This week has been full of so many blessings, I don't even know where to start. Really we have been working and waiting for these things to come to pass, and they are finally here!
We have 3 baptisms lined up for the 18th and 19th of this month! We hope to get another one sometime this week. I don't even know how the Lord sees us fit to receive so many blessings. Really, He is the greatest. We have Sister JoJo (the younger sister of a member). Turns out her husband agreed to start bringing her to church every week (from a long distance) and she wants to get baptized as soon as possible. So we plan on getting her baptized on the 18th and confirmed on the 19th. She is so prepared. She is one of the ones I know God promised me was waiting for me. Another is Brother O. We met him Friday, he came to church on Sunday and he accepted a date for the 19th. He has had many experiences in his life that have made him interested in learning more about God. When we asked him questions, you can tell that he has been searching for a long time. He was so willing just to learn, to commit, and to do learn as much as possible about his Heavenly Father. Our Pakistan families came to church this week too! All 4 adults and 6 children. It was so good for them to join us! It was a little overwhelming trying to make sure everyone was being translated for. We even started a different Gospel Principles class that was taught in English. Sometimes we get a little stressed about the logistics, but I could never be more thankful for the blessings that God has given us!
We also had 2 returning members this week! The oldest daughter and the youngest son of a family we have been working with. I was so thankful to see them walking up to the church at 8:59. I wasn't expecting them to come! Every Saturday night when we buy groceries we see the youngest son and remind him to come to church on Sunday. And yesterday they actually came! It made me so happy! It was one of those things where I thought my joy was full for the day. I thought "okay, this is the Lord's tender mercy today." But even after that they kept coming one after one.
One of my favorite things to tell investigators when we teach them is that God chose them to meet us. God is calling them and waiting for them to respond. He knows where they are and they were led to us or we were led to them at this specific time. Every person that has met with missionaries or who has a family member or friend who is a member has the special and unique opportunity to be introduced to His Gospel. There is no such thing as "chances" or "luck" when it comes to God's plan and His timing. Each person we teach has a great blessing of knowing more of God's word and plan for them - people who don't listen or who never may come in contact with the Gospel don't have this opportunity. God wants these people on His side. Telling our investigators this helps them to see how important this really is. It helps them to know how much God really does love them, and it also lets them know that now is their time to act.
I gained a strengthened testimony in the power of fasting this week. I haven't been able to fast on Fast Sunday for a couple months due to health problems and the fact that I always seemed to be taking antibiotics on Fast Sunday. But I got to fast this week, and it went so well. I just couldn't help but just to feel so thankful for everything the Lord had blessed us with. The windows of Heaven were opened to us through the channels of fasting.
Something I have been thinking about lately (as everyone likes to remind me that I don't have that long left here in Thailand...haha) is that we are always in the middle. Even when endings come and new beginnings are there, we are literally always in the middle. As I read this article this morning by President Uchtdorf I was reminded of how important this life really is. We don't want to spend the rest of eternities wishing that there was something more we should have done while in this life. There is nothing more important than the way we choose to live this life. So why not make every moment count?
Link to President Uchtdorf's inspired words:
https://www.lds.org/bc/content/shared/content/english/pdf/language-materials/10367_eng.pdf?lang=eng
I love you all! I hope you all got a chance to watch conference. If not, go and watch it again! Next week I'll have suggestions on which ones to watch again (considering I haven't watched it yet either...haha). Don't take their words for granted. Treasure them up in your hearts, study them and apply them through the Spirit. I know that they truly are God's servants here on the earth today. How wonderful it is to know that the Christ's true Gospel is Restored and that God still speaks to us today!
Remember:
38 What I the Lord have spoken, I have spoken, and I excuse not myself; and though the heavens and the earth pass away, my word shall not pass away, but shall all be fulfilled, whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same. (D&C 1:38)
Love you all!!
Sister Norrell
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