what was it?"
"It was that they would feel the Spirit..."
I was really touched by that. I thought about it over and over again. It goes along with what's been on my mind a lot lately. Perfection and the gospel. I've come to the conclusion that there are two ways to live the gospel/serve a mission. The first way, the hard way, is perfectionism. This way is all about looking inward, cutting yourself down, trying to never ever make a mistake...it leads to misery and depression. The second way is to look outwards, it's hard, but it's easier and we are richly richly blessed for it. This is Christ's way. As soon as we stop thinking about ourselves and focus on others, forgetting about "technical perfection," that's when we will actually, (eventually) achieve it. This week, more than ever, I've tried to focus on "helping others feel the spirit"...in every lesson, every contact, every conversation. AND WOW, I've felt completely unstoppable. I've got a long way to go, but the road just gets clearer with every step.
So here are the miracles:
1. Taught Philippe and Aline about the temple and geneology... turns out they've been doing geneology for YEARS. Philippe has BINDERS full of it. "Each sheet of paper is a person," he said. By baptizing Philippe we opened the door for hundreds.
2. MURIELLE WAS BAPTIZED! And Dimitri (her son) baptized her. He was pretty scared and kept saying he didn't want to, but in the end he did it, and it was really a great moment. He also confirmed her the next day. Seriously, Murielle is a completely different person. She went from 40-0 in just 3 weeks. She went from hating prayer and religious discussion, to shouting out answers in Sunday School, giving beautiful prayers, accepting principle after principle with ease, and just glowing with the Light of Christ... and Soeur Tupai was there so double miracle.
3. And the biggest of all. Soeur Liabeuf's brother and sister-in-law came to church yesterday. I don't even know if I can describe to you what that meant to Soeur Liabeuf. It really taught me the power of prayer. Of course Soeur Liabeuf was praying for it. I talked about it with Soeur Cameron on our exchange, and we decided to pray about it. AND the bishop, and his counselors prayed about it together... incredible. This is a huge step, HUGE. This will change her life.
4. And a hundred other tiny miracles, like meeting a young catholic family that just GLOWED with the light of Christ, bearing my testimony to Eliane from England who has questions about the church, praying with two teenage girls who have no idea who they really are, the Paulian's friend Latitia coming to church and now wanting to learn about Christ, train conductor Giles says "If you know Christ, you have truly understood. If he is for us, who can be against us?", and our mission president raising the vision of the mission...we need to BECOME not just do, we need to CONSECRATE not just sacrifice...
So yeah, just another week in the life, right? I am so blessed.
Mark 10
29 And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel’s,
30 But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.
I love you all! Have a great week
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