Hello Family!! How are you all? I hope all is well!
This week has been another tough week, but there was finally light at the end of the tunnel. The hardest day was probably park day.
So Park Day is a day where we don't use a car, so being sisters, with no bikes, we walked.....everywhere!!
We basically walked around and tracted...all day. We didn't see many fruits until that night when we went on exchanges with Sister Simmons (RS President) and Sister Campbell (our mom here in Tacoma). Sister Simmons and I went to the Kovich's, and Sister Crosby and Campbell went to Sister Reid's.
I don't know if I've mentioned the Kovich's before but here is a little background. So Brother Kovich is a member of the church. Sister Kovich was a member until she had her name removed years ago. We've been meeting with her for about 3 months and have learned that she got her name removed because she felt like a number when she was baptized. (why numbers make me angry) and she never felt like she had been spiritually converted. We asked her in the 2 meeting if we could teach her the discussions and she said "No!" very obvious that she was not interested. We had Sis. Simmons with us that appointment and she suggested Sis. Kovich read Elder Holland's Talk, "Lord, I believe" from conference and we gave her an ensign, she said she would and we'd talk about it the next appointment.
So that leads to last Thursday, May 16 (Happy Birthday to Tiffany by the Way!). Sister Simmons and I went over to her house to talk to her about the talk and we left with a miracle. As we were talking Sister Kovich opened up a lot about her past. After she left the church she became Catholic, Muslim, Jewish, and like 2 other religions. She had good and bad experiences with the church which she shared with us, and we asked her when she had last read the Book of Mormon. She said it had been a year so we challenged her to read it again, and to read all of it this time, bc she hadn't yet. She said ok, and Sister Simmons and her are now racing to see who can finish it first, their goal is to finish by the end of July. She also told us she was going to stop smoking by the end of May.
The real miracle came when we asked if we could teach her the lessons again....she said,
"Yeah!........" then quickly came in with, "but I'm not making any commitments!!" haha...we'll see, I thought to myself. I know that she is on the path to coming back, and she is such an incredible woman. I know that it will help her husband to come back as well, so that is always exciting.
Oh cool news, so you remember Neal Robb, he's from Bremerton and we had him do the 'mormon experiment', well turns out it worked! He went from being Neal the Anti, to being Neal the guy who bore his testimony on fast sunday about how excited he was to get baptized.....talk about a miracle!
Another amazing thing that happened this week was we started up our musical firesides again. They are so awesome because song is, to me, the greatest way to feel of the spirit. I can't even describe the spirit that is in the room as 100+ missionaries are singing Amazing Grace with such power and testimony...it's amazing!
One thing I have learned this week that was really cool was about the Tree of Life. So after Lehi has seen most of the groups partake of the fruit there is the group that is "holding fast" to the rod, but what hit Sister Crosby and I this week was in 1 Nephi 8:30, at the end where it says that after holding fast to the rod of iron they "came forth and fell down and partook of the fruit of the tree" It remind us just of how living the gospel isn't easy, when we get to the tree we will fall down at the foot of the tree and partake of the fruit that we have worked so hard to achieve. It reminds me of the end of a day as a missionary, I have never enjoyed laying down in bed quite as much as I have after a hard day of work in the service of God, knowing that I have done everything that day that the Lord has asked me.
I am so grateful for this opportunity I have to serve the Lord. I have come to know my Savior so personally, and I feel his love everyday of my life. I know that he atoned for my sins, and that he also atoned for all of your sins. Never think its too late to change, because it's not. There is always time to change, there is always time to improve. No body is perfect. I am so grateful for my Heavenly Father and my Savior Jesus Christ and for all they have done for me, and for the Love I feel from them daily. There is no greater feeling in the world.
I love you all and hope your week goes well! I find out on Saturday if I stay or go, I can't believe it's already been a transfer, it's insane how fast time goes.
I love you soo much!!
Love,
Sister Thomas
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