wave of love
noun
1. the overwhelming sensation one experiences on p-day reading emails from beloved family members and friends.
2. the random and rich joy the Lord grants people to feel from time to time, especially regarding people.
3. exactly how I feel right now toward all of you and toward my entire mission
IT IS SUCH A DANG GOOD LIFE MY LOVES!! Thanks for being such a happy happy part of it :)
But really the Lord in His mercy just lets me feel that allll the time, and in the moments when I want to be like Laman and Lemuel and just complain and be faithless, He's so kind to me and gives me a little miracle or helps me feel the wonder of a little miracle He's already given and it just floors me that regardless of how good life is in any moment, it is always infinity times better when we invite the Lord to be a part of it. Cool, eh?
There were about a BILLION little things this week that touched my heart and helped me grow and feel the Spirit and here are a few of them:
- on Tuesday afternoon Sister Slight and I contacted for four hours (warning: we did a looooot a lot a lot of contacting this week so just don't be alarmed or bored when you keep seeing that phrase) and it was a good block. We met some really lovely people and some people who were really not interested and we learned some opening lines that work and some that don't work and it was a pretty standard happy-but-sometimes-hard-but-mostly-happy-i-get-to-learn-to-rely-on-the-Lord-and-believe-He-can-work-miracles-here-and-now-and-just-open-my-mouth-woohoo contacting block. But THENNNN we walked past this really unpretentious woman waiting for the bus. We said hello and she said hello and we just started talking to her. It was very unspectacular and seemed to be another small talk convo, right? She found out we were missionaries and told us she believes in God and already goes to her own church. We were just talking and out of nowhere, I had the idea (from the spirit but also from Sister Slight who did this a few weeks ago when we were contacting and really inspired me) to ask her what her name is. She said L and then I just looked her in the eye and said, "L, I know that God loves you and that He knows you and that He knows your situation." And then this sweet woman just started bawling her eyes out. She told us that her husband had died a few months ago and that even though she has children that she loves and is overcoming with, it's really, really hard for her. We got to testify about the plan of salvation and her bus came before we got a chance to invite her to hear more. But I was just so touched at that moment of vulnerability. In a world where that doesn't happen very often, it was just so tender and sincere and it meant a lot that Heavenly Father let us be a witness of a tiny show of His great love. He really does know His children and that was one of a million testaments of that this week.
- scripture study is ACTUALLY LIFE CHANGING and SO RELEVANT. who knew?! Last week with Elder Kacher we talked a lot about the scriptures and our responsibility to know them and how they change lives as missionaries. I have enjoyed the scriptures a lot a lot on my mission, but this week in trying to study them on a different level I have found so many answers and cool insights!! The Lord is pretty much a genius...who knew. But for real, here are a few gems:
- remember how Alma gave that killer sermon on faith in Alma 32?
The people felt just as inspired as we all do but also felt that same "but uhh....how do I actually do this thing" feeling we sometimes feel. But Alma gave an answer! In the shape of four pieces of advice. The first was prayer. He talks in a lot of depth in Alma 33 and 34 about the role prayer should play in our life and how we should constantly be bettering our prayers and CONSTANTLY inviting the Lord in and counseling with Him. Prayer is something I have come to learn a lot about on my mission and will be learning about for my whole life probably but I just love the fact that the Lord's given us a direct and personal link to Him--GOD--whenever we want it. WHENEVER!! In any situation or setting and for whatever need. And He really answers!! So pray always! In all things and as often as you can. The other advice Alma gives is to serve others, be grateful and acknowledge the sweet mercies of God in all things and give the Spirit room in your life. If we do these things that are 100% possible and in our control, we ARE having faith and we will feel the Lord's influence more in our lives! And man man man this is true.
- the time I read 1: Ne 13:23
" 23 And he said: Behold it proceedeth out of the mouth of a Jew. And I, Nephi, beheld it; and he said unto me: Theabook that thou beholdest is a brecord of the cJews, which contains the covenants of the Lord, which he hath made unto the house of Israel; and it also containeth many of the prophecies of the holy prophets; and it is a record like unto the engravings which are upon the dplates of brass, save there are not so many; nevertheless, they contain the covenants of the Lord, which he hath made unto the house of Israel; wherefore, they are of great worth unto the Gentiles."
and thought about how Nephi must have felt during this moment. He didn't know from the very beginning that the book that would change the whole earth and help all God's people return again to know the Father that loves them so much was the same book he was writing day by day, but I wonder if he started to think about it as he saw this little bit. I wonder if he realized that the messages he was writing were going to someday be accepted by the descendants of the brethren and people he loved and prayed and begged and toiled for. I wonder if he got a little emotional realizing that the Lord in His mercy would someday help them accept these truths. And then I got a little emotional realizing that the Lord is allowing us to do that today by helping people come unto Christ through the Book of Mormon. He loves these people so much and numbers them and knows them perfectly and I just know He has such a great plan for these people here, even though so many people want us to think that it's impossible here. How great the plan of our God!
- D&C 64:33...pretty much the motto. Enough said :)
" 33 Wherefore, be not a weary in b well-doing, for ye are laying the foundation of a great work. And out of c small things proceedeth that which is great."
- the time these two kids were wrestling in the snow and one of them was clearly stronger and Sister Slight and I were concerned and stopped walking to look back. We were trying to decide if we should go and interfere when the kid who was getting beat up shouted to us, "мы играем" (we're playing)...hahahah KIDS ARE THE SAME IN EVERY COUNTRY.
okay okay i have to go but i just love you and this world and my heart is full of gratitude and love!! how grateful i am for the Atonement that can change our natures and hearts as we let it in through little things that improve us and help others every every every day. LOVE YOU MY DEARS. thanks for all you do. love and prayers always :)
love love love,
sister hansen
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