June 15, 2015
We had so many miracles this week! We have so many people to teach we
had to start scheduling them on P-day so we get everyone taught! We
had a lesson on 10am Monday with a new investigator and she told us
about how she wants to know what the truth is and is confused about
all the different churches. The First Vision is such an applicable
story to anyone because we all have questions we need answered and I
know those answers come through prayer. After that lesson we headed
to Brooklyn Bridge Park to play some football and Rugby since a lot
of people were getting transferred. We left early cause we had a
lesson for 5 with a dear sister, she got baptized but some things
came up and she hasn't been able to be confirmed so we had
(seriously) THE BEST discussion with her...we've missed seeing her
and I am so thankful to the Lord for softening her heart and letting
us come teach her again. She wants to come back to church and be
taught again!! SO HAPPY.
Tuesday was Transfer Meeting but we
didn't go cause we are both staying! So we had a lot of lessons and
found some new investigators which was awesome! So quick detour, I
don't think I've ever talked about a typical "lesson" in
Brooklyn. It's usually in the middle of the street, on a stoop, or
in a 1000-degree living room with plastic-covered furniture (just
when you think life can't get more sticky from the humidity...it
does). I think there is one main thing that makes it A LOT
different: the distractions. If there isn't someone smoking weed
it's a siren. If it's not a siren it's a little kid trying to
download games on your iPad (which you obviously can't, so they get
frustrated and try to throw it). It's cool cause at the first of my
mission I would let these things distract me as we were talking to
the person, but I noticed the other day that I don't notice
them anymore. You can feel the stillness of the Spirit in a subway
car, on the main drag in Brooklyn, or in a crazy Jamacian household
of 14. Love it.
We had a million lessons between
Tuesday and Sunday night, the sad thing is that when I look back on
the week the most memorable thing was that we were walking down the
street by prospect park and there's two, brand-new pairs of shoes on
the sidewalk. In NYC that means they're up for grabs. Happy Birthday
to me, they were my size! Wow I'm a terrible missionary if that's
all I remember. But on Sunday we went to deliver a bible to a lady
and her and her roommate want us to keep teaching them!! We had such
a great restoration lesson...it never gets old, just better. We all
have questions that need to be answered and just like James 1:5 says
if we ask God he will answer us. I have felt a lot of answers come
for me personally the past few weeks and it is cool when we take the
time to experience what we are teaching our investigators. One of
the things I had been praying for was that I could find ways to be
more obedient cause we all know Sister Wadsworth does what Sister
Wadsworth wants to do and she needs to do what God wants her to do.
I read D&C 123:16-17:
"You know, brethren, that a very
large ship is benefited very much by a very small helm in the time
of a storm, by being kept workways with the wind and the waves.
Therefore, dearly beloved brethren, let us cheerfully do all things
that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost
assurance, to see the salvation of God, and for his arm to be
revealed."
I loved that cause if you think about
the ship the scripture is talking about it is "very large"
but a small helm controls it! I felt like this was my answer: work
on the small rules. "Now ye may suppose that this is
foolishness in me; but behold I say unto you, that by small and
simple things are great things brought to pass; and small means in
many instances doth confound the wise." (Alma 37:6) I feel like
if we are struggling to find the next step in our lives we can make
our way to the Father by obeying the seemingly "small"
commandments like keeping the Sabbath day holy or having daily
prayer and scripture study. Small things make ALL the difference.
Something cool I was also able to
realize this week is the power we have in ourselves to change "how
things are" by thinking, talking, (and even writing in your
journal!) positively. I didn't think having negative thoughts
mattered, cause they are just thoughts, but when you have focused,
positive thinking you are able to control aspects of your life you
didn't know you were in control of! Elder Holland: "I'm not a
swearing man, but I come close when I hear people say "I can't
change."" When we tell ourselves a situation is "the
way it is" and we can't change it, we are limiting the
possibility that it will change, and we are limiting ourselves from
changing it. When we say we (or anyone else) can't change we are
denying that Christ is real and this His atonement can have affect
in our lives. I know He IS real and that we can all change who we
are into the person we need to be BECAUSE of Him. I see this happen
everyday and that is the miracle of the atonement. I love this
gospel and I love missionary work. Thanks for your incredible
support, I always feel uplifted after reading everyone's
emails...ya'll are the best family in the world!!
Love,
Sister Wadsworth
1. Service!! I <3 Sister Barnes.
2. Thought I would throw in some eye
candy from Australia
3. Kylie: "are you going to marry
a guy with yellow hair since you have yellow hair?" Haha she is
the cutest girl ever. She also told me I'm not to have 7 kids...I can
only have 5. Her two front teeth missing seriously kills me.
4. I guess billboards aren't cool
enough anymore so they have to do this in the sky.
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