Hello everyone!!!
I know I say this EVERY week, but I am seriously SO happy to be here! It's crazy to think that this mission will be one of the hardest things I will ever do and yet, I am on cloud 9 by the end of every week. God is so good!!!
Ah, I don't even know where to start!!!!
I guess I will share three stories with three of the triple threat's most promising investigators....
Narcissus: We met Narcissus outside last week as she was getting her kids into her car. We asked her if we could come back a different day and pray with her. She said that she would love that and gave us her number. Two days later, we came back to her home and had small talk with her about her family and her religious background. She began to explain to us that she knows all about the Book of Mormon and that she used to go to the Mormon church when she was a little girl. She told us that she now goes to a church in Huntsville, but doesn't like it that much because she doesn't feel God's spirit there. She then said, "Maybe I should go to y'alls church so that I can save on gas for my car." Uh. YEAH YOU SHOULD. haha She then proceeded to ask, "So what makes your church so different anyway?" Then, all three of us in unison say, "Would you like us to tell you a story?" hahah so grand! #triplethreatunity
We sat down with her and gave her the restoration lesson. As sister Downs quoted the first vision, I really tried to focus on the words that were spoken by Joseph Smith. I was able to bare testimony so much better through just focusing more on the spirit and on what I was feeling. It was simply amazing. She wants us to come back this week! I'm excited to see what happens! She has 4 kids that are all 8 and over. It was funny because she was talking about how she doesn't feel like it's time for her 8 year old to be baptized in her church in Huntsville and she didn't know why. HA. WE KNOW WHY. hehe. But really, it was a great experience and I love Narcissus so much. She is a single mom and wants the best for her kids. We brought cookies over to her on saturday and her 13 year old son answered the door and said, "Yeah. My mom isn't home, but she was talking about you guys and she says that she really likes what you teach her." So precious.
Dana: We found Dana through tracting (I briefly mentioned her in my last email). We went to her home again and as soon as we walked in the door, she said: "How can you believe in a prophet? How do you know he is called of God?" She continued to be super "snappy" with everything that she was asking us. We asked her if we could just start from the beginning and begin with a prayer. After we said the prayer, the spirit was back in the room and we began to teach her the restoration. After saying the first vision, Dana said: "yeah. I can accept that." We then continued on with the lesson and showed her a lot of scriptures from the Book of Mormon and Bible. She said she would be willing to read it and pray about it. She then said, "I hope that this is true. I want to believe in it." Dana then mentioned how her mom passed away 4 years ago and how her church always taught her that she wouldn't know who her mom is in heaven and that she would just live by herself. I began to testify to her that she would indeed see her mom again in heaven and that heaven would not be heaven without her family. She paused and her face lit up as her eyes got really big and said, "whoa. That's a comfort. I've never even considered that." We invited her to be baptized and she said she would as soon as she knows that the Book of Mormon is true!!!! She is so prepared and I think the next lesson that we have with her tomorrow will really open her eyes. Only problem is: Dana is a nurse and works CRAZY hours and never gets sundays off. I know that God will provide a way for her to attend church anyway!!!!
Michelle:Ah. We had a lesson with Michelle yesterday!!! (The lady with the crazy/cute puppy). GUESS WHAT??? As soon as we drove up to her apartment, WE SAW THE PUPPY OUTSIDE ON HIS LEASH. We all shrieked for joy because we knew that the puppy being outside was definitely a tender mercy from the Lord. NO puppy inside=No distractions/the spirit will be in the lesson. Anyway, we decided to teach the restoration to Michelle in more detail because the last time we met with her was a little crazy. She LOVED it and really felt the spirit. Wanna know something else crazy? Michelle didn't say a swear word the WHOLE time we were there!!! (last time we were with her, she was swearing like a sailor). I know that it was because of the spirit that was in the room. At the end of the lesson, she started to talk about her son that she doesn't have custody of and how it is stressing her out. She went on and on and finally, I decided to interrupt her and said, "Michelle. I can feel the love that Heavenly Father has for you so strongly right now. I can promise you that we were supposed to be here for you and that God has led us to you." It was quiet in the room for some time and then Sister Downs said, "Michelle. As representatives of Jesus Christ, we can PROMISE you that you will get your son back if you follow the path that the Savior is leading you to." Michelle then said with a big smile on her face, "Really?" Then, Sister Clark said, "Yes. Michelle. Will you follow the example of Jesus Christ and be baptized by someone holding the priesthood authority of God?" She then replied, "yes. That would be neat! I could be a part of Christs true church right? You know, I was baptized at the Asbury church and it just didn't feel right. I felt like it was a huge show and that the spirit wasn't there. Yeah. I will be baptized again." SHE IS SO PREPARED. Her whole life is going to change and I am so grateful for a loving Heavenly Father who NEVER gives up on people like her who has been through so much. She told us that her ex-boyfriend told her that if she should join any church, it should be the mormon church. Crazy huh??? God works in mysterious ways. Michelle will have a lot of things to work through in order to be baptized, but I know that Heavenly Father can soften hearts and change people's habits. I know that through the Atonement of our Saviour, that Michelle can be cleansed and start a new life. I am happy!!!!
Basketball:We played basketball with the elementary school kids again and decided to play J-E-S-U-S (like horse, but we spell jesus ahha) they thought we were so weird. I thought of dad when making up this game because it is totally something he would do. I kept making up random rules so that we could introduce the gospel to them. If someone missed a shot, they would have to tell one thing that they loved about Jesus. It was a double rim so basically everyone missed a shot every time. hehehehhehe.
We drove over to play basketball with another group of kids who were older and decided to awkwardly drive past them because they were playing shirts vs. skins and probably thought it wouldn't be a good idea for us to play with them. ha.
We lost three of our investigators because they said that they talked to their preacher about meeting with us and the preacher got super mad. #yay
We have been visiting with this less active who apparently used to be in the area of the 70. Crazy. Does anyone have any ideas of how to help this man out? We want to be bold, but not overbearing. He went through a rough divorce and I think that is the reason why he no longer comes to church. He sounds like Uncle Randy when he talks and I just laugh inside whenever I hear him speak.
Well, that is basically it for this week! It has been a good one! I love being with the triple threat. We all work really well together and lots of people have told us that. I feel like Sister Clark and Sister Downs will be lifelong friends of mine. They are definitely my best friends here and I'm grateful for the chance that I have to work with them. We embrace awkward situations and laugh all the time.
Did anyone watch the CES devotional last night that was @ BYU-I? It WAS SO GOOD. Sister Linda K. Burton (General Relief Society President) spoke. She talked about learning the language of the spirit. She talked about how we can recognize the promptings we recieve and how the Lord speaks to us. She said that the Lord answers sincere, tender, and child-like prayers. It made me reflect on the way that I pray. I know that I need to be more sincere, tender, and child-like. She then talked about how important it is to let Heavenly Father know that we are willing to do HIS will above our own. We need to let Him know that we are striving to find an answer from Him and that we are willing to act upon the answer we recieve. She also talked about personal worthiness and how worthiness is a small price to pay in order to open the windows of heaven. SO TRUE. Then, she talked about how if we feel like we haven't recieved an answer to our prayers, it just means that God trusts you to make the decision yourself and that you should be happy that the Lord trusts you so much. Anyway, y'all should go watch it! It's probably on the main page of
LDS.org!!! I want to challenge y'all to turn your heart to the voice of the Holy Ghost. Trust that God has us go through some preparatory experiences in order to finally get an answer to our prayers. He is there and wants to help!! I will do the same this upcoming week :)
I love this gospel so much. I love my Saviour so much. I'm obsessed with this work.
The weather here is REALLY bipolar. Yesterday, it was 74 degrees all day and today, there are snow flurries with a temperature of 29 degrees. I think it's tornado season guys.
We are going to the temple this month on the 20th!!!! SO EXCITED. I was looking at the pictures of the Gilbert temple and OH MY, IT IS BEAUTIFUL!! I'm obsessed with it and I want to go!!!!
Thank you so much for all of y'alls support!! I can feel the prayers working and I know that this gospel is real!
MYKY,
Sister Platt
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