Week 26 - With Faith in Jesus Christ you can overcome anything

Hey Yall,  

When trying to escape the wind,
think small:)

First, I just want to announce that our investigator Stephanie is a “non-smoker”!!!  I am so excited for her.  Thru a lot of fasting, prayer and so much faith, she was able to quit smoking, quit coffee, and quit tea.  AND she has a baptism date for January 6! We are so excited for her.  She wants this so badly. We met with her for dinner tonight and she taught her kids the Proclamation on the Family and explained to them how important it was to them. The light in her eyes is shining brighter and brighter every day and we just love seeing her grow in the gospel. Every time we go over she has a new question and it just makes us so happy that she is deciding to come closer to Christ. She has made this decision and we were talking with her bishop and he said something to the point, that baptism is one of the most essential things that you will ever do in your lifetime, because that is the first promise you will make with Heavenly Father. It’s going to lead to more and greater promises and Stephanie is on that path right now.

Another investigator, Lazara, is just hungry for the gospel right now. She is feasting on everything we talk to her about and wants to know more and she has been staying awake in class which is amazing because when we first brought her to church she was falling asleep. We were watching the Restoration video the other day and she was falling asleep during it too. We kept telling her, “No, no, no, this is like the good part. You can’t fall asleep.” It was when Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father appeared to Joseph Smith and we told her she needed to stay awake for this. She’s staying awake now and she’s engaged and wants to learn and we’re just excited for her because she’s progressing, and she’s been to church almost every single Sunday in the last month. She is reading the Book of Mormon or as she calls it, ‘a whole nother bible’.  This is like new information and she is so excited about that.  Lazara is doing awesome right now.

"Christmas Time Is Here!"

We are also teaching Marilyn, who has gone through many changes in her life, which she is willing to do to come unto Christ and be baptized.  Sis. Kresge and I have loved seeing the change in her. She just glows every time we meet with her. The elders will meet with her and us too because she is in another ward but wanted to be taught by Sisters, so we both teach her.  All four of us can attest that she has the light of Christ in her eyes and wants to be baptized. We had a fast for her today and know that she’s going to be able to accomplish all that the Lord has in store for her. If she is to do the things the Lord has commanded, then blessings will follow and she will be baptized. So we’re really excited . . . not sure the exact date still but we know it’s going to happen and we’re still praying for her because she has the faith that it will.

The last OU game was on, dinner was at 5,
 and when the member texts you to say they
are only at half time, they get you Dominos!
Living by Campus life:D

When this is a daily thing...lol

I had a pretty humbling experience last Tuesday. We have a less active member that lives in a disabled home and my companion didn’t exactly tell me the whole situation, so we went and there were all these people living in horrible conditions. I was a little shocked and heartbroken that they live like this. I was hearing about some of the situations there and I felt for them. A lot of us have grown up in supportive homes with supportive parents.  We are fed and we’re taken care of. I didn’t know there was another side to this, plus these people have disabilities and they can’t live on their own and have to have support. So to see all these people as we were meeting with our investigator, was very humbling. We go and read the Book of Mormon with him because he likes us to explain what it is talking about because he has a hard time understanding. I was sitting there and looking at him as he was reading, and felt ‘This a child of God.  Every single person in this building is a child of God, just having a rough time right now.” I had this overwhelming feeling of love and peace, and even though I was pretty upset about the living situation and how poor it was, I felt comforted that these people are not alone and that they are special in God’s eyes. One day we are all going to be resurrected and we will be perfect and that is a promise to every single person that has ever been on the earth, that is on the earth now, and that will be on the earth later. We will all be resurrected and that gave me so much comfort and peace. We have to look at every one through the eyes of our Savior. On a mission you are put in so many different situations, so different than I experienced back home.  You never know the whole situation.   You just have to look through the eyes of our Savior and not think any differently about them.

We were able to go on exchanges this week. I love exchanges with the OU Sisters. They’re awesome and I learn so much from them. They always have something to teach us. I was with Sister Williams and since it was Thanksgiving break the campus was dead so we split the Noble area and Sis. Williams and I biked to one of the neighborhoods. We had the feeling we needed to go to this one neighborhood where one of the ladies in our ward is going through some health problems and we wanted to go visit her and see how she was doing.  In the neighborhood were two boys, one on a bike and one on roller blades and they see us and challenge us to a race. So we raced to the end of the block. I can’t believe how out of shape I am! I haven’t ridden my bike a whole lot on my mission because this transfer, my companion can’t bike. Elder Bednar told us to have joy in our mission.  It’s fun to find people, and it’s fun to go teach, but you also have to make the extra effort and make every day fun, even an adventure. We ended up going to the wrong house and a man answered the door. The first door knock of the day is always so awkward and once you get done with that then you’re solid for the rest of the door knocks that you do for that day. So we were talking to the guy who wasn’t super interested but then it was like a miracle because Sister Williams and him were able to make a connection through the army, her dad was in the army and this man was in the air force and we were able to have a real good conversation with him. We were finally able to visit the lady we wanted to and I was able to see some of the things that I could improve as a missionary and see what Sis. Williams did, not to compare myself to her, but to grow and ask her for advice.  As missionaries we can’t be stuck in our own bubble, and think “this is the way I do things.” We have to be willing to grow and change, because this is the purpose of this earth life.  We can’t just be on our own personal “straight and narrow” and not allow ourselves to be something greater.  We have to be able to change some things that we do to become more like our Savior and be more perfect one day. I’m grateful for the things that she’s taught me as well as my companion Sis. Kresge.

Thanksgiving with the Gowan Family

Love my Sistas!

We, 6 missionaries, had Thanksgiving with the whole Gowan family. I think one of the biggest things I miss right now is being with my family for thanksgiving. So I was grateful to be with another family having a similar experience of that family bond, big group thanksgiving meal. That was really fun, but I have to admit I wish I hadn’t taken too much. You just can’t take a bunch of food and have room for the next dinner. So, the next dinner we went to the institute building and there was so much good food there too. We loaded our plates up while the other sisters, who’ve done this before, tried to warn us to not take too much, but we were sure we’d be OK. Nope, I couldn’t even finish that dinner. I couldn’t even get to the pie. What the heck?  It was kind of a crazy amazing awesome Thanksgiving. We were reminded that when we pray we just need to be thankful for all those things the Lord has given us, instead of asking Him for things. Prayer is more effective when we are thankful for all the things He’s already given us. I know Thanksgiving is over but we can always in our prayers be thankful for all those blessings. I hope all of you had a wonderful Thanksgiving and were able to spend time with family.

My comps my favorite<3

I gave a talk in church today about having faith in Jesus Christ. In Ether 12:6, it says, “And now, I, Moroni, would speak somewhat concerning these things; I would show unto the world that faith is things which are hoped for and not seen; wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith.” I love that last part because sometimes in life, it’s like you are blindfolded, and have no idea which way to turn. We have the Spirit, but we will also be tempted by Satan, yet we will always have the freedom to choose. So what are we going to do show our faith? We have to take one step, one leap, one jump. Remember, you receive no witness until after the trial of your faith. Sometimes we will be tried, and it won’t be easy, but we will never get so far off the path that we can’t come back. Elder Holland spoke of this in his last conference address. He said, “Be ye therefore perfect….eventually”.  It was such a good talk. Another point is faith and repentance. When we fall off the path, and can’t see in front of us, do we have the faith that we can overcome those trials and tribulations? It is only possible because of our Savior.  If it wasn’t for Him, we would feel sorrow every day, and we would never feel comfort. I love teaching about the atonement, especially to see people light up to know that there is hope and there is a way. The way to get there is through faith. We have to have faith and then nourish and strengthen it. We do this by praying, reading our scriptures, going to church, and following the commandments. So, this week’s challenge, and I know I’ve given this challenge before, is to find something that you are trying to overcome, and have the faith to overcome it. Put all of your trust and faith in Christ, and His atonement, and believe that through Him, you can overcome it. I know you can do it. I love you all, and hope you all have a fantastic week. 

Love,

Sister Walker