August 27, 2012:
I love this work. I love these people.
This weekend we saw miracles. During weekly planning I was so frustrated because we were just so STUCK on everyone. I didn’t know what to do, and I felt like we were getting NO inspiration. But we planned lessons and moved forward. Then Saturday the miracles just came. Poured in. I have a testimony that if we keep pushing, even when we feel like we are running into a wall over and over again, that Heavenly Father will do what you cannot do for yourself.
[One of our investigators] took us out to ice cream on Saturday, and we had on plan to finally just teach him the Word of Wisdom. Before we even started though, as soon as the ice cream came out, [our investigator] said, "So can you tell me why you don’t drink wine?" And so we pulled out the pamphlets. He didn’t accept it yet, but [his daughter] liked it; she said it made sense, and it was proof that God was giving us inspiration.
Then we had a lesson with our investigator who has been studying for FOUR YEARS and has read everything. All the standard works and even Gospel Principles. But he was being SO tough last week. We just did NOT know what to do with him. So I said, “Let’s just teach him temple work.” And we did. And we used Bible scriptures. I have never seen such an immediate change come over someone like that. He just sat there and stared at the verses in 1 Peter [chapters 3 and 4] we were reading. We read about how Christ taught in the Spirit World, and how baptisms for the dead are necessary [1 Cor. 15]. He looked up and SO HUMBLY said, "I have read the Bible for fifty years, and I have never understood this. I now understand." And then he admitted that he believes the Book of Mormon is true. I bore testimony and then asked if there was anyone at work he thinks would need our message. I didn’t know why I asked that, but then he said, "No, and even at home my wife wouldn’t like knowing that I am reading all this." And we realized that what is actually holding him back is spousal approval. It was an amazing lesson, and it opened his heart so much. He left with a Preach My Gospel he was going to start studying at work.
Our next miracle is our amazing new investigator, and boy, do we just love him so much. Anyway, we were [talking to people], and I try to take no breaks in between, and all I remember is Sister Pysnakova saying, "Should we [talk to] him?" and then I did. He stopped and asked what the difference between us and the Catholics are. Sister P said she had nothing to say all of a sudden for some reason, so I just opened my mouth and said something. I talked about the Book of Mormon, but I don’t know what exactly I said, I can’t remember. All I remember is noticing how kind his eyes were and really hoping he would be open. We exchanged numbers. Our first meeting was on a bench on "neutral territory" and he loved it. I said the closing prayer and felt so dumb because my Slovak is so bad, but I looked over, and he was gently smiling, which means he was feeling something. I shared Alma 32:28 which he loved and he studied it over and over again.
[= Alma 32:28. Now, we will compare the word unto a seed. Now, if ye give place, that a seed may be planted in your heart, behold, if it be a true seed, or a good seed, if ye do not cast it out by your unbelief, that ye will resist the Spirit of the Lord, behold, it will begin to swell within your breasts; and when you feel these swelling motions, ye will begin to say within yourselves—It must needs be that this is a good seed, or that the word is good, for it beginneth to enlarge my soul; yea, it beginneth to enlighten my understanding, yea, it beginneth to be delicious to me.]
We asked him to study Moroni 7 that night, which he did. And he said it answered every question he had been thinking about and wondered how we had known what he needed. Our next lesson we watched the Joseph Smith film, and he stayed up until 5:30 in the morning pondering and praying and came SO PREPARED for the next lesson with questions and testimony. He told us he has never felt this happy, and that he doesn’t understand how this is possible to feel this good. We invited him to Church, and I asked if he had a tie, and he said, "Don’t worry. I read the brochure. I know what I need to bring." And he studied that night until 3 am. He loved Church. We are meeting today in an hour. Pray for him. He is a miracle. He is amazing. Such a good man. We love him so much already.
God sometimes works so gently that we don’t even realize we are getting inspiration. I am so grateful for my baptism so that I can have the Gift of the Holy Ghost with me always. I love this work. I love these people. I know that I am being a good missionary, because God trusts me with His children and is giving us inspiration for them. I love that. It gives me strength.
Well, time is up. Sorry these are getting shorter and shorter. Much is on my mind. Pray for me and my companion this week. We need it!
I love you all!
Love,
Sestra Izattova
I love this work. I love these people.
This weekend we saw miracles. During weekly planning I was so frustrated because we were just so STUCK on everyone. I didn’t know what to do, and I felt like we were getting NO inspiration. But we planned lessons and moved forward. Then Saturday the miracles just came. Poured in. I have a testimony that if we keep pushing, even when we feel like we are running into a wall over and over again, that Heavenly Father will do what you cannot do for yourself.
[One of our investigators] took us out to ice cream on Saturday, and we had on plan to finally just teach him the Word of Wisdom. Before we even started though, as soon as the ice cream came out, [our investigator] said, "So can you tell me why you don’t drink wine?" And so we pulled out the pamphlets. He didn’t accept it yet, but [his daughter] liked it; she said it made sense, and it was proof that God was giving us inspiration.
Then we had a lesson with our investigator who has been studying for FOUR YEARS and has read everything. All the standard works and even Gospel Principles. But he was being SO tough last week. We just did NOT know what to do with him. So I said, “Let’s just teach him temple work.” And we did. And we used Bible scriptures. I have never seen such an immediate change come over someone like that. He just sat there and stared at the verses in 1 Peter [chapters 3 and 4] we were reading. We read about how Christ taught in the Spirit World, and how baptisms for the dead are necessary [1 Cor. 15]. He looked up and SO HUMBLY said, "I have read the Bible for fifty years, and I have never understood this. I now understand." And then he admitted that he believes the Book of Mormon is true. I bore testimony and then asked if there was anyone at work he thinks would need our message. I didn’t know why I asked that, but then he said, "No, and even at home my wife wouldn’t like knowing that I am reading all this." And we realized that what is actually holding him back is spousal approval. It was an amazing lesson, and it opened his heart so much. He left with a Preach My Gospel he was going to start studying at work.
Our next miracle is our amazing new investigator, and boy, do we just love him so much. Anyway, we were [talking to people], and I try to take no breaks in between, and all I remember is Sister Pysnakova saying, "Should we [talk to] him?" and then I did. He stopped and asked what the difference between us and the Catholics are. Sister P said she had nothing to say all of a sudden for some reason, so I just opened my mouth and said something. I talked about the Book of Mormon, but I don’t know what exactly I said, I can’t remember. All I remember is noticing how kind his eyes were and really hoping he would be open. We exchanged numbers. Our first meeting was on a bench on "neutral territory" and he loved it. I said the closing prayer and felt so dumb because my Slovak is so bad, but I looked over, and he was gently smiling, which means he was feeling something. I shared Alma 32:28 which he loved and he studied it over and over again.
[= Alma 32:28. Now, we will compare the word unto a seed. Now, if ye give place, that a seed may be planted in your heart, behold, if it be a true seed, or a good seed, if ye do not cast it out by your unbelief, that ye will resist the Spirit of the Lord, behold, it will begin to swell within your breasts; and when you feel these swelling motions, ye will begin to say within yourselves—It must needs be that this is a good seed, or that the word is good, for it beginneth to enlarge my soul; yea, it beginneth to enlighten my understanding, yea, it beginneth to be delicious to me.]
We asked him to study Moroni 7 that night, which he did. And he said it answered every question he had been thinking about and wondered how we had known what he needed. Our next lesson we watched the Joseph Smith film, and he stayed up until 5:30 in the morning pondering and praying and came SO PREPARED for the next lesson with questions and testimony. He told us he has never felt this happy, and that he doesn’t understand how this is possible to feel this good. We invited him to Church, and I asked if he had a tie, and he said, "Don’t worry. I read the brochure. I know what I need to bring." And he studied that night until 3 am. He loved Church. We are meeting today in an hour. Pray for him. He is a miracle. He is amazing. Such a good man. We love him so much already.
God sometimes works so gently that we don’t even realize we are getting inspiration. I am so grateful for my baptism so that I can have the Gift of the Holy Ghost with me always. I love this work. I love these people. I know that I am being a good missionary, because God trusts me with His children and is giving us inspiration for them. I love that. It gives me strength.
Well, time is up. Sorry these are getting shorter and shorter. Much is on my mind. Pray for me and my companion this week. We need it!
I love you all!
Love,
Sestra Izattova