Dear Family I would like to start this letter out by saying I have started for the first time on my mission to do language study!
Being companions with an Islander is quite an adventure. For example when we make dinner I have to remember that we probably won't have left overs and if we are fotunate enough to be able to eat out I should always buy the family meal for us and not just 2 regular meals because the family meal will easily be gone. Also I have to remember that when people are blut they say it not to be hurtful it's just what came into their head. Also singing is a very different experiance... instead of just singing the note you have to add like a trill and a scale to each note in order to give it the proper "soul". It's like culture shock all over again. hahah
This week has been intersting... in between meetings and doctors appointments, we have practiced and practiced and studied and read and practiced some more. It's like Sister Leleisiuao is getting the same thing that happened to me, an extra 2 weeks at the MTC just to refine your teaching skills. She has really been so amazing and so patient and kind in dealing with this situation. Had I been in this situation when I first came out to the field I think that I would have been really selfish, judgemental, and self pitying. That's for sure not Sister Leleisiuao she's so kind and loving and patient. She does whatever she can through out the day to improve herself and to keep the missionary spirit. It's been great!
On Monday we were able to work when one of the YSA in the ward offered to drive us around and come to our lessons for the arvo. We went to a heap of former investigators and we were able to pick one back up! and we were able to set up an appointment with an investigator we haven't been able to get ahold of since coming to the area. Even better we've been able to work with the ward to be able to get a member to come with us on Saturday morning to the appointment!!!! If there is one thing that I have learned lately is that having members to your lessons makes ALL the difference. I had a pretty neat experiance yesterday in district meeting when I was pretending to be a member and the missionaries asked me to share my testimony of the book of mormon. As I shared it my heart was full and I felt the spirit once again confirm the truthfulness of it. I never realized how powerful and important our testimonies are for others.
At zone conference last week we were able to train on working with the ward and stakes better. We watched part of the work of slavation broadcast. There was one point where one of the recent converts shared that they felt that many members of the church were placed in her life for a reason. We DO make a difference. I was thinking about this a lot and as we prepared a message to share with our Bishop's family on Sunday night I came accross these verses in the book of mark. This is after Jesus has cast out a legion of devil's and the man wanted to come with Jesus and this is what he said
" And when he was come into the ship, he that had been possessed with the devil prayed him that he might be with him.
19 Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had acompassion on thee.
20 And he departed, and began to apublish in Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him: and all men did marvel."
that man was placed in his friends life for a reason. His testimony and his desires to share what the Savior had done for him personally caused ALL men to marvel. I had a similar experiance this week with one of the nurses that comes to our home to check on my ankel. She was telling me about how she had been to canada and somehow it led to me telling about my experiance in Canada when we got stuck on the lake and we prayed and then the plane landed and gave us more petrol. As I shared this experiance, she really did marvel. She was amazed and she knew that it could not be a conincidance. That is just one of the MANY things that the savior has been able to do for me. It was so easy and so natural to share and we both left feeling closer to our father in Heaven.
I know that there are people in our lives that are there for a reason, if we are close to them or not, and I know that if we simply open our mouths and share the gospel the Lord will give us the words to say.
Our mission is doing another book of mormon challenge to read it before mission conference in march when Elder Hamuela comes. I was reading yesterday and Nephi's example really struck me.
7 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said unto my father: I awill go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no bcommandments unto the children of men, save he shall cprepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them."
This is a hard situation that I am in but murmuring just blocks my ability to be blessed by the Lord. I CAN trust that he will prepare a way for me to accomplish the things that he has asked me to do, which is, to invite others to come unto Christ! I WANT TO DO THAT, but I want to do that in the Lord's way, not Sister Wyatt's way. I am so grateful for a companion who knows this and trusts that the Lord will provide a way for us to do the work in his time.
I love all of you!
Fa'amalosi (samoan for be strong... told you i'm doing language study... yes i did just have to ask her how to spell it... and what it was... there is a reason why i was sent english speaking hahah)
Sister Wyatt
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