THE TRUTH... - June 9, 2014

I've been out for a year, that gives me six months left to have the authority to perceive the needs of every person around me, and to preach the Gospel by the Spirit as an authorized representative of the Savior. In one year I have recognized my true worth as Heavenly Father's DAUGHTER, and I know that this will only continue to grow. I see people differently, we are all family. I have taken in so much goodness, and am feeling that more than I ever have. Though I feel stressed, I am calm and peaceful because I know I am a servant to the Master in His vineyard and that He will use me to do His work. I can't go wrong when I am obedient and am doing the best I can do. From the inside of my soul I am filled with joy. The Spirit is with me. Regardless if anyone else feels the Spirit I feel, I am being guided by that power, and I will not change that.

I have never felt such a strong love for Joseph Smith as I did this week. We shared the first vision with just about EVERYONE we came in contact with. 

The opposition we received before and after the first vision was a testament to me that this is as real as something you can see. Nothing would happen while we would recite it, but before and after the CRAZIEST things would happen to break their attention, and to distract them from the Spirit: a strong leash on a small dog BREAKS, people would come outside with drugs and start yelling at us, they'd ask us to stop RIGHT BEFORE we would say the words "I saw a pillar of light," I could go on... It gave me chills every time. We would ask them to tell us what they saw as they looked at the picture in the Restoration pamphlet, then we'd expound, and testify of basic truths of the Gospel. 

THE TRUTH WILL ALWAYS BE OPPOSED. 

THIS RESTORATION PAMPHLET WILL EXPLAIN WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING

SMR is what they call the teaching method we've been taught - that's short for SEVEN MINUTE RESTORATION. We are blasting everyone with the Restoration pamphlets, and I've never seen so many open hearts and opposition. The trick is to follow the example used in 1 Nephi 11 when the Spirit is teaching Nephi. He says "LOOK!" then he establishes Nephi's understanding, expounds by explaining what he doesn't understand, then testifying. We start by asking people what they see when they look at the picture of Jesus holding the lamb. From that we already have their religious background and their relationship with Christ. We expound, testify, teach GOD IS OUR LOVING HEAVENLY FATHER, then move to the next picture and do the SAME thing, testifying in basic statements of truth that families are eternal, and that the Gospel was created for the family, and that the Gospel indeed blesses families... We then get to the first vision and ask them what they see, it is amazing. I have given the first vision more this week than my whole mission combined. What comes out of our mouths is NOT our own voice, rather a voice of power, it is the voice of the Spirit. I have seen it in Sister Collins and feel it myself. It's humbling to know that we get to be their for the first time they hear about the Restoration. It's humbling to be a vessel of the Lord. What a sacred privilege it is to be a missionary. I never want it to end.

This is His work, because He is doing this, not me. As I type these words I feel the burning within my chest that He is closer than I could even imagine, and is more involved in this than I could realize at this moment. Now I see why the Nephites desired the Holy Ghost above all else, and that when Christ prayed, He thanked His Father that they now had that with them. It is truly amazing how the Spirit confirms to you, just as it does to your investigators/every one you see, that this is true. I am so grateful. The realization of the power of my call is coming to light, this is a sacred calling.

We have potentials that are ready, hopefully they'll progress in the Gospel. Another miracle, almost all of our potentials are FAMILIES! 

We are working with the Jeffords family tonight to help them share what they know.

Miracle story from this: LUCAS. We are at his front door and give the SMR lesson. We ask him if we could come back, he tells us that he just lost a family member and that he has a one year old son. Ether him, or his wife are working at any given moment. He wants us to come back. We are visiting him this week. 

We had dinner with the Stokers at the mission home last night. I love just being able to go over there and be with the Stokers. Also, I thought I was going to starve to DEATH and an invite to dinner was literally an answer to prayer. 

Something sad, we had 5-6 missionaries ether go home or were sent home in the past 10 days. Today they held an emergency transfer MEETING because of it. I think a lot of it is the opposition we are receiving with this new way of teaching. Satan knows how powerful it is. 

Interviews with the President were this past week. I had NOTHING to talk with President about, I was dry of ideas. I asked him how he studied the scriptures and we took that time to study together. This time reading through the Book of Mormon I want to find PRINCIPLES to apply to my life. President showed me how he did it and I've been doing it ever since. Part of me feels like I've been flooded with enough spiritual knowledge to understand the purpose behind everything. I cannot believe all the things I am learning! One scripture lead to another, and I tore it apart on paper and came to the conclusion of the most basic principles of our Gospel: OUR PURPOSE AS MISSIONARIES. It is what we teach, we teach people how to become all that God is using the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the recipe to become like Christ. 

On my year mark we went and held puppies at the pet store. I just needed to hold one.

Teaching Sean by the Merrimack River! Sean is progressing towards his date! He quit everything yesterday and is up for the challenge! We should have a baptism on June 22!





Helping Hands project at the Valley Cemetery





Sista Collins:)