Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Snapshots of the Week

1 .we had an investigator, marylin, come to church for the first time. she said, "my husband told me not to sign anything." Ha. She stayed for all three hours of church and as she introduced herself to the Sunday school class she complimented us. She said she could feel the spirit we bring into her home and she likes how it feels. The relief society was all very great at fellow shipping her. she even came to the relief society activity this past week....

2. I met a power ranger. explanation? A member in the other ward did many of the martial art moves and stunts for the original powered rangers tv show. I may have told him I have a power ranger pillow case with me on my mission. I'm going to have the other sisters who are seeing him tonight get his autograph with the words, "go, go, missionaries"

3. We had an appointment with an old Japanese man named Harry. We went to his house and brought a member who served in japan. Harrys wife answered the door, "oh not again" so said and swung the door closed. Harry came to the door and said he wasn't feeling well today. So we left. the member drove off and sis mapa and I decided to try a woman on the street who we've been trying to set an appointment. We continued knocking on the doors of the street. We kept getting rejected. There was one house left: a corner house. I wanted to turn around. both of our spirits were low. But we went us to the door. and... "KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK" "who is it?" said a child's voice. "oh great, I thought, another house that yells at us through the door to leave. they won’t even open it." "The missionaries," I answered. "Mom, it’s missionaries..." "oh" said a woman's voice in a pleasant tone. 

the door opened. a mother and her 9 year old son came out. Her name was Alma. we started talking about another Alma in the scriptures  (any connection to the gospel is desired as a missionary). We confused her at first. but there she was LISTENING, holding her son in front of her. You could tell they were good people with a lot of love in the home. we talked about how God loves all his children and that he calls prophets today and that the fullness of Christ church is on the earth today. We talked for quite some time. Oden the 9 year old son had some great questions. after we introduced the book of Mormon he said, "is there a bookstore I can go to where they sell those?" We gave them each a copy. :) We told Oden there is a children's version with pictures, "no I want to read this one. " Alma committed herself to read it. "and you can come back and we will let you in next time and we can talk about it" she said. my inner mind jaw dropped.

she also has a 12 year old son and a husband who we meet. he didn’t seem interested, but was very nice and is not antagonistic to us coming by. It was such a miracle to meet them. Definite highlight of the week.

4. I may or may not have found Bible origami at TJ Maxx today... don't worry I didn’t buy it.

5. Roman came to church! we had a lesson with him last week and invested him. he was scared to come because he has a lot of pain and it anyone slaps him on his back or shakes his hand to hard with will hurt for day. We reassured him on one would do so. As we left he said, "don't be disappointed if I don’t show up Sunday." BUT later that week he called us for directions (he had lost his) and he was there 20 minutes early Sunday. We have taught him the first tow lessons, he has been searching he says for a long time. He talks ALOT. so it is hard to ask him questions to check for understanding and progression without running the risk of a 15 minute tangent on the tunkan resolution and Vietnam war. He is very soft spoken and friendly. we have a lesson with him at the bishop’s house Wednesday.

6. at said relief society dinner Danielle , a recent convert, showed different neighbor gift ideas all under $10 and some under $5. She says she gets nervous in front of people, but she is so funny! had to be there. she is so crafty, she has a laminator at our house. she even told us she laminated stuff for her son at school so much the teacher said to river, her son, "you're mom has a laminator huh?" "yeeeeeeeeah" he said. She is on fire though and fellow shipping new investigators and she will be getting married in the temple in March. it's wonderful to see the positive effect the gospel has in lives. 

7. We went to see a less active named Stephanie. the first time we tried her she answered and was on the phone and said try another time, but didn’t seem too excited to see us. Saturday night  as sister mapa and I got out of the car to see her again, we were trying to think of a message to share with her. We both felt like we should just try to get to know her. So that’s what we did. She was on the phone again, but on hold on a customer service line. she hung up, we asked her questions about herself and she started talking to us. She invited us in and we got to talk for a little bit and share a message. It was an interesting experience. I feel blessed god prompted us to show Stephanie we cared about her as a person and god told us what she needed. Then we were able to share a message with her. the Lord is just SOOOOOO smart!

 I found a cool story in the old testament  1kings 3:5-14. The Lord asks king Solomon what he wants.  the answer is humbling and he gets rewarded for asking for it beyond his original solicitation. He asks for wisdom and understanding to better judge the lord’s people. the Lord in pleased that he did not ask for riches or an extended life. It gave him joy that Solomon’s wish was to be enabled to serve him better. The Lord says he will give Solomon a wise an understanding heart like unto none any has had, "And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches, and honor." the moral I reaped from this story is this...

 Matt 6:33 "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."

I know this principle to be true. As we put the Lord first in our lives, all other things will fall into place. WE may not gain earthly riches, but we WILL be blessed. And we will be blessed in the way that is most beneficial to us. 

there are lots of excuses in life that take us away from god and from putting him first. consider however the question posed by the savior, "What shall it profit a man, if he gain the whole world and loses his own soul?" Joy is found in Christ. and Christ is knocking. available to all. But the choice is ours. We must act. The three Sunday school answers always apply:

read, pray and go to church.


Love, sister snow

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