Live For It!!!

High 5!

1. There was a sister in our mission who got sick and went home early so they had to split up a companionship...anyways, now we are in a TRIO! Sister Toomey joined us on Friday morning and it's been a blast! We all feel like we are roommates in college-haha!

2. Helen and Andy are a new couple we are teaching this week and they are Navajo and we love them! They know the Book of Mormon is true, but are having a hard time leaving their Catholic roots. We will continue working with them but keep them in your prayers!

3. This week, one of our ward missionaries texted us and asked if we could teach her step daughter! It was a miracle! We went over that night and watched the Restoration film with her and she loved it! She is the sweetest 8 year old and wants to be baptized so badly! Now, she makes 2 that need prayers for parent permission...Kaylee and Callee! They both did SO well on their parts in the primary program :)

4. Another new investigator we found, who came really close to cancelling his appointment this week, is David. He loved our first lesson so much and came to church on Sunday. During the sacrament he leaned over to me and asked if he could participate in the sacrament one day. As if my heart wasn't full already, during the primary program while the sweet primary kids sang, "Baptism" about being as clean as the earth is after rain, he leaned over again and said, "I want to be baptized now." I couldn't stop the tears. I really thought my heart was going to burst!

5. I have never seen so many miracles so close together in all of my mission! On Sunday, a perspective elder, who we have never met, brought one of his friends to church! Somehow, they came to the right chapel at the right time. James is the perspective elder and Michael is our new investigator who is beyond prepared! He has recently overcame some addictions and is now working towards baptism. His answers in our first discussion yesterday blew us away! Later, after sharing this miracle with our zone, we found out that some elders got together and prayed specifically that we, sisters would witness a miracle on Sunday. The power of prayer is real and we are so grateful for the people the Lord is blessing us with to teach!

No down lows this week :)

In Mosiah 5:13 it says, "For how knoweth a man the master whom he has not served, and who is a stranger unto him, and is far from the thoughts and intents of his heart?" In missionary work, nothing we do counts unless we invite others to act. This is why we extend commitments to come to church, pray, and read the scriptures. 

We are the Lord's investigators and He extends commitments to us! How can we come to know Him if we don't live the commandments He has given us? When you faithfully keep commandments that you aren't sure are from God, you change your behavior. In return, Gad confirms to you that they are indeed true by blessing you, causing you to hunger after a closer relationship with Him. As you continue on this path of exercising faith, that change in behavior becomes your new nature. 

Elder Holland recounts an experience he once had. He once had a missionary approach him and ask him if he would give his life for the church. He responded with, "Elder, I am giving my life for the church." He knew what the young elder meant...Would you die for it?  "well", he said, "that's the easy part, and on some days it looks really appealing! But what God needs is people who will live for it."

Trust in His plan for you. He has put the commandments in place for a wise purpose and will never break His promises to open the windows of heaven to you. His invitation to you is, "prove me now herewith". 

God speed!

Love, Sister Bowen