Hey everyone!!
Well turns out it was my last week here in the Appomattox area... I am being transferred but i dont know where to yet! So stay tuned until next week.... haha. We had a pretty good week full of laughs like always. That's what i love about this place is there is always something to laugh about no matter how hard things are! Anyway, this area we are in is really interesting, as i'm sure ya'll have already picked up that vibe... haha but the people here are sooo receptive and more than willing to talk to you and Sister Jones and i have found tons and tons of people here! The only thing is that all the people here although they are willing to listen... they arent necessarily willing to progress or keep any sort of return appointment. Haha. It's pretty tough... so sister jones and i were kinda left this week with hardly anyone to teach. It happens to us about every other week... its an interesting pattern. Haha anyway, we were knocking some doors the other day and we do what is called "inspired tracting" we just knock the doors that we feel like we should. So we had knocked a couple and had nothin... it was about time for us to head out to an appointment but i just looked at this one house a little across the way and without saying a word just walked straight to it... thankfully my companion followed. haha but we knocked annnnd... nothin. We waited... knocked again.... nothin. Cool story right? Thats all. Haha just kidding. We waiting longer than normal and finally someone answered. This guy named JT with dreads answered and just immediately came outside to talk. I've never had someone so happy to see us before. We taught him the whole restoration on his porch and asked him to be baptized right there and he agreed. He was shocked that we were there on his porch at that moment. He kept saying that he drives by our church every single day and has always wondered why there are never any cars there. haha. He said at least 10 times "i have always wondered about that church and cant believe you guys are here right now!" He told us how his grandma has been telling him that he needs to get back to church and his daughter begs him every week to go to church and how that is a huge example to him and that he needs to find the right church! It was a really neat experience and i know that the Lord directed us right to him! Im so glad i got to meet him and i know that if he is prepared and ready that he will continue to meet with us and he will especially know who belongs to that church he drives by everyday and know that he is always welcome! I'm so grateful for the spirit and the power we all have to access it.
My favorite scripture lately is Alma 38:3. Never in my life have i had a scripture hit me so hard. it says "I say unto you, my son (or my daughter), that i have had great joy in thee already because of thy faithfulness and thy diligence, and thy patience and thy long-suffering among the people of the Zoramites (virginia)" I love love love this scripture cuz it shows that our Heavenly Father is soo proud of all of us! No matter our weaknesses, or the trials he has put us through he is so happy with us and the faith and patience we had through those hard times. Never in my life have i been reading the book of mormon and felt that everything i read was exactly what i needed to hear, or answers to questions i had. Even though there are things in there i have read over and over and for some reason lately it all applies to me no matter what and this scripture stood out to me so much because it is so easy and natural for us as humans to always beat ourselves up no matter what we are going through. We are our biggest critics. We recognize our weaknesses more than anyone... but Heavenly Father who knows every single thing about us and knows all of our faults and weaknesses... He looks past those. He helps us see how far we have come. He helps us recognize our strengths. He lifts us up. And through anything and everything we go through he still has "great joy" in us because we have overcome them and allowed ourselves to grow.
I am so grateful for all of the experiences i have had in my LIFE.... especially my mission. This area has really opened my eyes to how blessed i truly am and have been my whole life. I've always had a roof over my head, i've never had to even consider checking myself into the homeless shelter as i have seen members do here. I've always had more than what i needed when people here are lucky if they even have electricity and running water. I wouldnt trade any of the experiences i have had here for anything. I am grateful for the people i have met here. They are the most humble people who have taught me so much. I want you to know that i am giving it my all here. I've given my all to this area. I gave my all in charlottesville and although the success i would have and anyone would have liked to see hasnt come yet i know that i have made a difference and although it has been hard i know that my heavenly father is pleased with me. He is pleased with you all. No matter what you are going through. Keep going. It's worth it. Make Him proud. Give him your all.
Onward i go to a new adventure!! I love you all more than you'll ever know!!!! XOXO
Sister Roosendaal
No comments:
Post a Comment