Hey ya'll!
It has been another fabulous week in the lives of Sisters Earl and Winger. I wish I could somehow let each and every one of you really understand my thoughts and feelings about my mission and the gospel, but you are just going to have to try and understand all that from the words that I use.
Really the gospel is unexplainable. It is something that has to be learned individually and personally. The very real and personal spiritual experiences that I have everyday could be cool to you, but they mean everything to me. God wants to tell us personally what is the truth and what is not. So often we are swayed by the things of the world, because we do not understand how to get pure knowledge and truth from our Father in Heaven.
That is my very favorite part of being a missionary. I get to help other people head in the right direction so they can know and feel for themselves who God really is. I have heard the phrase, "I am a daughter of God" so many millions of times in my life, but I now can say I know what those words actually symbolize. They explain the very real and intimate relationship that God has with each and every one of His children. He knows me. He understands me and he wants to help me to become like Him.
Do you realize the significance of that statement? Think about it. The most wonderful, all knowing, all understanding being in the entire universe wants us to know him as our Father!! He wants us to pray to Him and to develop a personal relationship with him. He wants us to be close to him and he wants to teach us all that he knows. He teaches us through the scriptures, modern-day prophets, and personal revelation (which revelation usually comes when we are reading the scriptures or listening to modern-day prophets)
The complete Gospel of Jesus Christ is where we can find the answers and guidance that we need. I know that that gospel is in this church. The church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is where all the doctrine that Jesus Christ taught when He was here is found.
Isn't that just so cool!!! However, just like I was saying that is a truth that I have come to know as I have studied and sincerely asked God. Each of us need to know for ourselves, because that is the only thing that makes sense. :P
Anyway, ok I am done with my soap box now.
Mothers Day was awesome! I got to see my brother on the other computer and my family. :) It was great to see them.. I love them so much! (see picture)
The coolest story this week had to be yesterday evening as we were walking to our apartment. As we were walking a lady got out of her car and started to head for her apartment. Just she came around the corner we started to talk to her.
Me" Hey how are you doing tonight!?"
She told us she got back from the store since she had to pick up a couple things for her kids. We kept talking and she said that she was Hindu and that she had talked to missionaries before, but that was a while ago and she didn't really think she wanted to learn anymore. Sister Winger and I both knew that we needed to talk to her though, so we asked her about her family and asked her to explain some of her religious beliefs. We had a really cool conversation about her life and a little bit of what we do as missionaries. Basically in a matter of about 5 mins she went from not wanting to talk to us to inviting us to her home any day to learn more about the gospel. She gave us her phone number and gave us a hug when she left.
My companion and I walked away completely in awe of what happened. The spirit was able to work on her because we showed love and respect for her and her circumstances. She felt how much we cared and therefore had a change of heart. I have never seen the Spirit work so quickly and powerfully. It was the coolest thing ever!
We also met a girl named Unique this week! She is 19 and is not a member of the church, but her mother and 2 older sisters are Less Active members. We invited her and her family to come to the Palm Sunday Celebration a couple of weeks ago and she came! We then went back and started to talk to her this week. She was talking about a bunch of things with work and her friends and somehow we ended up asking her if she had ever been baptized before. She surprised us but saying, "No, but I am looking forward to it"
It turns out her friend in another part of Texas was baptized about 4 months ago and has been sharing her love for the gospel with Unique for all of that time. Unique has listened and wanted to be baptized, but she just didn't know how to ask or what to do. It was crazy!
We are really excited to see how it not only blesses Uniques life, but her entire family as they see her spirituality grow and multiply.
Pretty exciting week!
Hope this one is just as awesome (or even better!) for us and for you too!
-Sister Earl
Well I also want to say Good Luck to my cousin who is leaving for the Missionary Training Center this week! I love you Kendall! :)
pictures
Skyping family!
Julie Katsoff! (YSA)
Tennis fun!
Me eating grits :)
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