OKC - Week 19 When an apostle of the Lord enters the room...

Hello from Oklahoma!

Love my companion!
(Oklahoma City Temple)

I can’t wait to tell ya’ll about this week.  It has been a week of learning, of growth, and all of the above, and I don’t even know where to start.

I guess I’ll start out with the highlight.  We got a text from our mission president, President Mansell, and he said that Elder Bednar was coming to our mission.  We were so excited!  It wasn’t just to come to talk to us, the missionaries, but he was also coming to talk to all of the recent converts (within the last 3 years), mission wide.  We had this huge devotional with all the recent converts.  So here are the details.

My District
(Oklahoma City Temple)

It began with 200+ missionaries gathered together to get the flu shot.  Last year many missionaries got the flu so Sister Mansell put her foot down and said all missionaries must get the flu shot.  Then we all lined up for a picture.  As we were waiting for Elder & Sister Bednar, we all started singing hymns.  This was the coolest part because you could feel how much music brings the Spirit into the room.  We had about 15 minutes until Elder & Sister Bednar entered the room and as it got closer, you could feel the anticipation of everyone, and the Spirit got stronger and stronger.  I can’t even begin to describe to you what it felt like.  We began to sing his favorite song, “Redeemer of Israel.”  I was so overwhelmed with the Spirit and I could feel his presence in the building, even though he wasn’t in the room with us yet.  I’ve never felt that way before and it was the coolest feeling I’ve ever experienced.  We had to sing the song over again because he hadn’t come into the room yet.  As we began again, he entered the room and we were all in front of an apostle of the Lord, a disciple of Jesus Christ, a true representative of Jesus Christ was in front of us! It was amazing!  As we’ve had conference this last week, I’ve been able to reflect on why do we have apostles and prophets here on this earth?  A lot of investigators have asked us this. Why are there modern day prophets, seers and revelators?  It’s because they speak of Christ, they speak of God and they let us know what He wants us to hear.  It’s amazing because God himself can’t come down and tell us but He has worthy priesthood holders and worthy men to tell us.  It is so comforting.

Oklahoma, Oklahoma City Mission
Pres. & Sis. Mansell and Elder & Sis. Bednar

For 3 hours,  all of the missionaries got to listen to Elder Bednar.  We didn’t really know what to expect, but were all really excited because he is an amazing speaker and he gets your attention.  We all had our notepads out ready to go.  He stood up and said, “Elders & Sisters I have 3 things for you to follow.  First don’t take notes on anything I say.” You could hear all of the pens dropping.   We are going to have a discussion and I want you to be taught by the spirit.  That was so cool because he said some things, and I wrote them down, but it wasn’t exactly what he said, it was the Spirit that taught me.  Reading back through my notes I can see all of the things that I learned and the things that I’m going to apply now to my mission here in Oklahoma.  And that was the point, to allow the Spirit to teach us.  He is an amazing teacher, but the Spirit is the most amazing teacher.

Topo Golf!! (Me trying to hit the ball)

Before Elder Bednar even stood up, Sister Bednar spoke to us and reminded us to never be ashamed about knowing and representing the Savior.  It’s true, we shouldn’t be ashamed for knowing the Savior and knowing what He wants us to be.  This message really stood out to me because you should never be ashamed or hesitate to stand up for what you believe in.  There are a lot of youth here in Oklahoma that have to do this, as they are one of very few members who go to their school.  They have to be that light, that example because other people will see it.  It’s so good to represent the church and the Savior. 

Elder Bednar on the other hand allowed me to really evaluate myself as a missionary.  It was very uplifting. One thing I want to apply to my missionary service is, “Teaching is not talking.”  What that means is when you’re sitting in front of an investigator and just talking, are you spewing information or letting the spirit speak thru?  Also are you connecting with them? Are you allowing the Spirit to tell you what that person needs?  If you are just talking to them it is going right over their head.  But if you are really relating to them, sitting down with them, and asking, "what do you need, and how do I need to teach you?  How does the Spirit need to teach you and how am I going to be able to invite that?  This is what I learned from that talk.  Also, are we willing to do all we can so that the Spirit can draw from that bucket of knowledge?  We have a bucket of experience,  all of the things we have gone thru.  When we teach, is that bucket full, ready, prepared for when we teach?  That is something I want to apply in my studying all I can during our study time each day so the Spirit can help me and my companion be able to teach to their needs. Elder Bednar was so cool because he got down on a personal level with us and allowed us to talk about what we learned in the talks.  This might sound crazy, but I didn’t even feel like I needed to shake his hand and be super close with him.  I felt like He was super connected with us.  As we were in that small chapel it felt like he was our best friend just having a conversation with us, teaching us, counseling us.  Isn’t that how the Savior is? Our best friend willing to guide us, and show us the way?  And that is exactly what His apostle was doing.  I felt so close to him as well as many others in that room.  The Spirit was able to teach us what we needed. 

We definitely beat these Elders😉

After the missionaries devotional,  all the recent converts from the whole mission came to listen to Elder Bednar counsel and encourage them.  All the missionaries were in the back and the whole chapel and gym was filled with people, recent converts of all walks of life. You could just feel the love the Savior has for each one of them.  They all didn’t look the same, and they all came from different backgrounds. The Savior loves every one of those individuals and you could feel it as Elder Bednar stood up to teach.  He let them know that he loved them and that the Savior loved them. He specifically told all of us that, no matter if you mess up, and go back to bad habits, you have a Savior and there is a way back to the path. You’re going to sway on the path, it is inevitable, but you’re going to be able to get back on the straight and narrow.  Always remember that there is a way back to the Savior.

6 Sisters is a Party!!
(We are so popular when everyone coming
from 2+ hours away needs a place to crash)

For the OKC 7^th ward, Jordan was able to come and she brought her parents who are not members.  We were talking to Jordan today and she told us that her parents loved it and they learned a lot from going. We don’t know what will come of it, but we know something good.  We also had another family there whose son was baptized not too long ago.

I want to let you all know that I love you and I'm so grateful for all of your love and support.  I will be honest, it is tough. No, it's really tough, but it is so worth it and so much fun. I love everything about Oklahoma and it makes me so happy to hear all about your activities and missionary experiences.

Your challenge is to fill that spiritual bucket, that bucket of knowledge so you are ready to do what Sister Bednar says, “Stand up for what you believe and represent the Savior.”  The Savior wants you to learn so much, He has so much in store for you. I’ve learned that here on a mission that there is so much you can gain, so never stop growing, never stop learning. Read your scriptures, pray with sincerity of heart, study your scriptures and apply them to your daily life.

Love,

Sister Walker