Thursday, May 28, 2015

Dilligence Wave

It's amazing how being more diligent can change the outcome of your success. This week we saw miracles! And the Lord continues to also humble me more and more.
 Sadly, we still haven't been able to meet with Crystal or even found any new investigators yet. With the lack of lessons with investigators, we turned to the Lord with our problem. I knew the Lord would provide if we just ask, so all week I've been praying for us to be able to know what we must do in order to teach more lessons. With much earnest planning and hard work, the Lord in return has blessed us with over 5 appointments with members in the ward; which is way more than I think I've ever gotten in a week. Amazing!
All week long we were busy going from one appointment to another, and on Tuesday we even taught about the restoration with Sister Morrise (the mission president's wife). Out of me, Sister Morrise and my companion, I was the one who understand and could speak the most Korean. Both of them did so well though! Sister Mustain and I have been going over the first vision in Korean for like the past 2 or 3 weeks, and with the gift of tongues she's been able to learn it so quickly. During the lesson, she shared it practically perfectly and invited the spirit. I felt the spirit grow and grow we continued to all share our testimonies. I'm dead serious when I say that no matter how much you can or can not speak a language when you share the truth you can feel the spirit every single time.

The members here in Korea are such strong, remarkable saints. They all have a desire to serve Christ and help us do missionary work. Having their support makes a big difference in how successful the work progresses! It's amazing to hear their testimonies and conversion stories. I wish I could meet with them every single day and be edified by them. They're awesome! This coming week, the Lord has continued to bless us with even more appointments with members. Some of them were just suddenly planned yesterday when they talked to us at church. Such a miracle!
Thursday while in the Celestial room in the temple, I was praying and pondering more about how I could be a more diligent, consecrated missionary. I felt as though I did a good job for that week and so I was pleading for the Lord to give me some assurance that I was doing what He wanted me to do. Like how I usually receive answers and guidance, I opened the scriptures. I opened just randomly and came to Doctrine & Covenants 28. Immediately, verses 15 and 16 stood out to me.  "15 And it shall be given thee from the time thou shalt go, until the time thou shalt return, what thou shalt do.
16 And thou must open thy mouth at all times, declaring my gospel with the sound of rejoicing. Amen."
I realized that I hadn't given it my all quite yet. I felt as though us being busy meant that we were having success and were being good missionaries, but no of coarse not!! That was dumb of me to even think I gave it my all. I hadn't been talking with everyone I possibly could have. I've mentioned in past emails about how that's been a little harder for me, which I had started to do better at. But after that scripture I realized that I MUST open my mouth at ALL times. This restored gospel is such a glorious unique message that the world all needs to hear and me not opening my mouth at all times is selfish and prideful. I still have maybe one or two things which I lack that I've been holding back from sacrificing and giving everything to the Lord. A mission is about what the Lord wants, not what I want. Coming to this realization made me feel pretty down because I have the desire to serve with all my hear and soul, but
I continued reading and came to section 29 where verses 4 and 5 stood out to me. "4 Verily, I say unto you that ye are chosen out of the world to declare my gospel with the sound of rejoicing, as with the voice of a trump.
 5 Lift up your hearts and be glad, for I am in your midst, and am your advocate with the Father; and it is his good will to give you the kingdom."
Those verses may not seem as powerful to you as they were to me in that moment. Through the spirit, I felt warmth and God's love for me overwhelmingly. I knew that was the Lord telling me that He has been there for me and will continue to be there for me. I have been called by a prophet of God to preach this gospel to everyone I can. I have millions of reasons to rejoice and share what I know to be true. I have to stop letting my own wants or desires to get in the way of what the Lord wants.
As soon as I left the temple I recommitted to be a more consecrated missionary: starting with opening my mouth with everyone I can. I really am looking forward to seeing more and more miracles as my companion and I continue to strive to be better missionaries. Like President Morrise says, "I hope everyone catches the "diligence wave" you are on and rides it for all it's worth." My words are His words. I hope you all can try a little harder to be a little better at missionary work.
All those missionaries need members to help them back home!!;)

Love,
Sister Kelly