October 17, 2011:
I have hope when I think of the gospel, because life always goes on
Thank you all for your wonderful [mails]. This week was SUPER hard! But the thing is when you have Heavenly Father, hard times are so much easier. I love that concept. First thing that was really hard for me was that our investigator, whom the Spirit told me very firmly I should talk to, dropped us. I was SO heartbroken! My trainer told me to not worry about it because it happens often, but I was absolutely devastated.
A few weeks ago I decided to hold spiritual thoughts after English, and it works great because I teach English, try to make everyone feel comfortable about staying, and then Sister Smith with her fabulous Czech and great testimony teaches everyone who stays about the gospel. Numbers have risen like crazy, and it's been a huge blessing. First week when I didn’t really know what was going on, we kind of just chatted with two people after class. Next week I decided to make it official, and five stayed. Last week one man who has NEVER stayed afterwards in the nine months Sister Smith has been here stayed. It was a miracle. The Holy Ghost works [with] people. And even the two new young students we got to come stayed after for the lesson. I think last week we had eight people stay. I also recommended an intermediate class that the Elders could rotate teaching. They were up for it, and we sent some of our students over there last week. The English program is growing. The Francis couple who teach advanced English have over 15 students come weekly. Neither other class holds gospel lessons afterwards yet though, so hopefully this week I can better explain how we do it, and how it works! They have said that the students are used to not having it so it'd be weird to change it up, but out of my cluelessness I just started holding one, and it worked fine. Yay for being a greenie and being clueless. Pays off sometimes I guess! Cross your fingers! Heavenly Father works on people. I know He does.
[W]hen there is fear there cannot be faith. I am convinced that fear is one of Satan's biggest weapons. I always knew I was supposed to come on a mission, but I let fear hold me back and postpone my papers. When I get scared of how people will yell at me or be rude, I take way too long in between [talking to people] on trams and on the streets, because I don't have faith anymore, and I start relying on my own language skills rather than on the Spirit. I've had really neat experiences with the language by the way. Gift of tongues is real. Last week we were (ringing doorbells) and people here either buzz you in, talk through the intercom, or open their windows. So many a time I run out to the street, look straight up and with a loud voice say, "HI I AM A MISSIONARY FOR THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS..." so that the Babishkas can hear me three stories up. It's quite funny because each of us are placed so that if the door buzzes we can open it, and I can still talk in the intercom, and Sister Smith can see if a window pops open. Anyway last week we had two people pop out at the same time, one from a window and another at the door. Sister Smith ran to the window, and I stayed at the door. I had a conversation with a lady. A REAL CONVERSATION. It was a miracle, and I could feel the Spirit just giving me all the few words I had put in my brain to use. (That's the trick by the way, YOU put them in, and the SPIRIT helps you remember them). It was wonderful. She didn't want to hear my message, but she held my hand and patted my cheeks and was SO happy by the time I left. The Spirit WORKS. I love it SOOO MUCH!
And Mother dear, THANK YOU for teaching me Finnish. Funny story this week... we were [talking to people on a] tram, and I started off by introducing us and getting the lesson started, and then Sister Smith took over. The man stopped Sister Smith and said, “Where are you from?” and she explained. He asked what state and she said Idaho. Then I piped in and said, "and I'm from UTAH!" and he was SO CONFUSED. So I finished by saying... "It's a state like Idaho." His eyes got big and said, "You’re not CZECH?!" AAAAAHAHA I died. Sister Smith keeps bringing it up in a funny way and says she has a greenie with no vocabulary but perfect pronunciation. Hilarious. Now if I could just get the vocabulary and grammar down... So thank you Mommy. It's been a huge blessing. Probably one you never considered.
Well I only have five minutes left so I just want to tell you all that I love my Savior. The Atonement is real. It really is. I love the Savior. I love reading my scriptures and getting to know Him better. And through Christ we get to know Heavenly Father better. Our Father in Heaven is real. I have a real, tangible relationship with Him that I want to strengthen through constant prayer. One night I talked to Him for almost a half an hour, and time flew. I felt so comforted, and I knew He was listening. He loves us, because we are His children. He has a good sense of humor, and is perfect and trustworthy. I love the way the Plan of Salvation makes things make sense. I love that I have hope when I think of the gospel, because life always goes on. And there is always [a] reason to be better. I love progression, and I love that I get to be here teaching people about what I love. The gospel truly is a pearl, and those who recognize that can be SO blessed. Anyway, time's up. The SD card is in the mail so soon you will see all the pictures that didn’t work and pictures of my apartment and such! So enjoy.
I love you all, keep me in your prayers.
Sister Izatt
I have hope when I think of the gospel, because life always goes on
Thank you all for your wonderful [mails]. This week was SUPER hard! But the thing is when you have Heavenly Father, hard times are so much easier. I love that concept. First thing that was really hard for me was that our investigator, whom the Spirit told me very firmly I should talk to, dropped us. I was SO heartbroken! My trainer told me to not worry about it because it happens often, but I was absolutely devastated.
A few weeks ago I decided to hold spiritual thoughts after English, and it works great because I teach English, try to make everyone feel comfortable about staying, and then Sister Smith with her fabulous Czech and great testimony teaches everyone who stays about the gospel. Numbers have risen like crazy, and it's been a huge blessing. First week when I didn’t really know what was going on, we kind of just chatted with two people after class. Next week I decided to make it official, and five stayed. Last week one man who has NEVER stayed afterwards in the nine months Sister Smith has been here stayed. It was a miracle. The Holy Ghost works [with] people. And even the two new young students we got to come stayed after for the lesson. I think last week we had eight people stay. I also recommended an intermediate class that the Elders could rotate teaching. They were up for it, and we sent some of our students over there last week. The English program is growing. The Francis couple who teach advanced English have over 15 students come weekly. Neither other class holds gospel lessons afterwards yet though, so hopefully this week I can better explain how we do it, and how it works! They have said that the students are used to not having it so it'd be weird to change it up, but out of my cluelessness I just started holding one, and it worked fine. Yay for being a greenie and being clueless. Pays off sometimes I guess! Cross your fingers! Heavenly Father works on people. I know He does.
[W]hen there is fear there cannot be faith. I am convinced that fear is one of Satan's biggest weapons. I always knew I was supposed to come on a mission, but I let fear hold me back and postpone my papers. When I get scared of how people will yell at me or be rude, I take way too long in between [talking to people] on trams and on the streets, because I don't have faith anymore, and I start relying on my own language skills rather than on the Spirit. I've had really neat experiences with the language by the way. Gift of tongues is real. Last week we were (ringing doorbells) and people here either buzz you in, talk through the intercom, or open their windows. So many a time I run out to the street, look straight up and with a loud voice say, "HI I AM A MISSIONARY FOR THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS..." so that the Babishkas can hear me three stories up. It's quite funny because each of us are placed so that if the door buzzes we can open it, and I can still talk in the intercom, and Sister Smith can see if a window pops open. Anyway last week we had two people pop out at the same time, one from a window and another at the door. Sister Smith ran to the window, and I stayed at the door. I had a conversation with a lady. A REAL CONVERSATION. It was a miracle, and I could feel the Spirit just giving me all the few words I had put in my brain to use. (That's the trick by the way, YOU put them in, and the SPIRIT helps you remember them). It was wonderful. She didn't want to hear my message, but she held my hand and patted my cheeks and was SO happy by the time I left. The Spirit WORKS. I love it SOOO MUCH!
And Mother dear, THANK YOU for teaching me Finnish. Funny story this week... we were [talking to people on a] tram, and I started off by introducing us and getting the lesson started, and then Sister Smith took over. The man stopped Sister Smith and said, “Where are you from?” and she explained. He asked what state and she said Idaho. Then I piped in and said, "and I'm from UTAH!" and he was SO CONFUSED. So I finished by saying... "It's a state like Idaho." His eyes got big and said, "You’re not CZECH?!" AAAAAHAHA I died. Sister Smith keeps bringing it up in a funny way and says she has a greenie with no vocabulary but perfect pronunciation. Hilarious. Now if I could just get the vocabulary and grammar down... So thank you Mommy. It's been a huge blessing. Probably one you never considered.
Well I only have five minutes left so I just want to tell you all that I love my Savior. The Atonement is real. It really is. I love the Savior. I love reading my scriptures and getting to know Him better. And through Christ we get to know Heavenly Father better. Our Father in Heaven is real. I have a real, tangible relationship with Him that I want to strengthen through constant prayer. One night I talked to Him for almost a half an hour, and time flew. I felt so comforted, and I knew He was listening. He loves us, because we are His children. He has a good sense of humor, and is perfect and trustworthy. I love the way the Plan of Salvation makes things make sense. I love that I have hope when I think of the gospel, because life always goes on. And there is always [a] reason to be better. I love progression, and I love that I get to be here teaching people about what I love. The gospel truly is a pearl, and those who recognize that can be SO blessed. Anyway, time's up. The SD card is in the mail so soon you will see all the pictures that didn’t work and pictures of my apartment and such! So enjoy.
I love you all, keep me in your prayers.
Sister Izatt