Monday, August 26, 2013, Williamsburg, Virginia, Sister Missionaries

Sister Garvin and Sister Newbold

Today is the first day of my 4th transfer.  Congratulations me!  I made it.

This week was really good, and sometimes pretty weird.

We went on exchanges with the sisters we live with, and I was able to serve for a day in a place other than my area.  I loved it!  Not because I don't love my area-- because I do, and I dont want to ever go anywhere else--but because it was a great experience to have one day someplace else.  Testify of truth, meet other people that like the missionaries, yeah.  It was just a really wonderful.

We went to an Assisted Living center where a member of their ward was living, and we ended up talking with this old man for a long time!  It was really powerful to feel the Spirit just testifying of simply truths.  Most especially of God's love for each individual.  I love seeing the little bits of hope that appear in people's eyes as they realize that they are cared about, and there is something more to life then just going through it.

So that was neat.

Something I learned very clearly this week:

Our purpose, my purpose, as a missionary is only to invite, and if the invitation is accepted then to gently guide.  Never to entice, cajole, manipulate, or convince anyone that the gospel is true.  Never that.  That's a bad idea.

We never ask someone to take our word for it.  Believe that the Gospel has been restored, or that the Book of Momon is true just because I say so.  That is also, a bad idea.  The promise in Moroni 10:3-5 is real!  You can ask and find out for yourself that it is true, but you have to really want to know.

Sorry... my collection of thoughts is pretty brief, and less organized than usual.  Time is running out! 

Love forever!

Thank you more than I can say for your unwavering support!

Love,

Sister Garvin

Book of Mormon Promise

May 6, 2013

This week has been so much busier than last week, and I love it.  I love having my time filled, and having structure in a schedule.

We had dinner with couple this week, and he brought his friend from work because they have been talking a little bit about the gospel, and religion.  We taught The Restoration lesson, and he committed to read the Book of Mormon.  We will be contacting him next week for a follow up apt, and will hopefully have a new progressing investigator!  

We were also able to visit with another investigator who we taught the Plan of Salvation. (Two full length lessons in a week is really good for us!) And she committed to be baptized!  We were unable to set a date, but when we meet with her this week we will talk to her a little bit more about it, and see if she would be willing to set a date for the end of this month, and progress towards that.

Something that is amazing about being here is that every single person that I have met here both member, and non-member I have had people De-Ja-Vu--not even exagurating (not sure how to spell that one.  I am google-free :-). I honestly feel like I have met them before.  I know that it is just another reminder that this is exactly where God wants me to be.  It is a completely different experience, and has tested my faith a lot, but I am reminded daily that I am supposed to be here.

Something that I was taught in the MTC is to never lower your expectations because that is how your performance is measured.  I re-learned that this week.  I came into this area with high expectations, and it seemed like everything that happened in the days that I first got here were things that really tested, and hinted that I should lower those expectations, but I have learned that it is good to have high expectations.  It is okay if they are not met, but there always needs to be a standard to measure by--that is what determines your success as a missionary I think.  Not whether the expectations or goals were met, but whether or not you were doing everything that you could to work towards them, and make progress, and meet the standards and expectations of the Lord.

My favorite scriptures this week were Alma 26:3,27, and also a CES fireside talk by Elder Bednar from March.  He talked about faith and told the story of how a young, newly married man was diagnosed with cancer.  He and his wife had immense faith, and knew that God could make him better. Long story super short.... They asked Elder Bednar for a blessing, and he asked them a couple of questions before they started--- this question really hit me hard---"Do you have the faith not to be healed?"

That is something that I needed this week.  I asked myself if I have the faith to do something that is really hard, and I don't understand.  Still something to ponder. :)  I hope that I would be that kind of person with that kind of faith.  It is something that I hope to be able to continue growing into.

Love forever,

Sister Garvin

P.S. Sorry for typos.  I can only type in scripture lingo now.  Side effects of being Thereforto art thou hath fore naught....... :)