Buna ziua familia mea
Thank you all for your emails. I know I say this every week, but I don't think you all understand how inspiring you are and how much you push me to be a better person. Thank you so much for that.
Another amazing week here in Arad. Heavenly Father continues to bless us way beyond what we are worthy. In small and simple ways, we see the hand of the Lord each and every day.
Update on our investigators:
We met with Ramona, the girl we knocked into a few weeks ago. She had read the pamphlet we gave her on the restoration and she really liked it. She told us, "I really love what I read, but I have no way of knowing whether or not it is true." Perfect segway into Moroni 10:3-5. We shared that with her and invited her to pray about Joseph Smith and gave her a Book of Mormon to start reading. She agreed to do that and we meet with her again next Wednesday. Please keep her in your prayers.
Tina. I love her so much. Unfortunately, we haven't been able to meet with her since last week. Each time we set up a lesson, she calls the morning of and tells us she can't meet. It's breaking my heart. However, the call is a good sign that she actually does care. This morning we went to her house anyway and she wasn't home, so we left a note with her neighbor. I know she is so ready but I think satan is just doing a good enough job right now convincing her she isn't. I'm doing my best to put all my hope and faith in Christ that he will take care of her.
Which is something I've been studying a lot lately. The question I had in the back of my mind all week is 'what is the difference between hope and naivete?'. I have hope each and every time we meet with someone that they will progress... but after we lose contact with each investigator that I previously had so much hope in, I'm left wondering if I was just being naive. I studied hope quite a bit this week and I came across a verse that has brought me the understanding I was seeking. Ether 12:4. Beautiful verse. It taught me that hope cometh of faith and that faith is an anchor to the soul, which makes us steadfast and always abounding in good works, which works allow us to glorify God. When we lack hope, we lack that anchor and desire to abound in good works because we feel that those good works are hopeless. If we don't have that hope in a better world, abounding in good works would seem pointless.
So, I choose to have hope. Hope in a better world, hope in the work, and hope in Christ.
We visited with a less active this week and shared Alma 37:40-41 with her. As I was reading about what we should share, I found these verses and I thought so much of how they relate to missionary work. Especially verse 40. When we are slothful and forget to exercise our faith and diligence, the marvelous works which come by small means, cease and we don't progress in our journey, adica (in other words)... our purpose. And then, like in verse 41, we travel an indirect course and are afflicted with "hunger" because of our transgressions.
Forgetting to exercise our faith and diligence is a transgression that removes the guidance of the spirit from our lives. So, I took that personal study and wrote down all the ways we exercise our faith and diligence so that I might always remember to do those things in order to be led by the spirit. It was a neat experience as I realized how much of what we do relies upon our application of faith.
This email is short, I'm sorry. But I'm doing well! I still love it here in Arad and all the work of which Heavenly Father is letting us be apart. It's amazing and beautiful.
My scripture of the week that brought me comfort in a moment of doubt is D&C 29:3-6 "Ye are chosen out of the world to declare my gospel with the sound of rejoicing... 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." So beautiful. And so comforting. I have been called of God to be here in Romania and to declare the beautiful message of His gospel. As inadequate as I feel, I know this is where I am supposed to be. I am striving to not idle away my time, knowing that I only have this short amount of time to serve my Heavenly Father to this capacity.
I love you all so dearly and am so grateful for my eternal family. Be good and know you are loved.
va iubesc,
Sora Aly Cook
ps, happy birthday this week Maysen! I love you! A birthday card is coming to you. Sorry it won't be there by your birthday!
Good luck in the crazy weather you're getting!! Not fun!! Drive safe!!!!
Thank you all for your emails. I know I say this every week, but I don't think you all understand how inspiring you are and how much you push me to be a better person. Thank you so much for that.
Another amazing week here in Arad. Heavenly Father continues to bless us way beyond what we are worthy. In small and simple ways, we see the hand of the Lord each and every day.
Update on our investigators:
We met with Ramona, the girl we knocked into a few weeks ago. She had read the pamphlet we gave her on the restoration and she really liked it. She told us, "I really love what I read, but I have no way of knowing whether or not it is true." Perfect segway into Moroni 10:3-5. We shared that with her and invited her to pray about Joseph Smith and gave her a Book of Mormon to start reading. She agreed to do that and we meet with her again next Wednesday. Please keep her in your prayers.
Tina. I love her so much. Unfortunately, we haven't been able to meet with her since last week. Each time we set up a lesson, she calls the morning of and tells us she can't meet. It's breaking my heart. However, the call is a good sign that she actually does care. This morning we went to her house anyway and she wasn't home, so we left a note with her neighbor. I know she is so ready but I think satan is just doing a good enough job right now convincing her she isn't. I'm doing my best to put all my hope and faith in Christ that he will take care of her.
Which is something I've been studying a lot lately. The question I had in the back of my mind all week is 'what is the difference between hope and naivete?'. I have hope each and every time we meet with someone that they will progress... but after we lose contact with each investigator that I previously had so much hope in, I'm left wondering if I was just being naive. I studied hope quite a bit this week and I came across a verse that has brought me the understanding I was seeking. Ether 12:4. Beautiful verse. It taught me that hope cometh of faith and that faith is an anchor to the soul, which makes us steadfast and always abounding in good works, which works allow us to glorify God. When we lack hope, we lack that anchor and desire to abound in good works because we feel that those good works are hopeless. If we don't have that hope in a better world, abounding in good works would seem pointless.
So, I choose to have hope. Hope in a better world, hope in the work, and hope in Christ.
We visited with a less active this week and shared Alma 37:40-41 with her. As I was reading about what we should share, I found these verses and I thought so much of how they relate to missionary work. Especially verse 40. When we are slothful and forget to exercise our faith and diligence, the marvelous works which come by small means, cease and we don't progress in our journey, adica (in other words)... our purpose. And then, like in verse 41, we travel an indirect course and are afflicted with "hunger" because of our transgressions.
Forgetting to exercise our faith and diligence is a transgression that removes the guidance of the spirit from our lives. So, I took that personal study and wrote down all the ways we exercise our faith and diligence so that I might always remember to do those things in order to be led by the spirit. It was a neat experience as I realized how much of what we do relies upon our application of faith.
This email is short, I'm sorry. But I'm doing well! I still love it here in Arad and all the work of which Heavenly Father is letting us be apart. It's amazing and beautiful.
My scripture of the week that brought me comfort in a moment of doubt is D&C 29:3-6 "Ye are chosen out of the world to declare my gospel with the sound of rejoicing... 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." So beautiful. And so comforting. I have been called of God to be here in Romania and to declare the beautiful message of His gospel. As inadequate as I feel, I know this is where I am supposed to be. I am striving to not idle away my time, knowing that I only have this short amount of time to serve my Heavenly Father to this capacity.
I love you all so dearly and am so grateful for my eternal family. Be good and know you are loved.
va iubesc,
Sora Aly Cook
ps, happy birthday this week Maysen! I love you! A birthday card is coming to you. Sorry it won't be there by your birthday!
Good luck in the crazy weather you're getting!! Not fun!! Drive safe!!!!
No comments:
Post a Comment