Lift up your voices as with the SOUND OF A TRUMP (D&C 33:2). In seminary this morning Brother Knighton compared it to a lone trumpet playing taps. Trumpets are annoying instruments when they aren't played in the right settings (in my opinion anyway), but the one picture running through my mind is the lone trumpet on Memorial Day playing taps. All stand around in solemn silence, the spirit is "quick, and powerful, sharper than a two-edge sword" (D&C 33:1). The air is alive with the souls of those who have gone before you. It's alive, yet so still it's sacred. You don't dare to breathe a word to disrupt the serenity and power of silence. That is how I want to spend the rest of my mission: declaring the Gospel as with a sound of a trump. With the Spirit of revelation and prophecy, with great power that comes with authority. We are lone, but we can be like the lone trumpet.
This morning was Ariez's first time in seminary. I don't think I've ever been so happy to see someone at 6:15 in the morning as I was to see her there. Brother Knighton was talking about the ELECT and how Ariez is elect because she is believing and hearkens unto His voice (D&C 33:6). He asked if we'd been a part of her conversion, she nodded her head. He asked if we've changed her life forever, she nodded with eagerness. I was about to LOSE it. I can't even begin to take in the reality of these blessings. Heavenly Father has given me abilities equal to my opportunities to preach His Gospel.
Sister Tarawhiti and I always seem to receive revelation as we talk with each other, it's one of the reasons why companionship study holds some of the greatest memories of my mission. We talked about humility, and I made an interesting comparison. It's not very nice, but I learned a lot from it! Ha! We are like the teenage girls that keep getting into the wrong crowd, Heavenly Father plays the Father. You can tell the girl she's making all the wrong decisions, but she won't change because she's stuck. Your words are like wind passing through her fingers. Nothing you say will impact her until she decides to listen. It's humility. It's coming to God, with a contrite heart, willing to change. The reason we don't progress, and often fall short is because we are weighed down with such unnecessary baggage that we stumble and fall. We must let go of the baggage. When we are humble, we give it up. We aren't free until we do that. Just like the trapped daughter, she is stuck until she reaches for help.
We went on two exchanges this week, we were barely in our area. I went to Damariscotta with Sister Keown and then we blitzed Oxford with Sister Banda. The weather was nasty this past week - RAIN, COLD RAIN, LOTS OF RAIN. Sister Banda was a champ. We kept going through it all and found really solid families for them to teach! It was the most successful tracting I've ever done! IN THE POURING RAIN! I wore my Hunter wellings and raincoat. Before we got in the car I took my boots off and poured out all the water IN them, wrung my socks out, it was all worth it. SO COLD.
Oh yes, this past week was my last zone conference. We watched Meet the Mormons and read all about the Atonement in the Book of Mormon. President Stoker's leadership is incredible, simply because of how much trust he has in us. He figures that if the Lord trusts us as much as he does, than he can too. Our entire conference was on the Book of Mormon! We trained all the missionaries on what I sent you last week, fasting and prayer. We saw some neat miracles from fasting this week as well. We found this adorable family down the street from us in Cumberland. They have the cutest home, they're just the cutest people!! They want us to come back! The mom's name is Karen, she was so sweet, even at 8:45 at night while we were tracting ha! That never happens!
Looking at the map wondering where we're going to go next in Sister Cotant's old blanket.
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