Eyes for Zimbabwe: We had an awesome Relief Society last week, we had the 3 ladies from Eyes 4 Zimbabwe come and speak to us (check them out, seriously, will change the way you see the world). It was so inspiring and uplifting and I really learned to just follow every prompting we receive no matter how crazy! Just don't be scared and do it! I forgot my notebook today so I can't put everything that I learned, but it was a lot and no words in my vocabulary can do it justice. But really the main thing was following the spirit and you will never go wrong! Faith has been a massive thing for me this week, I love the Beehive House but sometimes it's hard because people don't often want to learn more from you and just go on their merry way like your just a "tour guide" which drives me crazy! because we are missionaries... but anyway... Sometimes it's hard because you start to think "What am I doing wrong?". I've been asking Heavenly Father to bless me with more faith and opportunities to learn more about it, this week I felt prompted to read from the New Testament and I came across a scripture that changed everything. Matthew 14:27-31 about Peter wanting to walk on water and then he does because he has so much faith and then went a single doubt crosses his mind he starts to sink and then yells for help, knowing Jesus Christ will save him and help him. I have felt a lot like Peter this last week, thinking "yeah, I've got this!" and then a doubt crosses my mind and I miss out on something great. It taught me such of an important lesson of "Doubt not, Fear not" (D&C 6:36). To follow every prompting, no matter how crazy, if it is good is of God and I need not to be worried about doing it because he will provide a way for me to accomplish the things He commands me to do (1 Nephi 3:7). I have noticed the difference as well as I am more attentive to the promptings I receive and act on them, it's really incredible. I see a massive difference in hazing that unwavering faith and sometimes it is so hard and it takes time and none of us are perfect, but when we do doubt and when we do start to sink, just like Peter, as we reach out and turn to the Lord to help us and save us, we will be helped and saved and can overcome all things.
The Last Lesson: We had our last lesson with Jacque just yesterday and it all ended on such a spiritual high, She is a less-active now active and preparing to enter the House of the Lord and I'm so excited that we get to be there for it also! She is incredible and she has let the Lord mold her into what He knew she could become and she just radiates the light of the gospel! I'm so proud of her, she is not the Jacque we first met over a month ago, the gospel changes lives and it's so awesome to see. Every time we saw her she was different, she was happier, stronger, because she had a testimony of the gospel and knew that Heavenly Father loves her and knows her so perfectly and that Christ's atonement is so perfect! We all went out to the food court in City Creek for dinner and it was the perfect way to end everything, I'm so grateful Heavenly Father put her in my life, she is like my spiritual twin, all the things she felt I had felt when I was less active and now she is just incredible and I'm so excited to see what wonderful things she will do to change the world one person at a time, she has changed my life and I know Heavenly Father needed me to come to Temple Square for her, to help her and bring her back. "There are no such thing as black sheep, only lost sheep". The church is so true! I just love being a missionary!
Miracles Upon Miracles: Mainly I just wan't to talk about my investigator Cory, his story is a long and complicated one and I won't say everything because there is a lot in to it, but basically he is incredible and has done a 180 with his life because of the gospel of Jesus Christ. I haven't really if all talked about him because it's been really up and down, like one moment its like yay! and then the next we are like "what are we going to do?" but now he is progressing and really making a difference.
We met him May 1st, he was like "oh no you found me" and then we got chatting, we got a long and all was great! We met with him a few days later and turns out he wasn't exactly with it, if you know what I mean, we tried to teach and it was a disaster... we weren't even sure if we should meet with him again, but we did. I don't even know how it all happened, but we made a list to help him 1. Read the Book of Mormon 2. Pray everyday, 3. Get rid of any negative influencing media, 4. Make "Mormon type" friends 5. Get rid of all the drugs he had. He over time has done this and these 5 things have made a world of difference. We continued to teach the Restoration until he got it, we taught it many many many times. But everytime we met with him his eyes were clearer, he was calmer, he was becoming someone different. Last week he was in hospital because he tried to go all the way off the drugs, which when you've done it more than half of your life your body gets reliant on it and you get EXTREMELY sick! He got out of hospital just to come to a lesson and see Sister Magidson and I, he was still in hospital pants! We watched the movie He is Risen and it really got to him! He finally wasn't asking "why would He do that?", he was saying "He did all of that for me..." He finally came to understand that everything he felt Christ had also felt and he was pretty sick and sore and everything, I can't even describe it the way he did. He does this thing when he doesn't want you to see he has been crying he rubs his face and eyes a lot so his face is all red and he did that a lot! We bore testimony of the atonement and then told him to go back to the hospital. We are extremely bold with him, we have to be, otherwise he doesn't get it, before I met Cory I was like "How could you treat an investigator like that?!" and now I'm all like "Cory, answer the question, stop beating around the bush and get on with it", "Stop making excuses", etc. There is some serious tough love that goes on, but I wouldn't do it if it wasn't directed by the Spirit, and he knows that, which is so awesome.
He has been reading his scriptures everyday and he prays every day, all day! He puts forth so much faith it's incredible! He is a different man and continues to change, but the best of all of this! (and there is a lot more that I just can't get into because it's complicated and long). We went to church with him this Sunday, we went to a YSA ward and it was Fast and Testimony meeting, we got there and we were late because we got lost, but there was another ward in like 50 minutes and so we stuck around. I never thought I'd day it, but I am so grateful we were late, because we went to the next ward and it couldn't have been more perfect! We explained everything and everything was incredible and then it was Testimony Time.
All of a sudden he said "I want to go up there" and I'm like ugh, what do I do and then he said "do I just go sit up there?" and I'm like "ugh, sure, yeah, I guess, I don't know" and so he did, he was the 3rd person to speak and this is how it happened... "Hi, My name is Cory, and I'm a sinner" and then Sister Magidson and I are like "oh no..." and semi sink in our seats... and then! He starts talking about the atonement and how Jesus Christ suffered for us all because none of us are perfect and how he understands us perfectly and knows what we have been through and how it has helped him become a better him and talked about the sacrament and how important that is. He set the whole tone for the Fast and Testimony Meeting! After his testimony every single testimony was so accurate for him! There was Drugs, Conversion, Baptism, Example of Jesus Christ, Healing power of the atonement, Word of wisdom, Keeping the commandments, Book of Mormon, Humility, the Comforter, it was incredible! & after Sacrament meeting everyone came up and thanked him for his testimony and some guy (David) invited him to a BBQ and then to come back to church next week and everyone loved him and just wanted to be best buddies with him! It was one of the best Testimony Meetings I've ever been to! We left and then ran unto the local missionaries (who we have to teach with) and they are so lovely! They are Sisters and just so wonderful! I'm excited to work with them in teaching Cory. We set up appointments and everything is going incredibly.
Monday night we found out something even cooler! One of the Sister investigators was also there at that same sacrament meeting, and she was going to be baptized this weekend but was iffy about it, after hearing Cory's testimony it was all set in stone for her. They have invited him to the baptism and also the friends that are fellow shipping Cory and it is just amazing! He is a different man and continues to change day by day. I wish I could write more eloquently to describe his change! He is clean off the drugs, he is happier, healthier, being a missionary everywhere he goes. It will take a while for his baptism to happen (because of other situations) but unlike before when we couldn't even talk about baptism, he admitted to us last week that he really does want to be baptized! That he really want's this. He has a testimony of the Book of Mormon, he always exercises his faith he is always telling us "keep with the faith ladies!" hahaha. He calls us "The Dynamic Trio"and is so heart broken that Sister Magidson and I won't be together after a couple of weeks he keeps saying "well, who is getting the kid out of the divorce?!". He is a great guy! I feel like I was sent on my mission for him. We just love him so much! He is like a brother to us and it has been increidble to witness the change in him. I can't wait for the day I get to see him in white, preparing to enter the waters of baptism, it will be the most glorious day! I know I'm only at the start of my mission but I can tell you, Cory will be the Miracle of my mission and it is just wonderful. He has changed my life and we with the Spirit change his.
I testify to you that the gospel of Jesus Christ changes lives, and not just here but for eternity! my new motto is "One minute can change eternity" and it is so true! If Cory, being a drug addict who hated God for the things that happened in his life can change so incredibly with the gospel, any one can! My testimony of the atonement grows so much every time I see him. I have laughed and smiled many times, cried many tears and prayed to the Lord so much for Cory and really put forth my faith knowing He can change and he has done miraculous things! He knows this is God's plan for him, he knows this is what God needs him to do and understand that God has much greater things that he every thought possible in store for him.
I really wish you could all see the difference he has made in just a month... I'm so proud of him and I can never deny that the gospel changes lives and I can't say that enough, because this is what it's all about. The Book of Mormon, Prayer, Faith, it's completely changed him! Because we was willing to put himself in it and just try it, to see if it works and he has found that it has. He is such a great blessing to me and I could never thank Heavenly Father enough for the opportunity and blessing it has been to be part of this journey with Cory. Knowing that Heavenly Father has trusted me with Cory's eternal welfare, that's a big thing! But I know I don't do it alone, I have my companion, the Spirit, Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father on my side, I have the greatest army to help in this wonderful work!
Sorry if I'm rambling a bit, but I'll finish it there.
I love you all so much, I know that the gospel is true, that the Book of Mormon is the word of God and that all things are possible as we put forth our faith in Jesus Christ and in His Atonement.
Thankyou for all that you do, for all that you say and I appreciate any inch of support I receive, it means the world to me, Thank you!
Love always, Sister Ryan xx
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