Dear family!!
okej. Well my week wasnt as cool as France and getting engaged...
but it was a really great week ändå.
Highlights! we had zone konferens
on Friday and it was all about the plan of salvation. It was AMAZING. I
don't think we realize how huge the plan is. Or maybe we don't remember
how HUGE the plan is. One thing that I began to realize was how
essential "the fall" is. As missionaries we often skip over that "Adam
and Eve" part because it is something we ourselves don't fully
understand. But we talked about how if there was no fall.. there would
be no need for Christ. Ok I know this is probably something you all
already knew... but it finally hit me. People we teach... they won't
really understand a need for Christ if they don't know about how we are
fallen from God.
The second half of zone conference was about how to better teach
the plan. We practiced teaching the fall.. a LOT. It was a great day. On
our way home something amazing happened. It was late at night.. and we
stepped on the bus and who do you know... it was this Jehovah Witness
bus driver who we had talked to two weeks ago. When he saw it was us...
his eyes lighted up and he said "Oh! I've been hoping to see you two!
I've done a little research and I have some questions.." First question
out of his mouth was about Adam and Eve... And we had just had all that
practice. We were prepared. It was really cool.
This week has been a bit rainy too. Yesterday we were walking home
from church. There was no stopping the rain. But we found some umbrellas
in the closet and decided to just have a fun walk home. I am a
professional walker now. As we turned the last corner and came to our
street.. Syster Sprague found a big puddle. She stopped and looked at me
with big eyes.. Can we PLEASE jump in the puddle!!.. my first thought
was no.. we can't jump in that.. we are wearing skirts.. and our shoes..
but with that look.. and just recognizing.. sometimes you gotta do crazy
things.. We jumped on in.. we splashed through all the puddles the rest
of the way home. It was so fun to just take a moment and do something a
little out of the ordinary. I highly suggest it for all of you :)
We were on our way to visit a possible investigator
by the church one day and walked under a tunnel. We hadn't talked to
very many people and an older woman was walking towards us with a big
dog (like the Lysenko's dog). We stopped her and asked her if she
believed in life after death. Perfect question. and it is actually very
unusual that I ask that. I usually ask about families being forever..
Her response was a very sad one. her husband had just died and tyvärr
she didn't believe in life after death any more. There was a sadness
that lingered around her. And she looked at us with fear and yet
longing. She said it was so lucky that we could have that faith. We
asked her if she would like to learn more about what we know for the
plan of life .. but she said.. right now i am just not open for it. It
was so sad and yet.. a very strong experience for me. What a difference
that simple testimony means to a life. The only thing we could do after
that was just to offer our testimony that she would be with her husband
one day again.
One of the first weeks we were here we stopped by a
less active woman Linnea. She has a daughter and a husband. Her parents
and siblings are very strong in the church. Her reaction to our first
knock on the door was not very happy. She was on the phone and told us
she was busy. So we were a little worried to go back. But we made
cookies and attempted again. This time we were received with warmth and
she told us she would be coming to church soon and we could make a time
to meet. O! That Sunday she came to church and we set up a time for us
to come by this week. So Thursday we headed over. Before we knocked on
the door we prayed that we would be able to help her feel the spirit and
that we would know what to say. It was amazing! She is so kind and has
just had some harder experiences in life where she really didn't feel
like she got an answer to her prayers. But as she got older she had a
blessing one time when she was really sick.. and her answer came --this
is for your experience. Well... it was amazing that she opened up to us.
So there i was thinking.. we could invited her to meet with us once a
week. or maybe focus on scriptures.. or church.. how could we help her.
Then Syster Sprague starts speaking. She shared with her a scripture
and all the sudden turned to her and asked.. do you pray? (Do you
pray?... most people that i have met.. even if they are inactive..
pray..). Linnea's response... no. i don't. It was the perfect question.
from there we were able to testify to her and work upwards. The Holy Ghost is real and does guide you to know what each individuals needs
are.
The same thing happened with Manal this week. We
found out she was headed back to Lebanon. We were really sad. But we
set up our last teach with her. We were not really sure what to teach.
What we really want her to do is keep reading the Book of Mormon and
gain an answer. So I wanted to show her my love for the Book of Mormon.
She started asking questions.. lots of them and they were all spread
out over the place. For each question the Holy Ghost guided my thoughts
and helped me remember certain passages and stories that would be an
answer for her. And then helped me find them!
There are a lot more miracles that have happened in the week. But you guys are going to start getting tired of them. :)
I hope you are all happy and doing well!
your assignment for the week is to share with someone.. that they have a Heavenly Father who loves them.
SYSTER SCHNEIBER!
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