Greenfield Park April 11, 2016

Posted by Unknown May 10, 2016

Greenfield Park April 11, 2016

April 11, 2016

Bonjour tout le monde :)

The weeks are always so full I never know where to focus when I sit down to email.. but the weeks are always good :) Things have been slowing down a bit, as most of our other investigators haven't really been progressing too much or had time to meet with us. I feel like everyone has either been sick lately or out of town for weeks at a time. Tons of kids in the ward have had chicken pox the last month :|

It's pretty crazy... we're trying really hard to work with the members to find their friends and neighbors who might be ready and open to learn more about the gospel.

I didn't realize until my mission just how important the members are in missionary work. But really... do you realize how important you all are? The goal is for members to lead out in the missionary efforts, to guide the missionary work in their ward. And it's amazing how much better it is when we're able to teach in a member's home, when the investigators already have friends in the church, and have been prepared before learning with the missionaries... so please, everyone, do your member missionary work :) It doesn't have to be giving Book of Mormons to your friends or inviting them to church or even to meet with the lovely missionaries yet.... just thinking of the next small thing you can do to help them come closer to Christ. The first principle of the gospel is faith-- so my invitation to everyone is to choose one friend or family member or neighbor and think of one thing you can do to help them increase their faith, and bring them a step closer to Christ. I know the Lord sees our efforts when we show we want to help in his work, and he gives us those missionary opportunities :) So seek them out and then give the missionaries those referals! :)

This week we also had our zone conference.... SOO GOOOD! My goodness, whenever we have conferences or trainings or studies I just want them to keep going forever. WE always learn so much :) Sister Prince and I actually got to do one of the trainings... pretty cool considering it was her very first zone conference. But it was great... we definitely learned a lot that we've been applying to our own work here.

But at one point we were discussing the Atonement of Jesus Christ. One missionary talked about how Christ's ATonement should be the air we breath, the water we swim in... it should surround us and be the center and lifeforce of everything else we do. I thought a lot about that. How in life it's so easy to focus on everything else... but really that Atoning Sacrifice of our Savior is the most important of anything else. It makes EVERYTHING ELSE possible. Each of us were challenged to look for the power of Christ's Atonement in our lives each day. And I wanted to invite you to do the same :) Christ's grace and mercy is available to each of us, but we have to seek us out. His power and his spirit really is all around us... but if we don't pay close attention it's easy to forget or ignore. But I hope that we all can learn to recognize and utilize the power of Christ's Atonement always. That we remember him in all that we do. That we honor our baptismal covenants, keep taking the sacrament, and always do those things to be worthy of his name. To always be worthy of the powerful protection and strength given by his spirit.... that's what ultimately will make us clean and pure, and will let us enter his presence. But it starts with recognizing that power Christ offers us every day. It starts with gratitude and love for him and that infinite sacrifice he made. Gratitude and love for him and for everyone else :) Those two things go a long way....

So hopefully that makes sense :) I invite you all to really look for the influence the ATonement of Christ has on your life every day this week and for the rest of your life :) Christ is there, we only have to let him in :)

Also... Sandra is getting baptized in less than 2 weeks! She's doing so well... really working to stop smoking, but has come so far. And she's SO EXCITED for her baptism. I wish everyone could meet her and be there on the 23.... she is amazing. I love her so much :)

I love you all and hope you have a good week! Trust in the Lord and I know he will take us further than we could ever do alone. Moi je vous aime mais le Seigneur encore plus :)

avec amour,

Soeur Heather Shelley