So this week was something else.
It was by far the hardest week of my mission, maybe even my whole life. Being rejected doesn't get any easier. Getting shot down doesn't get any better. Not seeing the fruits of our labors is frustrating.
But listen, it's all good.
It's pretty cool how God is able to show you little miracles to get you through the day.
The whole week was pretty bad, almost all of our appointments were falling through - either people weren't home or they cancelled. One day in particular was even more rough than the others, but at the end of the night, we had an awesome miracle happen. We pulled up to a family's house that we had taught about a month ago. The first lesson was amazing! The spirit was so strong, and they were willing to prepare for baptism. But then, we lost them. Every time we came back, they weren't home. There was no phone number to call, so we left little post-it notes on the door, until we just decided to stop trying. Well, we decided to try one more time, and sure enough, they were there. I can't even describe the feelings in my chest when I saw the 4 little kids run up to the window to see us and then excitedly open the door to let us in. They told us why we hadn't come back earlier, and choking back tears, we just said that we were sorry and that we'd keep coming. We read from the Book of Mormon, in 3 Nephi, when Jesus Christ comes to the Americas. The little kids drew pictures of our Savior, and we watched the Because He Lives video. We bore testimony of the reality of our Savior Jesus Christ, and as we were testifying, it hit me so hard - this experience might not have been so sweet, so special, and so amazing if we hadn't felt so much sorrow the rest of the day.
We are given sorrow to help us better understand joy.
As we left that house, our week didn't get any better, but we were given more strength. God is constantly showing us His love. This is His work, so He's going to get the job done in His way... we just have to trust it.
Later in the week, we were able to teach Cyra and Toby, two of our investigators, the plan of salvation. As we taught, I was reminded again that God's plan is literally perfect. As we all talked about the life before, this life on earth, and the life to come, it was really cool to see Cyra and Toby beginning to understand more and more. They opened up and told us that they knew God loved them, it was really cool. We testified that He does love them, and that there's a rhyme and reason to everything that happens in life.
Pretty crazy that we taught that lesson and then lived it's principles all in the same week, right? As we discussed the reason for the fall of Adam and Eve - to allow all mankind to truly experience happiness - we didn't even realize that that testimony we had born would be put to the test, but that's how God works. I shouldn't be surprised! He works in the most mysterious but best of ways.
Just keep on trying, you guys. Keep on doing the things you need to. Life is hard sometimes, but I know for a fact that you don't need to worry if you just have faith and act on that faith. God is good... truly so good.
I love you all so much!
xoxo
Hermana Brie Gould
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