A Sure Testimony

FAMILY AND FRIENDS. 

You will never believe it. We got transfer calls && Sister Nicol and I are staying together!!!!! This will mean we serve 9 months as companions hahahaha- blessings on blessings! However, we were asked to train in a trio AGAIN. So here we go round 2! Hahahaha, never would've guessed. 

We finally went to the famous Coney Island this week!! We also got to go to the parade downtown and talk to lots of people! It was SO fun! 

I am SO thankful I get to stay here for one more transfer. I love these people more than I can ever say. 

We have been able to teach so many awesome people lately, and it's been super exciting! Lots of miracles and blessings. 

One in particular is a kid, Josh, who is just starting his freshman year at Purdue Fort Wayne. He was close friends with a young woman in our ward who just left for BYU. Before she left, they had brought him to church and we had dinner and a lesson at their house afterwards! It was super awesome, but he was a little hesitant to meet back up so soon because he really wanted to study and learn on his own. 

We got back in touch and had a lesson with him on Saturday night in the members home again, and it was hands down one of my favorite lessons I've ever been a part of my whole mission. 

Josh has been studying and reading the Book of Mormon since we last met with him, and we started off by going through the questions he had written down and discussing what he had read. He had such good questions! Josh is very much intellectual and genuine in his quest for truth. 

Sister Nicol and I planned on teaching a restoration lesson to help fill in the gaps and give him better understanding of the Book of Mormon that he's been reading. So we came in totally prepared for that. 

Fairly towards the beginning of the lesson, Josh politely asks, "So, I've been wondering. What are your thoughts on what happened before we got here, and on where are we going after we die?" We quickly threw away all we prepared out the window and started teaching the Plan of Salvation solely by the spirit. 

It was a seamless and remarkable lesson as Sister Nicol and I discussed with this family and Josh what God's plan really is for us. Scriptures flowed to our minds, experiences were shared by everyone, and there was such great participation with the members and Josh! You could literally see Josh really take in the information and feel the holy ghost teaching him. He pointed out many times on his own when he was feeling something and his face would light up as he was learning about the special doctrine we are so blessed to know. 

At the very end, after discussing Moroni's promise, Josh said he wants to wait until he's read everything and knows a lot more to pray and ask, because he would feel more prepared that way. I felt a burning inside of me that I needed to speak. 

I don't know if I've ever felt the spirit quite this strong helping me to speak than I did in this lesson.

I shared with Josh about how young Joseph didn't know much at all before he took his question to God. I shared about how Christ choose fisherman and tax collectors to become apostles. I shared about how I felt like I knew nothing before I came on a mission (and still don't know much). Words came to my heart, and I spoke them. I told him about our God that is a God of mercy and understanding. A God who doesn't require that we know everything before He will use us or speak to us. All He asks is that we are sincere and willing to try. And then I was able to bear my testimony like I've never done or felt before. The past weeks have been really hard as I have been analyzing and questioning my own testimony. So many different things have come up here and it's caused me to really re-evaluate and dig deep to what I know or don't know.

Looking into Josh's eyes, I was able to tell him, as I will tell you,  I know that God is real and that He loves us. I know this by my experience. I know this by the evidence, and the evidence is overwhelming. I know this because the spirit has touched my heart, and I have felt that it is true.  

I know that Jesus is the Christ. I know this by my experience. I know this by the evidence, and the evidence is overwhelming. I know this because the spirit has touched my heart, and I have felt that it is true.  

I know that the Book of Mormon is true, and that Joseph Smith was a prophet. I know this by my experience. I know this by the evidence, and the evidence is overwhelming. I know this because the spirit has touched my heart, and I have felt that it is true.  

When I needed it most, the spirit brought to my remembrance what I know to be true. This was a moment for me that I really did find and strengthen my testimony in the bearing of it. 

I am grateful to a God who doesn't leave us only to find answers through man or logic, but He entitles each of us with the power to receive answers from His spirit- so when we receive them, we can know they come directly from Him. 

ALL MY LOVE,

ox sister rich