Heavenly Father is preparing so many people

Hello everyone!!!!! I love y'all so much!!! I hope all is well :)

 

Wow. Wasn't conference just grand?? We watched it at the church and had the opportunity to have lots of investigators there which was so great! I loved Holland's talk and also the talk on exclamation points. Our beloved prophet is the most precious man alive. I love what he said about conference and how it was the most inspired conference he has ever been to!!!

So, this week was another grand one!! Full of ups and downs for sure!

 

I just want to focus on three major things for this week...

This guy named Matt came to church this past Sunday and said, "I just felt like I should be at church today so I came." He was investigating the church about a year ago with the Elders. He just got out of prison (not sure what he did) but he just wants to change his life around and is really really humble. We taught him the first lesson and he seemed really receptive of it. He came to our scripture class and even to a session of conference!!! He said he would be baptized and we even showed him the font at the church. His response to seeing it: "WOW. THAT'S HUGE. Does everyone watch you?" haha too funny. We are excited to continue to teach him :)

 

So, we went to visit Jeff Dalrymple again and met him outside. We started to talk with him and then his step daughter swung open the door of his house and yelled at us saying, "YOU MORMONS ARE EVIL. IT SAYS IN THE BIBLE TO NOT ADD ANY MORE SCRIPTURE." So lovely, right? She slammed the door and we just continued to talk with Jeff. Jeff is just lonely and just needed someone to talk to. We started to talk with him about our standards and other things and he seemed really receptive of it. Then, his stepdaughter came outside again and sat down and just stared at us while we talked with Jeff. Jeff noticed her giving him the stink eye and so he quickly just shook our hands and said, "thanks for stopping by." I started to rummage through my purse to look for a restoration pamphlet and his step daughter yelled, "OH NO. DON'T YOU DARE GIVE THAT TO HIM. I WILL BURN THAT DEVILISH BOOK IF YOU DO. IT'S NOT ALLOWED IN THIS HOUSE." We gave it to him and just told him we cared about him and wanted to help him. We got in the car and I just started to cry. Not even because I was upset with what his step daughter was saying. I started crying because it was then that I realized that SHE NEEDS this gospel and so does he!!! I just kept praying that her heart would just be softened. That experience just made me realize how important this gospel is. Heavenly Father wants all of His children to return to Him!!!

 

Last night. Was A MIRACLE. Pure miracle and exactly what I needed to experience. It was just one of those times on my mission that I will ALWAYS remember and cherish. Ready to hear about it? okay. Sit back and relax and let the tears of joy start coming :)

We decided to go and visit our investigator Betty again last night and teach her about the Plan of Salvation. Her daughter, Liz (who we have never met before) answered the door and just gave us the look on her face which basically meant "what the heck are you two doing here?" We just told her that we were missionaries and that we were there to visit her mom. Betty told her to let us in and then we just sat down and got to know Liz better. She was a little hesitant at first to talk with us, but with time, the spirit really softened her heart. She started to ask us why God would allow certain things to happen to us if he loved us. She was especially mad that children would die at such a young age. We explained to her that Heavenly Father has a plan for us. She started to ask more and more questions and finally, I just asked her, "How much time do you have?" She agreed to listen to us and we went and sat at a round table as we explained the plan of salvation with her using cards!!! It went really really well. The spirit was SO strong in that room the whole time. When we explained it to her, she just kept smiling. She told us that she never understood why her minister told her that we would live in heaven with God and be happy, but we wouldn't know anyone or recognize anyone from earth. She just kept saying, "How could we possibly be happy if we just lived by ourselves without our families or friends?" DING DING DING. She has been so prepared!!!! We explained to her basically everything about the plan of salvation and she LOVED IT. She told us that we need to go into her church and explain it to everyone there. haha She loved looking at the Book of Mormon and she just kept saying, "this makes sense! why doesn't everyone just listen to you guys? So many people from my church think that you guys are satanic, but I am feeling just this warmth while y'all are teaching. There is no way that is from satan!!!" We then shared with her Moroni 10:3-5 and explained the Holy Ghost. We asked her if she would read to know that what we have taught her was true. Her reply: "I don't need to pray. I know it's true." We just laughed and then said, "Will you follow the example of Jesus Christ, and be baptized by someone holding the priesthood authority of God?" SHE SAID YES. But she said she felt unworthy. We explained to her repentance and Betty said to her, "We can get baptized on the same day Liz!!!!" Yeah. Miracle. She told us that she learned more from us in just that hour of talking with her than she has in her whole life of just going to church every Sunday and that we answered questions for her that her minister couldn't even answer. Betty then said to LIz: "Really. Everything that these girls have to say is that God loves you." Then, Liz replied saying, "yeah seriously. I have heard it so many times tonight. More times than in my whole life." She then told us that she needs to tell all her friends about us and about the Book of Mormon and how it's not bad.

Yeah. I'm just so happy right now!!! God is so good!!! and you wanna know something else miraculous??? As we were leaving, Betty's husband softened up as well and told us thanks for coming over and that we just make Betty so happy!!!

 

Heavenly Father is preparing so many people here. God is so good!!!

Update on Shirley: We found out that she isn't married, but her "fiancé" James recently broke his hip and is in the hospital so she has been there the whole week!! It has been a bummer, but it is definitely testing my patience!! I just want her to be baptized now, but God knows timing better than us!!!!

 

I love being here. I never want to leave. I just love my life and being a missionary is a great blessing. Sometimes, it can be scary, but I just need to realize that fear is the opposite of faith!!!! God is in control!!!!! I love y'all so much and hope y'all are doing well!!!!!

I have gotten so many bug bites, it's not even funny. Goodness. I'm obsessed with this place and I love my Savior so much. He knows us all so well and knows what we need in life.

 

"Be still and know that I am God"

Love y'all so much!!! I pray for y'all every day!! I really really do!

 

Love,

Sister Platt :)