Sweet Home Alabama: I'm so grateful for this gospel!

Wow. I am seriously SO grateful for this gospel! We are SO blessed to have it in our lives!

I have been pondering a lot about Joseph Smith and how strong of a person he was. He NEVER denied what he saw. He was tarred and feathered. He was thrown into jail. He was mocked and he got laughed at, BUT HE NEVER DENIED HIS TESTIMONY. One thing that is interesting to think about is how if he really just wanted to make a new church and receive all of the credit, he would of formed another church just like everyone else was doing, but he didn't do that. He was guided by the Lord to establish Christ's church back on the earth. Ah. It's so amazing!!!!

This past week, I have learned a very important lesson about following the spirit. On Thursday night, I kept thinking about this random lady that we met a couple weeks earlier who is the mother of a less active teenager in our branch. I couldn't get her off of my mind. On Friday, we decided to follow the prompting that I received and went over to her neighborhood. There were SO MANY people sitting outside!! We were able to have so many missionary opportunities there. You know what's funny? The lady that I was thinking about actually started to leave her home as soon as we got there. It made me realize that God works in mysterious ways and that we were not necessarily lead to teach her, but to teach her neighbors! I'm so grateful for the power that we have as missionaries to truly be lead by the spirit to those who are searching for more. I have been trying to work on being more BOLD when I speak. We saw this one man sitting outside and I just said hi to him and then immediately asked him, "Have you ever read the Book of Mormon?" He just started to laugh and said "no". I told him, "WHAT? you have never read the Book of Mormon??? IT's such a good book!!!!!!" We started to walk up to him and then he said that he was about to leave for work. We will go back later and teach him!!!!

Oh my. Guess what? We both had the prompting to go to Cynthia's home (She lived in the next neighborhood). background story with Cynthia: We hadn't seen her in nearly two months and she was never home!!!! Well, SHE WAS HOME!!!!! She saw us and just had the biggest smile on her face. She started to update us on her life and she was telling us about this minister in her church who was really not doing the greatest things in his personal life. She kept going on and on about it and finally, I had the thought to ask her, "Wait. So is your minister called by God to preach to you?" She was taken back and thought long and hard about it. She then said, "You know. I'm not really sure he is. I'm just so confused with what I need to do in my life. I hear so many different things and I just want to know what God wants for me!!!!!" SHE IS SO PREPARED IT IS RIDICULOUS. We then gave her the restoration lesson (again. for like the third time) and this time, she opened up to us and told us that she hasn't received an answer about the Book of Mormon. She told us that every time she prays about it, there is someone who knocks on the door or someone who calls her and she gets distracted. Chills rolled through my body as she said that. I then asked her, "Why do you think that happens?" She then paused and then said, "Ugh. The devil is not wanting me to do it." DING DING DING. She is totally right!!!!!! We invited her to pray about it and she said she would!! Oh my, before we left, she told us that she felt so warm and good when we came by. It's amazing to realize the effect that we, as members, have on this people as we share the gospel through the spirit. God is so good!!!!!

Teaching Kameron has been a little frustrating for us because she KNOWS that the Book of Mormon is true and that she feels the spirit when we come over. I think she is just scared of becoming "Mormon". In our last meeting with her, she asked us that when she gets baptized, if she will be considered a "Mormon". We told her yes and she seemed a little taken back. We are going to teach her today and read with her Moroni 10. We hope that we will be able to really touch her in a way that she will be converted and not just have a testimony. She told us the other day that because of us, she has really gained confidence in herself. It really made me realize that all of the efforts that I am doing here in Clanton, even though we haven't had a baptism, is NOT wasted. We are continuously planting seeds and trying to bring others closer to Christ.

This area is really tough, but I am so grateful for all that I am learning and experiencing. I have learned so many life lessons. I have learned A LOT of patience. I have learned how REAL this gospel is and how seriously EVERYONE needs it. A majority of the people here in Clanton just seem sad about life and are VERY stubborn when it comes to learning about the gospel. I have learned a lot about the spirit and how it works differently for each person. I have learned about the difference between knowing who Christ is and truly acting on what He teaches and is as a Savior and Redeemer of mankind. I have really come to understand how proclaiming the gospel is not the easiest thing to do, but it is what we are all entitled to do as members of HIS CHURCH. How cool is it to think that we belong to Jesus Christ's church? AH.

Always remember: Heavenly Father loves us. We CHOSE to come down here on this earth. We KNEW what we were going to go through on this earth and we STILL accepted the challenge because we KNEW what the gift we will be given. Eternal life.

MYKY,

Sister Platt

P.S. Awkward story of the week: We went back to teach a man that we met the week before. We knocked on the door. We hear him walk up to the door. We hear him give a huge sigh and say, "Oh no. Not them." .... Sister G and I look at each other... He doesn't open the door. All in a day's work. The gospel is true!!!!!! WAHOOOO MISSIONARY WORK IS THE BEST!!!!!!! LOVE Y'ALL SO MUCH!!!!!!