May 23, 2011

Hey!

This week has been such an amazing week! One of the best!! So I think I may just go through the week and look back at all that has happened.

Monday: We just stayed inside for p-day and we wrote letters, cleaned, and we also cleaned out our car. Then we were able to have dinner with the Trauntveins! I love that family! It has been so great to be able to get close to them and get to know them more! We weren't able to stay way long because they are super busy this month with the end of school and they had a reward ceremony for the middle school.

Tuesday: We taught our recent converts Lorraine and Krystal. They are both doing great! They were talking about receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost and how they weren't sure what was going to happen but they both said they just had this really warm feeling that filled their entire body. It just felt good and right! So exciting for the both of them! We are working on getting them home teachers and visiting teachers. And then hopefully they will be going to the temple soon so that they can go and do baptisms for the dead! I love the gospel! We also went to the Arlington Nursing Home and we played bowling with the residents. There is a worker there, Wes, and he actually started opening up and asking questions. We also found a new investigator on Tuesday, Kristina! She is great! We taught her the restoration lesson and after reciting the first vision she just looked at us and asked "Did that really happen?" We just looked back and said YES! We were so excited! She felt the spirit and the lesson just went so well! We invited her to follow Christ's example and to be baptized once she found out it was true and she said YES! Hopefully we will be able to set a date this next week when we see her. She has an 11 year old daughter that would be learning also.

Wednesday: We saw a lot of less active members. There are a few we are working with that are really close to coming back to church. Actually 4 less actives we are working with came to church on Sunday! It was exciting! We had dinner with the Haltom’s! They are just a hoot. They are an old(er) couple who were less active but have been coming since we started visiting them! They are just hilarious though! They are always making us laugh!

Thursday: We had Zone Conference with President and Sister Jensen! The conference went from 9 am to 4 pm! It was amazing though! We learned some fabulous things about doing missionary work! We are going to start having our investigators write their commitments down in their copies of the Book of Mormon we give them. In the blank pages on the back! Of course there was a lot more that we learned! President Christianson came; he was an old mission president and the last Ohio Columbus Temple President! It was amazing to hear from him! It was interesting because Monday with the Trauntveins we were talking about how they came to Ohio and some leader was telling them that if they didn't know why they moved to Ohio is could most likely be because they had ancestors in the area and they came back to receive their inheritance. They found some relatives they are related to that we are also related to. But the Pres. Christianson talked about how coming to THE OHIO is a privilege! He talked about how President Benson removed the curse and how the work is moving forward here. He also said we as missionaries probably have someone in our line who didn't receive that inheritance and how we were here to receive that and to help the work move forward here! It is amazing. He also talked a lot about the temple! It was the best Zone Conference!

Skipping Friday because I am short on time!

Saturday was the best day ever! We were able to go to the temple and I was able to see the Sherman and Brenda O'Bryan get their endowments out! It was such an amazing experience! The spirit was so strong! I was crying... of course! Then we were able to see them get sealed together and then they had their 3 daughters sealed to them! I love that family so much and it meant so much to me that I was able to go and be apart of that! I love the temple and I am grateful that we are able to go and be sealed together and be eternal families! That was such an amazing experience I will never forget! The spirit was just incredible!

Sunday: We went to church and had an investigator come, our recent converts, and less actives. Then we were able to go to the Mission Home Fireside with Lorraine! It was great to hear President Jensen speak. He talked about 3 Nephi 11 and 12 and the comparison of that and the temple! It was great!

And finally we had today! We went to the Columbus Zoo! We went with the Haltom’s! It was so much fun! We also met a bunch of other missionaries their! A ton of Sisters came! It was so so much fun! And then we should be getting transfer calls either tonight or tomorrow night. So I will probably have Sister Pat Smith post it on face book for you mom. A lot to write... not even finished! Now I need to answer some questions.

1. What blessings have come to you because you decided to follow rules? Could be at home or on your mission.

I know that a ton of blessing have come to me because I have followed the rules. Sometimes I know that we wonder why their are so many rules. But I know that Heavenly Father has a plan for each of us. He gives us commandments because He loves us. We just need to be able to say I will go and do, Like Nephi 3:7! I know that I am a lot happier because I follow the rules!

2. Why do you think the Lord considers missionary work so important?

The lord considers missionary work so important because He loves each of us so much! It's what brings his children back to him. Moses 1:39!

3. Why do you think missionaries have all the rules like (not calling family all the time, weekly reports to mission president, not get into debt, not going outside your assigned area, etc?)

It keeps us focused, safe, and gives us self discipline. If we are obedient to these rules it shows that we will be obedient to other commandments we are given.

4. What good things have come from following these rules while on your mission?

I know that everything has come from following the rules. Obedience is everything on a mission. I know that I would not have been able to be a part of a third of the people lives I have worked with. I know that we are happier when we are obedient and I know that we teach more. People have their agency to choose, but we find more and teach more as we follow the rules. We are also kept safe and have a better time.

I love my mission. It has been the greatest experience of my life! I have learned so much and I know that Heavenly Father will bless us with knowledge as we are obedient!

Read in PMG under Christ like attributes and Obedience!

I love you all so much! Have a wonderful week!

Love, Sister Madison Whitney