Hold on. Sorry this one
is so long
Hallo Friends!
This week had so much
happen, but it was all just regular missionary stuff!
This past week we had a goal of getting 10 Potentials (someone who
is willing to listen, exchange contact information, and learn more). We reached
that!!! So this week we wanted to try again and yesterday alone we got 7!! It
was so cool!! Sometimes when you meet people off the street you don’t
know if they really will have interest or not, but you stop them, just hoping
that they will want to listen for a few minutes! Well with our miracles day
yesterday, we had a really cool experience.
It
was towards the end of the day, we had been finding since about 3 or 4 in the
afternoon and had a ton of success (thanks to our investigator; she wanted to
come finding with us and stayed almost all day and helped us find 5 of our
Potentials). We were doing one last stroll and Sister H. says, “Let’s stop that
guy.” And so we stop this man from China and we do a survey with him, asking
him what he believes and we also just got to know him a bit by asking him
questions. He was so cute!!! He said he didn’t believe in God because he hadn’t
grown up with that knowledge. Sister H. felt inspired to give him a Plan of
Salvation pamphlet – we don’t usually do that, but it felt so right, and he
accepted it!! He also was interested in meeting with us and discussing it more!
I am so excited!! I had a similar feeling with a man my companion and I stopped
last winter, and this guy is doing amazing!! I am really excited to call and
make an appointment!!!
I want to show the members were such a support this week. As a
missionary, members are the best! They help you out when you need some physical
help. They are joint teaches and they can do things that we as missionaries can’t
do and they know things we don’t. On Saturday we were at our Ausstellung
(street display), and a man walks up holding a bunny. First of all, anyone that
knows me, knows that just made my whole day right there. So I walk up to him
and just ask him about his bunny and then he says his bunny has interest in
learning about the Plan of Salvation. Wait, what? Turns out he was a member,
and I am too new to know that. Ha ha. He offered to bring us lunch and so an
hour later he brought us homemade omelet things, bread, and yogurt. It was so
good and so sweet of him. I also got to hold the bunny twice!!! (I think I can
count him as an investigator right?)
Another member on Sunday was willing to go with us to a
less-active’s house and bring her the sacrament and give her a priesthood
blessing!! They drove us there and then also fed us lunch, and were able to
share a spiritual thought with them before we left! It was so sweet!! Members
just make my day!!!
So I was asked to give a talk on Sunday, Sister H was
so shocked because she hadn’t been asked yet and it was that they asked me to
give a talk on my second Sunday. My talk was on the power of the Holy
Ghost. I thought I would attach my talk for anyone who wanted to read it!
Who is the Holy
Ghost?
He is a God, a member
of the Godhead, He is a Man, He is also a Spirit
The Godhead includes
Heavenly Father, God the Son Jesus Christ, and
"The Holy Ghost,
[who] is the revealer and testifier of all truth."
The Holy Ghost "teach[es] us what is true. He will
testify of Christ"
Without the Holy
Ghost, we could not have a testimony that Jesus is the Christ and that His
Church has been restored to the Earth. Through the Holy Ghost, we can feel the
truth in our hearts. This comes from the attribute that the Holy Ghost is a
personage of Spirit. In Doctrine and Covenants 130 we learn of the nature of
God, how Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ have bodies of flesh and blood "
... but the Holy Ghost has not a body of flesh and bones, but is a personage of
Spirit. Were it not so, the Holy Ghost could not dwell in us." He is able
to directly speak to our Spirit and leave a lasting impression on us, one that
is not easily erased. This attribute of the Spirit allows us to build our
testimonies.
Along with the Holy
Ghost testifying of the truth, which is His primary task, He also guides,
directs and warns us. God uses the Holy Ghost to warn of us dangers and give us
answers to our questions. As Penelope Allen wrote in the Hymn:
"Let the Holy Spirit
guard;
Let his whisper govern
choice.
He will lead us safely
home
If we listen to his
voice."
He will lead us safely
home to our Father in Heaven, if we listen to His voice. His voice is a still,
small voice; he speaks to us with feelings of joy and peace and sometimes the
whisper of words. We know that what we are doing is right when we can feel
calm, happy and peaceful! We can feel the Holy Ghost answering our questions as
we pray, read the scriptures, and attend Church. He is ready and waiting to guide
us and guard us! If we live worthy of His presence.
The Holy Ghost is a
member of the Godhead and therefore one must be worthy to have Him with them.
We must have good thoughts and words, choose the right, and try to be like our
Savior. In 3 Nephi 27 it says "And no unclean thing can enter into his
kingdom; therefore nothing entereth into his rest save it be those who have
washed their garments in my blood, because of their faith, and the repentance
of all their sins, and their faithfulness unto the end."
We can all have the
Holy Ghost with us, if we live worthy, and enjoy the blessings of His guidance
and care.
I have definitely
noticed the Holy Ghost in my life, as we had a lesson on Sunday night
with one of our investigators; we read Alma 32 together and just studied it! We
had the senior couple there with us as well, and it was amazing to have your
mind enlightened so much by reading a scripture and analyzing it. Everyone was
making comments that I hadn’t ever thought of before and ideas were coming to
my own mind that were totally new! Have you ever thought of the sun scorching
the plant as anything but negative? (verse 38), but every plant needs sunlight;
it just needs sunlight supported by water and healthy soil. What about light in
verse 35? When you have the gospel in your life, you have light in your life,
but you also feel lighter! As in the sins and sorrow of the world don’t weigh
you down!!
Sorry my email was so
long today! I hope you all have a great week and stay strong! The Lord is always
there for us!
Alles Liebe
Sister Anderson
Alpenländische Mission
Pictures of Fun Stuff:
Book of Mormon in multiple languages
Sis. H. had her first KitKat (she is allergic to the ones in America).
We made cookies for our neighbors and landlord!!
At the member appointment, they showed us Liahonas (called Der Stern back then) from the 1800's!!! The German is so pretty!!
When you don’t have a dryer you use fans!
Bunny!!
