Hello Everyone!
Sometimes I start these letters and I know exactly what I need to talk about and what I should say and what part of the weeks should be highlighted... and then there are weeks like this where I stare blankly at my computer screen and wonder what I could possibly write in such a short amount of time that could encompass all the things that I've felt this week.
So lets start with last P-day, doing it on Tuesday's instead of Monday's makes the whole week feel out of sync but it turned out okay. Everyone is in the midst of their finals and test preparation and that meant we only had 8 investigator lessons this week which was really sad. But we're excited for the coming week and we're going to be working really hard to talk to as many people as possible and hopefully ride on the just-finished-my-test-high and keep it going to I-just-realized-that-my-Father-in-Heaven-is-real-and-He-loves-me-high. That's the goal and we're going to keep it going! We did more tracting this week and we ended up talking to some less active families from the family ward who we'll be stopping by in the coming week so were super excited about that. We also had Zone Council this week! YAAY! Having the whole zone together is always so much fun and we learned a lot about the importance of how to begin teaching, and really relying on the Book of Mormon in every meeting and appointment.
And now for the Highlight... ROBIN GOT BAPTIZED!!! He bore such a beautiful testimony about looking for peace and it was just so humbling to be sitting there listening and feeling the spirit so strongly. God answers prayers and he knows what we need both inside and out. He will not leave us alone in the world, there is always someone out there who is willing to help.
This week was just filled with little moments where the spirit touched me so deeply. Sharing the first vision to Emerson to start off his new member lessons, and just knowing in that moment that Joseph Smith is a prophet, studying about how to help others believe in God and getting a powerful witness that God will let them that seek Him know that He is there, walking down the street in the sunlight and in the rain and still feeling just so blessed for every single moment.
So many miracles are around each of us everyday. Acts of service are amazing things to watch and see. Being able to be one of the one's who can give is an even grater miracle.
I struggled and times this week too. There were moments of frustration, towards myself, and pain, pain for others, People choosing not to accept the Gospel in their lives is heartbreaking, but it hurts even more knowing that you were the one who was supposed to tell them what a great blessing this is, and as they tell you they don't want more you just feel like a failure, because if they knew what the Atonement of Christ meant to them, and if they truly understood that they can only fully utilize that atonement when they accept baptism they wouldn't turn away. But they don't. And that's your fault. Painful as it is, these experiences make those moments where the light really does turn on in their eyes that much more meaningful. I don't think I've ever understood more the desire to be able to declare the gospel more. Listen, Please, God Himself is reaching out to you please! Listen!
This is the Church of Christ. It's not just a social institution, this is the Kingdom of God on the earth again and Christ is as it's head. He loves you! He loves you so perfectly that He died! Not only did He die He rose again! Do you understand what that means? Not just that you too will live again but that you are not confined to be the person you are now? That you can be happy now and still hope for more joy as life goes on? Do you understand the significance of repentance? Of that moment where you can say that you are clean?
Do you understand why we go to church every week? Do you understand the importance of sitting in Sacrament meeting and then staying for the rest of the meetings? Do you understand why we pay tithing, why we don't swear, why we live the word of wisdom?
Do you understand? Because I don't.
Maybe if I did I could help you understand too.
But here is what I do know.
There is a God.
He loves me.
He loves you too.
Because He loves us He has asked us to do certain things so that we can live with Him again.
Because He loves me I know that I will be able to understand everything someday.
Because He loves you, he will not condemn either of us for not understanding everything right away.
Because He loves us, all of us, we don't have to be perfect now. We just need to try, and then expect to succeed.
He is our success, He is our light, He is our Hope.
And He loves you.
That's what I know.
That's what I understand.
I hope you can too.
I love you all, He loves you more,
Try to understand,
-Sister Skinner
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