This week I've been reflecting on how
much I absolutely love missionary work and being on my mission. I love
it so much and am so grateful I was called to this mission! There is no
where else I'd rather be! It seriously makes me SO HAPPY! I've been on
my mission for a little over a year now and it's so hard to believe.
Time is going by way too fast!
This was such a
good week! We saw so many miracles! At one point this week we were
walking past this lady in her yard. We called out to her and managed to
scare her to death haha. We offered her help in her yard but she wasn't
accepting because we were dressed up too nicely. So we told her we would
change and come back. We sprinted to our car, drove home, and threw on
some service clothes as quickly as we could. Then we rushed back to her
house and hopped out of the car ready to help. She could hardly believe
her eyes. We spent some time with her in her lawn talking about God. We
asked her if she believed God could answer her prayers and she said that
she had kind of half hardheartedly prayed for help then we showed up!
She is such a cool person and has been to 71 countries! She's also been
searching for God throughout her life. We'll be going back to see her
again next week! On my mission I've really gained a testimony that there
are people everywhere who need the benefits of the gospel but simply
don't know that it exists.
We are also teaching
a girl who is 13 years old. She has been through some really hard
experiences in her life and we've had a hard time getting her to open
up. After praying about it we decided to take one specific person from
church. We went to the appointment and the girl connected so well with
the member. The spirit was so strong and she opened up so much. It was
one of those moments where I felt unmistakably that the spirit was the
teacher. He knows our hearts and knows what we need so much better than
we do. I know that God truly ministers one by one.
A
while ago we found a man from China. He's the one we ended up teaching
at a member's house spur of the moment. We also got to see him this week
and had an amazing lesson. He had read what we had given him in the
Book of Mormon and was so interested to learn more. It was a really cool
experience to see him so intently reading his Chinese Book of Mormon
and comparing it to his English copy so he could figure out how to
express what he was thinking. I know that the truth can and will be
found for those that seek it.
We also had MLC
this week. It was incredible! As always it's so much fun to ride the
ferry over and spend some time with President Wong and the other
missionaries. But the best part of all is receiving training and
counseling together on how we can improve as missionaries. One thing
that is unmistakable to me is that God really does live and is truly
directing this work. He is involved because He loves all of us and wants
us to be happy. President Wong kept quoting the scripture to us "Yea,
and how is it that ye have forgotten that the Lord is able to do all
things according to His will, for the children of men, if it so be that
they exercise faith in Him? Wherefore, let us be faithful to Him." (1
Nephi 7:12) Sometimes it can be so easy to become content with where we
are spiritually. Physically speaking we are so far away from God. If we
don't work at it He can feel as far away as He seems. And most of the
time as humans we proceed through life as if we were ok with that. But
the fact of the matter is, He is not far away and wants to be near us.
And we can actually feel that! We can pray and He will actually answer
our prayers! More so than we think or realize. In the priesthood session
of general conference Russel M. Nelson said "Too many of our brothers
and sisters do not fully understand the concept of priesthood power and
authority. They act as though they would rather satisfy their own
selfish desires and appetites than use the power of God to bless His
children." When I read that the other day it really hit me. Sometimes it
can be so easy to forget that God really is there, He wants to be
involved in our lives, but He also wants to show us how we can use our
life for more. We can use our life to not only experience our own
contentment and joy, but to bless others. I've learned that there is no
moment in life when we have "Arrived" we can always be better, do more,
and learn more. That is revealed to us as we pray.
I am so grateful to know that God is in fact there. I hope you all have an amazing week!
Sister Bloomfield
