I'd like to start out my email to you by writing out something I wrote in my planner in the middle of church this week.
February 23
"I'm sitting in church. They have opened the curtains and the sun feels warm. Maverick is smiling and our dear Nick is beside me still hung over from last night... what a champ :). Will is to my left and has brought 2 friends with him to church. Jake and Winnie are here and are stronger than ever and Jess has been going out with the missionaries to teach. President Williamson is crying over the pulpit as he talks about how all the work we do is for the one. Heavenly Father has such an immense love for each and every single one of his children and the worth of a soul truly is great in His sight. I feel it. I love the people of Ontario. I love Shelby, Nick, Maverick, Will, Jake, Winnie, and Jess. They are so special and God knows them and cares for them so much. How grateful I am for the privilege to know them and to serve them. I love my mission."
We have had a wonderful week and I am so full of love that it is ridiculous!
I'd like to introduce you all to Shelby. So we met Shelby through Will on friday. She met Will at the clubs I think and just recently they got back in touch. Will knows how much Sister Taylor and I love to meet people so he told her to come over and we just happened to be there ;) Shelby is such a sweet heart and just has a good soul. We talked with her for about 15 min and shared a little Mormon Message with her and invited her to come out to church with Will.
----> fast forward to Sunday
Shelby keeps her word and shows up to church with Will AND it turns out that she also knows Jake! Sacrament meeting was a sacred experience and the spirit was strong. All the talks were geared toward how our Heavenly Father is aware of us and our struggles and trials. I look over and Shelby is crying. For pretty much the rest of church she continues to cry. When we get a chance to talk with her she lets us know that 3 years ago her father died and the rest of her family doesnt talk to her because she chose not to convert to Jehovah's Witness. For the first time in years she feels peace and warmth. We helped her to know that what she was feeling is the spirit. She started asking us questions about God, and what happens after we die, and then she asks the golden question.... she asked us how long it takes people to get baptized. Lucky for her there was a baptism after church that she stayed for :) During the intermission Sister Taylor and I did a little presentation on the Book of Mormon and then we invited people to bear their testimonies. I looked Will dead in the eyes and he got the point. He got up and started to talk about how he never liked church growing up and even when he came out to Kingston but then 2 sister missionaries started coming around... thats when he started to choke up. I feel SO blessed to have the privilege of watching Will grow and now he is bringing someone else into the gospel! Later that day we went over to Will's place to teach Shelby. We taught her the plan of salvation and invited her to be baptized on March 9th. She accepted and is so excited! I love her SO much! She is so special and I can feel how much Heavenly Father loves her!
We have been texting with Ian this past week as he has been away and things have been going good. He has continued to read his scriptures and has been having good experiences. The next time we see him is on Wednesday. I am very eager to talk with him. Sister Taylor and I have this feeling that everything is going to work out :)
We have been able to see Nick twice this week. If I have already said this I'll say it again, Nick has the biggest heart I have ever seen! I want him to come to know God SO bad! He is having trouble with faith right now. He wants proof that God is there and I know the proof he is looking for is the kind that he wont be getting anytime soon. I wish that it was easier for people to develop faith but I guess we all have our different trials....
This week I have been blessed in even greater abundance. Heavenly Father really is too kind :)
I love you all! Go and share a mormon message over facebook with a friend who doesnt have the gospel!
Line of the Week: Will introducing us to his friends
Will: "Oh hey yo, this is Lauren and ah..."
Me in a frantic whisper: "I'm Sister Hall!! Dont introduce me as Lauren! I knew I shouldn't have told you my name!"
Scripture of the week: John 14: 27
"Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."
A Hiaku for you
confession
check the hobbit cup
laugh out loud
Y.O.S.O
Sister Hall
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| Happy belated valintines to everyone who reads the blog! Love sister Hall and Taylor |
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| Our food for the week haha!.... #lastweekofthemonth #0.21centsleft #missionlife |
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