This week has been hard. On the bright side, Brother Ford passed his baptismal interview and is getting baptized on Sunday!
He's so excited. He said he was really nervous about the interview,
but he has such a strong testimony of everything already. He relies on
prayer before he relies on anyone or anything else, and he loves reading
his Scriptures. He is always so willing to share the Gospel with
everyone. We talked about Enduring to the End (he read all about it in 2
Nephi and in the Gospel Principles book he borrowed) and we talked
about his friend, Sister Ja, who learned a few lessons with us and then
pretty much rejected everything. He talked about being patient with her
and just working little by little with her until her heart was opened
enough to receive it. Honestly, I think he teaches us more than we
teach him. He even helped teach our recent convert yesterday.
He always has something inspiring or encouraging for us, and when we
feel like giving up, he just tells us to keep going because God will
help us. He prays for us all the time, and he even asks for us to be
able to find new investigators. He is the best.
We found out yesterday,
that Elder Pyne was the one that gave him a baptism pass-along card
that got him really thinking about it and the Book of Mormon. So it was
a simple contact that turned into a baptism. (We are currently asked
by our mission president to go out each day and do 2 hours of contacting
each day...its hard to know where to go and what not). It wasn't really
a "street contact" because Ford came to church on his own wanting to
learn English, but I am so thankful that Elder Pyne gave him that card.
He planted the seed, and even though he's not in Chiang Mai anymore,
his work continues to bless the lives of the people here!
That story to me in itself was a testimony of
contacting. I've heard lots of missionaries say that they have never
got a baptism out of contacting, but Ford's story gave us hope - even if
we do not baptize the people we contact, other missionaries might.
Contacting is planting seeds and preparing the way for other
missionaries to gather the crops. This work isn't about immediate and
instant gratification. It takes time to find those that God has
prepared right now, and we have to be patient. I have learned that
patience isn't just enduring trials, it is having hope for the future.
That is not only true for missionary work, but for all work.
Everything we do in this life should be done with an eye single to the
glory of God, and thus it should be done with faith, hope, and charity.
Sometimes I feel like an inadequate missionary.
Like I don't love the people I serve enough or like I have little to
offer them since I myself rely on the Lord's strength daily. But I know
God gives us what we need to carry on. He gives us all we need to do
what He has asked us to do. He doesn't ask us to do anything without
preparing a way for us to be able to accomplish it. If He asks me to
love someone, He gives me the capacity and love He has asked me to
impart. There is nothing in this work that has not been blessed by His
presence and grace. He is in this work, He is nothing short of perfect,
and I know that I can rely on Him to be able to do what He has asked.
I love you all so much! Sorry I don't have lots of
time today, but I will try to write more next week! We will see how the
picture deal goes. I guess if you get some, you'll know! ;)
Love,
Sister Norrell
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