August 24, 2015

Hello Family!

Did you know that I survived the hottest July in Florida in 135 years? And on bike? Go me.

Someone shared this and President included it in our weekly email and I wanted to share it:

"There was a story that I read the other day by Elder Bednar of when he went to Germany and didn't feel like he really needed to be there until he was able to cheer up this guy on the train. He said, "The answer to the question if God would send his apostle to the other side of the world for just one of His children is yes." 

I have absolutely seen this in my mission. It can be frustrating when not everything results in a baptism, but if it didn't for Christ, why would it for me? I love seeing that if Heavenly Father sends us somewhere to knock, it is either to find someone to baptize, or answer another one of His children's prayers.

Zone Conference this week was so incredibly uplifting and reminded me that this work is all about our desires. I have gone back and forth my whole mission whether it really is possible to baptize consistently and I realized that it most definitely is. In this mission especially, all it takes is giving it our all and having ONE single desire to baptize and God allows us to see many baptisms. After all, His work is hastening and that is what we came here to do. 

Zone Conference was the best yet. Which was wonderful because first off, I talked it up all week to Sister Edwards and explained to her what happened and that it is basically Christmas as a missionary and then I could hardly sleep Wednesday night I was so excited and secondly, because that was my final Zone Conference. As we watched Pres. Uchtdorf's video bearing his testimony and I had an incredible moment of gratitude. I had overwhelming gratitude for my mission and for my Father in Heaven loving me enough to send me on this mission and to send my Savior before me. The feeling is hard to explain, but I know I will never forget it. This work is so precious to me, I love my life here. 

This week was a week of miracles. Probably the best week of my mission. We knocked into TWO formers, worked well with the members, and are seeing serious progress with our two main investigators.

First investigator: loves everything we teach still. He is my favorite to teach. Not because he is easy, because he most definitely is not.......,but because he has real intent and I know the Lord has prepared him. Again, hard to explain, but I can feel it. We, as representatives of Christ, must be bold in standing for the truth. We had a breakthrough lesson with him last night and he is committed to be baptized this Sunday.

Second investigator: he is changing his life, slowly but surely. Actually, rather quickly. He always tears up as we bear testimony at the end and is reading the Book of Mormon regularly. He is getting prepared for his baptism soon.

+Miracle of the week: I love how greenies rely on the spirit... I have seen it so many times and Sister Edwards is an example of that. We were talking about where to knock and she felt strongly about one complex. We only had an hour to knock there, but at the last door, a woman answers and kindly lets us in. We were thrown off (come on, we are in Miami... rarely happens haha) and she said her whole family had known the missionaries before. Turns out, Sunday, we got a referral from a young couple. They referred us to their nonmember uncle, aunt, and 2 teenage cousins. Since our boundaries just got changed, their teaching record was in the elders’ area book (they had been taught before). The uncle always told the elders to send the sisters... ha.... but what do you know, after 3 sets of elders, the Lord sent him sisters and for the first time in 15 years, he came to church. We are interested to see what happens with this family. The uncle told us about this story/fable where this captain of a ship was in a storm and the ship was going down and a boat came to help him and he said, "No, it's okay, God will save me." Two more boats came to him. He got to heaven and said, "God why didn't you save me?" God said, "I tried. I sent you 3 boats!" He finished this story and said, the missionaries are the boats. I said, "yeah, and God has just send you your FOURTH boat." He laughed. He knows it's true. The next lesson we had, we walked in and the first thing he said was, "It's my boat! Save me, save me!" Haha. I love this man... there is something working in him.

Book of Mormon: Jacob 5:71

And the Lord of the vineyard said unto them: Go to, and labor in the vineyard, with your might. For behold, this is the last time that I shall nourish my vineyard; for the end is nigh at hand, and the season speedily cometh; and if ye labor with your might with me ye shall have joy in the fruit which I shall lay up unto myself against the time which will soon come.

I likened this scripture unto myself by picturing the Lord saying this to me. He is inviting me to labor with all my might, this is my last transfer, and as I give of myself fully, I will have joy forever. A family member wrote me and said, "Work your hardest and you'll be content for the rest of your life." Baptizing is my first desire; that is my second. 

Sister Edwards is so wise and patient and kind. Serving with her is bliss. We are completely focused, happy, and unified in our desire to find the elect and teach and baptize them. 

Also, shoutout to the Baker family. They sent us the kindest greenie package. They never fail! It was so fun and the things Momma Baker sent... so on point. THANK YOU FOR MAKING OUR DAY! 

Thank you all for helping me stay focused and motivated. I love this work. I love my Savior. And I love learning more and more each day.

Con amor,

Hermana McCormick