The Gospel is Beautiful!

Wow just another week!.....haha NOT. This week was actually really different/better than most weeks! I have been thinking about how beautiful this gospel is and how I want everyone to have it, but I could use some work on doing everything in my power to share it. I always talk to people...if it's convenient, but I needed to work on getting out of my comfort zone and talking to EVERYONE. So I set some goals for myself and some plans to go along with it since I'm just tryna be the typical sister missionary, and they worked!! We seriously found 15 new people to teach this week! And they were all "hand-of-God", "tender mercies", "best 2 years" status miracles. So the play-by-play: 

Monday we fasted with an investigator about her baptismal date. I never realized it, but pretty much everything on p-day is food-related, so we chilled most of the day because we couldn't do any of our normal activities. We broke our fast together at 5 and it was such a good experience! 

Tuesday morning during studies is when I was reading in chapter 9 about finding and got this slap in the face that I needed to be better at talking to everyone. So we went to District Meeting and la da de and we had a bible referral like an hour away so we went out there and fearlessed people the whole way. When we got there she was totally prepared! We had a good little lesson and then as we were walking away I felt like we should cross the street and walk on the other side. We found this other lady who was super cool and scheduled a return appointment with her, and then she told us to go talk to her next door neighbor, so we did, and got an appointment with him, and then we got some more people's information on the bus ride home! Well you know that set me on fire, I think the Lord knew I needed a little success to boost my spiritual metabolism haha. 

Wednesday we had pretty much a repeat: went to see another bible referral and met a ton of people on the way there and back, as well as had a great lesson with the lady who wants her whole family to join the church. It cushioned the blow when we went to our investigator's (with a baptismal date) house and found out she doesn't live there nor had they ever heard of her. Nice. Well we didn't have time to cry over it cause we were finding too many other people who were ready!! Side note: I promised myself I would make this the last week of stories about getting hit on, (unless there were some really good ones) so here goes: Wednesday I got hit on by every single bus driver...I seriously can't handle it. I walk to the back of the bus just dying because like, wow, you look so attractive in your bus driver uniform, it's a pretty hard pass bro. Then we were walking down the street and this guy yelled out "are you JWs?" So we turned around and in my mind I was like "JWs aren't this good-looking who are you kidding?" Hah sorry I get so sassy. Anyway we invite him and his friend to church and I was like, what's your name? "Mega." Haha I almost couldn't hold it in till the corner I was dying. Who the? What the? Why the? Only in NY, or more specifically, in Brooklyn, will you find this kind of weird and crazy. On the way home we met an educated, normal, white person and got a return appointment. That never happens. Yaaaas.

Thursday we had all these great appointments, but they all got switched up. I don't wanna say they fell through necessarily because what actually happens is we schedule stuff and it's not who God wanted us to meet with so He does a little scheduling of His own and it all turns out! We had a lesson with a less-active family and fearlessed a million more people and did some bible drop offs. In case you haven't already caught on, we get like 5 bible referrals from Mormon.org every week. If you wanna keep your missionary friends busy, share Mormon.org on your Facebook or by giving out the little cards. GOL-DEN. 

Friday was great but it was the same drill so I won't go over it again. Saturday we went to Ellen's baptism and she is SO cute. I didn't know anyone there but I got asked to lead the music so I lead it and there was lots of awkward eye contact since it was a small group. My fake smile game is so strong these days. Haha jk it was such a beautiful baptism and the spirit was so strong. Love it. There was food afterwards, and at each of our 3 appointments afterwards which always happens on Saturdays so we were absolutely stuffed. 

Soooo member missionary work. About that...we brought a recent convert with us to teach an investigator and basically our investigator has like this arch-enemy who lives above her and flooded her apartment and won't pay for it. They hate each other. This neighbor happens to be the best friend of the girl we brought to teach with us. So uh background, I had had a very strong prompting that this was the right woman to bring with us. So we get in the lesson and they figure out they have this common acquaintance and I'm sitting here like "God, didn't you tell me to bring her? Of all the people, it had to be one who is friends with her enemy?" But the very distinct thought "it doesn't matter" came clearly into my head, and I remembered that the gospel is for everyone, whether they are friends or not. Before the discussion of the neighbor went any further I butted in and said "we have come today to teach you about the gospel of Jesus Christ and about repentance and forgiveness, I will say the prayer." And we proceeded to have one of the most powerful lessons about the atonement, forgiveness, faith, and repentance I think I have ever been in. The member testified boldly, and our investigator responded positively and even came to church the next day which is amazing, considering that had been a struggle previously. God knows what He's doing folks. 

Sunday was a blessed occasion, as always. Our investigators came to church, it was a nice day, and everything just went beautifully. Sometimes I feel like Sunday's are like a wedding, we spend so much time preparing people to come and we hold our breath until the moment the song starts because we want so badly for people to come and enjoy the spirit of the sacrament meeting. It always blesses those who attend. I am so personally grateful for the sacrament and for the atonement of our Savior and Older Brother Jesus Christ. Without Him there would be no hope nor healing in this life. 

Sunday evening we went to set family mission plan goals with a member of the bishopric and his family. The only reason I'm telling you about them is because I have never walked into a home and immediately felt the spirit so strongly as I did in that home, all the way until I walked out the door. I love seeing examples of saints such as these who give their all to building up the Lord's kingdom here on earth. I hope I can be like that someday. People like them remind me of you Mom and Pa, you guys are amazing and such great missionaries to everyone. 

Something I particularly enjoyed from studies this week was "The Music of the Gospel" from the last general conference. That is something I have been striving to do my whole mission, help people not just understand what the gospel is, but how to live it. Living the gospel brings joy beyond imagination, especially through the hard times. I am so grateful for a gospel that allows me to by myself, but better--who God wants me to be. I know turning our lives over to Him will help us understand the wonderful vision He has for us as His children. I am so grateful to be out here, because I feel like I have been able to see a tiny piece of what that plan is for all of us. I love this work!

Thank you all for helping me be out here by your support, I am so grateful for wonderful family and friends. 

Love you!

Sister Wadsworth

1. Just to mix it up: my beautiful sister

2. I told you the fake smile game was strong

3. Jenn Blosil is kind of a big deal, look her up on iTunes 

4. When the humidity gets the best of hair, skin, and you smile anyways