'Sup Y'all,
Miracles happened all over the place this week!!! After years of mental exertion, I've finally been able to understand the Isaiah chapters in 1 Nephi! Not only that, but I taught a lesson to a woman while a movie was playing in the background and her 3 daughters (the equivalent of one Rocky Gunson each) were climbing all over my companion that culminated in the acceptance of a baptismal invitation AAAAAAAAAAND the anti-ed investigator we lost last week CAME BACK.
But first, a quick story.
We've got a new president now. His name is Ames. And he's a man on a mission (har har, aren't we all....). We were able to have a "get-to-know-you" conference where he gave us this challenge: DOUBLE IT. Take the numbers of last month and double it. He sounded a little like Spencer W. Kimball when he said it too. He said "I have had the strongest impression that we are going to have to double the numbers of baptisms in this mission." Me and my companions looked at each other and went "kay.... how are we gonna do that?"
It begins with tracting in 108 degree weather and famous Texas humidity.
It continues as the severely ADHD-diagnosed, almost-3-months-old sister missionary attempts to teach the Gospel of Jesus Christ (Lesson 3) while 3 incredibly high-maintenance girls (ages 3, 5 an 8) clamour for my companion's attention. They were so loud I couldn't hear myself think! The Mask was playing in the background and although we asked our investigator to turn it down, Jim Carrey is a distracting figure. NEVERTHELESS, I have prayed oft and come off conqueror! I haven't said that I kicked ADHD, though. I still have struggles keeping focus during my personal studies. But let this be a witness to the world that when God wants something done, it darn well gets done. And God uses anything He's got. He had me-- He used me. Questions and words I don't remember came out of my mouth. I think they said something like "will you follow the example our Savior set for us and be baptized by someone who holds the proper authority so that you can have the blessings we've talked about?" I think that's what I said because she said "yes, I would like that. Can I have my daughter baptized too?"
It starts to wrap up with a second miracle. Last week I talked about how awful it was to lose a soul. Well, this week I'm gonna talk about how I know what the father felt like when his prodigal son came home. You do not care about the harm someone has done to you when something like this happens. You cannot forget how it feels to have someone call you and say "I missed the spirit you girls brought to me. I know I made a mistake. Will you still teach me?" There aren't words in this or any other earthly dictionary. So when we got off the phone, this trio dropped to their knees in humble prayer. Sometimes, that's the only reaction to give to situations. I'm just thankful it was a humble prayer of joy.
And it finishes with a promise. The third miracle of the week was when I finally understood 1 Nephi 21-- and now I no longer hate Isaiah for making seminary difficult. Was I scared when President told us to "double it?" Not gonna lie, just a little bit. But did I doubt that it could happen? Of course not. V. 8 says "In an acceptable time [the Lord] have heard thee, O isles of the sea, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee; and I will preserve thee and give thee my servant for a covenant of the people to establish the earth." In this verse, the Lord makes a promise to the entire world: He will send somebody to get them. To save them. In verse 18, He says "Lift up thine eyes round about and behold; all these gather themselves together and they shall come to thee."
When Joseph Smith was martyred by a cruel and ignorant mob, the tormenting murderers dispersed when they heard this phrase: "the Mormons are coming!" Well guess what, my privileged and peculiars? We are. We are coming to double, we are coming to triple, and we cannot stop. The Lord has promised the earth that he will send some punky 19-year old kids to change your life. If you haven't already figured it out, when the Lord wants something done, it gets done. The only thing to decide is if you're going to be one of the Lord's "covenants" that he sends to those waste and desolate places.
I'll finish with one of my favorite scriptures. Alma 29:6. "Now, seeing that I know these things, why should I desire more than to perform the work to which I have been called?" If you know that the Church is true (which you do or you wouldn't be going to church for 3 hours) then you have no excuse to not be preaching it by word, by deed, by thought.
Do ALL the things!!
Love, Sister Gunson
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