More miracles

This week I had 2 experiences that I really loved (I considered just using one and saving the other for next week, in case nothing cool happens this week, but I don't think that's really showing my faith to the Lord). So,

The first was the story that we shared in our missionary minute on Sunday, which was nerve wrecking because Soeur Babin (future wife of the future president of mission) was there. But we were in a lesson with a member and the member had invited us to teach their family that arent members of the church. We were in the lesson and the family hadn't been too engaged in the lesson (they were eating), then the the member started bearing her testimony. She said that of all the things that she could give to her family, of all the gifts this is the most precious, and the one of greatest value for her. And that since it was her greatest gift and blessing it is her duty to give it to the people around her who she loves. It was just really cute, and really sincere, really simple, and really powerful. Both me and Soeur Tehoiri were struck by her testimony. At that point the family started asking questions, the lesson was really great, we fixed an appointment, they came to church already and will come again next week. It was just really amazing of the member, and if everyone in the church had that attitude about the gospel the church would be doubled in size in 1 year.

The other story makes me look bad, because no lie, the lord had to pratically hit me with a hammer to make me follow the spirit, but I never claimed to be perfect. So we decided to take a break from teaching Nalde, because she stopped coming to church, or keeping any committments. And just a few days after the decision we ran into Nalde on the street, something that is not common here, and I have never ran into her before. So we said hi, and how are you? But kept going. A few days later we ran into her again! And we sat by her on the train and talked for a bit, asked how her life was, and then got off at our stop without making an appointment. (I know, I sound stupid). Finally we were doing planning that night and me and Soeur Tehoiri were talking about it and were like 'how weird we keep running into Nalde', then a long pause, we look at each other, no words needed to be said, we picked up the phone and called Nalde. We didn't know what to teach her this time, but we were like, this really clearly needs to be done for some reason. So we get there, and Nalde had a friend there. 2 minutes into the lesson the friend starts listening, then she starts asking questions, then she grabs the book of mormon out of Naldes hands and asks if she could have one because she would like to read it, as we were leaving she fixed anappointment with us. It was really wonderful walking out of there and knowing the reason for why we had be sent back. And it was a huge testimony for me that the gospel is for everyone, and if the Lord wants to give someone a chance to find the gospel he will get you to them! Even if it takes several times.

And believe me, i'm going to work on not being so oblivious. :) Love you all! Have a great week!
Sarah

This week I had 2 experiences that I really loved (I considered just using one and saving the other for next week, in case nothing cool happens this week, but I don't think that's really showing my faith to the Lord). So,

The first was the story that we shared in our missionary minute on Sunday, which was nerve wrecking because Soeur Babin (future wife of the future president of mission) was there. But we were in a lesson with a member and the member had invited us to teach their family that arent members of the church. We were in the lesson and the family hadn't been too engaged in the lesson (they were eating), then the the member started bearing her testimony. She said that of all the things that she could give to her family, of all the gifts this is the most precious, and the one of greatest value for her. And that since it was her greatest gift and blessing it is her duty to give it to the people around her who she loves. It was just really cute, and really sincere, really simple, and really powerful. Both me and Soeur Tehoiri were struck by her testimony. At that point the family started asking questions, the lesson was really great, we fixed an appointment, they came to church already and will come again next week. It was just really amazing of the member, and if everyone in the church had that attitude about the gospel the church would be doubled in size in 1 year.

The other story makes me look bad, because no lie, the lord had to pratically hit me with a hammer to make me follow the spirit, but I never claimed to be perfect. So we decided to take a break from teaching Nalde, because she stopped coming to church, or keeping any committments. And just a few days after the decision we ran into Nalde on the street, something that is not common here, and I have never ran into her before. So we said hi, and how are you? But kept going. A few days later we ran into her again! And we sat by her on the train and talked for a bit, asked how her life was, and then got off at our stop without making an appointment. (I know, I sound stupid). Finally we were doing planning that night and me and Soeur Tehoiri were talking about it and were like 'how weird we keep running into Nalde', then a long pause, we look at each other, no words needed to be said, we picked up the phone and called Nalde. We didn't know what to teach her this time, but we were like, this really clearly needs to be done for some reason. So we get there, and Nalde had a friend there. 2 minutes into the lesson the friend starts listening, then she starts asking questions, then she grabs the book of mormon out of Naldes hands and asks if she could have one because she would like to read it, as we were leaving she fixed anappointment with us. It was really wonderful walking out of there and knowing the reason for why we had be sent back. And it was a huge testimony for me that the gospel is for everyone, and if the Lord wants to give someone a chance to find the gospel he will get you to them! Even if it takes several times.

And believe me, i'm going to work on not being so oblivious. :) Love you all! Have a great week!
Sarah

Well i'm 22 now, offically an old lady, yet I find in my old age I am still lacking imense amounts of wisdom, and its not always evident that i'm old. (evident, that's a word in English right? I forget, but its a phrase in French). This week I spent a lot of time pondering a lot of things, one of them is conversion. We had a zone conference with Elder Kearon where he talked about how a missionary needs to know how your amis need to feel to be converted, so that started me thinking. Then we had many members say to me and Soeur Tehoiri that it is sometimes harder for somebody born in the Church to find their testimony than people converted, so that also had me thinking about it.

I'm not going to sit and share my conversion story because 1. its not super important right now and 2. its extremely personal and I don't love sharing it over the top...or at all.... But it had me thinking about my conversion and the conversion of people that I have baptized, or helped on the way to baptism. And each conversion is so different, as I started thinking about it, yet so similar.

For each person is was a certain thing, a specific little principle that shot right to their hearts and pierced them. I know the thing that was mine was completely different from all my amis. Yet it was a truth that pierced their soul. The Holy Ghost testified to them that this was the thing, the truth. The more I pondered that the more overwhelmed I was by the power of the Holy Ghost. For one of our amis, Candida, it was the actions of the members that was the thing that testified to her. For Agathe it was tithing, for Emma is was the evidence of the spirit in our church meetings. Such different things, things that probably wouldn't be the first thing that touched my heart. And it just astounds me how the spirit testifies of all truths. I thought at the beginning of my mission that the ami just had to read the book of mormon and that was what the spirit would testify for, but each person is so different, and the spirit is going to testify to them about a thing that is specifically for them, because God knows them specifically. And it was just a testimony to me that Heavenly Father knows each of us, and he is going to give us things that are just for us personally. I know that with all my heart,

I saw that last week with our ami Laetitia, she is 22 and the typical French young adult, she completely doesn't understand the law of chastity, or why marriage for children is so important when we first explained it. But something had touched her heart in the message that we shared with her, something about our church pierced her soul. And that is why she is continuing to take our lessons and coming to church. And it is incredible that the one piercing of the spirit can guide someone on the path through all the lies that Satan has thrown at you.

Sorry that got long, I hope everyone has a great week!

Soeur Jackson.

January 27, 2014

Well this week was an interesting week. Honestly the beginning of the week was really slow and I almost started feeling like I wasn't even doing missionary work, I was doing nothing. Emma was in the hopsital so we didn't get to see her at all. Not completely discouraged, but slightly getting there. Then Friday we do weekly planning, and as it is the first Friday of the transfer we set goals for the next 6 weeks at the end of the planning. When we finally arrived at this point I looked Soeur Tehoiri in the eyes and I said 'Soeur Tehoiri I had had a dream the last night and that I know that this transfer we will see miracles, but more than that, I know that we will find a mother with children who was waiting for us' (rarely do I like to fix specific goal like this, unless I feel very strongly about it). And she was like 'okay, that's great!!!! Let's do this!! Now tonight do you think you could dream of the ville that she lives in so that we can find her?' So we wrote down the goal, and we prayed and finished that planification.

Then Saturday we scheduled a few hours for porting in a new area, in the first hour we found 2 mothers both with 3 children that we get to go back and see this week. Then that night we went and did service for a member, after she drove us home with a friend of hers, who after the member dropped us off she fixed an appointement.

Then Saturday at church we had some new members I had never seen before so I went and talked to them. Apparently the husband had been someone that was an old ami that I had recently called that hadn't been to the church in a bit, so he and his wife were at the church and his wife as a friend that she has to take lessons with us that we will start this week. 

Then! That night we had finished our rendez-vous and had an hour left, so we went to find a member who hadn't been church and a woman with a stroller came up and asked us how to find somewhere. So we just walked with her to show her the way, just talked about things, where she was from. As we dropped her off at the Marie, she was like 'I would love to have your number and meet with you so that you can share your message', she has 4 children.

It was such an incredible weekend. And it was evidence to me of many things. 1, when you work for the lord eventually you will get your reward, not always at the beginning of the week, but without a doubt the Lord will send blessings your way. 2, keep working!! If I had remained discouraged, or that last hour went home early because it was cold, I would not have found those people. 3, fix inspired goals and have faith in the Lord!! 4, the lord will create a path for you when you follow the spirit and are acting on his behalf. And 5, the Lord loves me, but more than that, all the people around me.

Such a great week! I hope each of you have an equally awesome week!! Love you all!!
Soeur Jackson.

January 13, 2014

First off, wow i'm missing the temple this week.
Now down to buisness. Next week is transfers and normally I wouldn't be transferred, I would stay with Soeur Tehoiri for one more, but apparently EVERYONE thinks differently. All the ward remembers think i'm leaving next transfer. And so I was talking about it with Soeur Tehoiri because anything is possible, and she said she'll call president and cry, it was really cute. Its possible because this last transfer a girl was hospitalized and had to go home, and another sister got her visa and left so President had to do some emergency moving of sisters, and there is now a ville where there aren't any sisters right now, so we'll see...kind of hoping I stay, because that it just the thing that makes sense, and I would love to finish training Soeur Tehoiri. But i'm pretty sure I will, that is just the logical thing.
But more importantly than transfers is this weekend we will(should) have a baptism!!! Her name is Emma, and she's pretty amazing, she is of course Africian :). We met her 5 weeks ago, she was at church on Sunday and said she'd been looking at different churches to find a church with the spirit. :) And so she's getting baptized. She's been one of those 'golden amis'. We taught her the plan of salvation, and we used these little pictures, and at the end we motioned to the pictures and asked her what she thought of the plan. And she was like 'well if we have this knowledge, then obviously there is a god, and obviously he want us to live with him again one day'. In my head I was like 'and that is why I am here.' And when we taught her the Word of Wisdom we introduced it and were like it is pretty important and a commandement from God, and all that, and started with alcohol, and she just took it from there and was like 'of course its bad to drink alcohol because then you get addicted and it takes over your life, and then where is God? Its the same with smoking and drugs'. No kidding, I sat there with my mouth open for a minute and was like 'well yeah, that's it, okay, (close the brochure)'. So its been pretty awesome so far. And the baptism this Saturday! Its kind of awesome because my goal for Soeur Tehoiri was for her to have a baptism in her first transfer so that she would have the attitude that she can get a baptism all during her mission, and the Lord just prepared a golden road that leads straight to that goal. Love it when the Lord works miracles.

So that is pretty much the crowning miracle right now, we are really excited for it. :) Keep being awesome and have an awesome week, love you all!!!

The Power of Prayer
Happy fête des Rois!!!! I hope you guys all have a wonderful one!

Before I tell you my story this week I have to tell you one of the best lines that my funny little Tahitian said, I had just finished explaining what subjunctive was in English, its WAY harder in French, and after about a half an hour she says 'oh I get it. Wow Soeur Jackson I have no idea how you learned French, in fact its French that's hard and English that's easy'. and me 'YES!!!' haha

We had some really cool things happen this week, but one thing that really stood out me was something that happened during fast and testimony meeting yesterday. I have had some incredible experiences during my mission where I have seen miracles happen from prayers, its crazy, its like prayer works or something ;). 

So for the whole month of December every night when I said our prayer to finish our day I prayed for a member, Soeur Balloum and her son. So one Sunday at the beginning of December I was talking to her and she mentioned that she had a son that she hadn't seen in years and that is very closed to the fact that she's a member, and that it makes Christmas really hard for her that she never gets to see her son. So we prayed everynight that for Christmas his heart would be softened. And in testimony meeting Soeur Balloum stood up and told a story about how Christmas is always hard for her, and she prepares herself every year for it. So on the 29th she had her other children over for a Christmas party, and heard a knock at the door, who could it be? It was her son and he brought all his all his family for Christmas. It was the first time she had had him and his family at her house for many years. It was an incredible testimony builder to me, once again, the power of sincere and constant prayer.

Also Christina got baptized. It took two dunks, and each time she came out and took a huge gasp like she's been held under for 5 minutes, but eventually we got there. haha She was so happy, but even happier was her mother. It was really special.

So that's a little taste of my week. I hope you guys all have an awesome beginning to the new year! Love you all!!

 A Little Blessing

 

Well along with all the other miracles of Christmas, Soeur Tehoiri and I are getting a baptism. Although it wont really count as ours because she is 8 years old, but we have been teaching her, so we are counting it in our hearts.

Her name is Christina, and her family just became active 2 months ago after years and years of inactivity. So since she hadn't ever really been to church we have got to go teach her about the gospel. It was really fun teaching an 8 year old, and definately a learning experience, because you have to change everything and keep it extremely simple for a child. And aside from the lesson we had to have about how she wouldn't be under water for an hour and drown, or how God is going to ressuscité each of us it has been really great watching an 8 year old gain a testimony and learn of all these things. 

One of the best parts though was after the 2nd lesson she started praying that she could be spiritually ready for baptism, and that was when she started really understanding. It was kind of amazing to see an 8 year old understand the Celestial kingdom and have that goal in sight. She wants to live there with her family for eternity, and now she nows that baptism is what it takes she really wants to be baptized. It is adorable, although she's really concerned that her sister who is 4, wont be able to live with them in the celestial kingdom because she isn't baptized. It has been amazing to see a child understand the truth, without all the details. It is the little things, that really couldn't matter in the grand scheme that so many people can get caught up on. And for this child it just took the simple truth, of the first vision, of the holy ghost, of the plan of salvation, and she knows what she had to do to live with God again. She has gained her own little testimony, despite being 8, and she is ready to put her faith in the lord, even when it meant she would drowned in the baptismal fount.

So this Saturday we will be having an 8 year old baptism, that finally showed to me the truth of what Christ meant when he said be as little children. So excited.

Hope everyone has a great new year!!

Gros Bisous!

Soeur Sarah Jackson.