There is so much that happened in the last week, and I really just have no time to write it all but I will share some highlights with you.
Last Saturday Brenda was baptized! It was a beautiful day and it was so amazing to see her and the light and happiness just beaming out of her, she is naturally a happy chirpy person anyway, but she was just glowing with the light of the gospel. We got there and we are all excited, we got talking to people and we see Elder and Sister Bedell, who knew Sister Pipe when she was living in North Dakota! What are the chances that they are serving as the senior couple of the baptism of our investigator! It was awesome. We took a million and one photos together and then it was time to get into it. It was so amazing, the spirit was so beautiful there, Sister Pipe gave a great talk about baptism and then it was time. Nathan (her husband) was baptizing her, they get in and both smiling from ear to ear. I was doing all I could to hold back my tears of joy! She was baptized, Brenda, a beautiful daughter of our Heavenly Father had made that choice to follow the example of our Savior Jesus Christ and was baptized. After everything was settled it was now my time to give my talk. I don't like preparing talks but I had studied and I had prayed and I knew that the Lord would give me the words to say. I started to speak and looking back I don't remember what I said, but Brenda had tears in her eyes the whole time. There are only a few parts that I remember and that is that I shared with everyone how Brenda and I met and it was awesome to see how it started to where it is now. After the baptism we gave her a little gift, a little necklace of a compass with a quote that said "The gift of the Holy Ghost is available as a sure guide, as the voice of conscience, and as a moral compass. This guiding compass is personal to each of us. It is unerring. It is unfailing." - James E Faust. And it is so true! After everything they invited us out for lunch and we went to Chuck-a-Rama and had a great meal with them, spending time and talking about the gospel in a busy buffet, haha. The next day we wanted to know how her confirmation was, she said that she was wearing her necklace we got her and we asked in one word describe your experience and she said "humbling". What better word could to say for such an experience, to receive such a gift from our loving Heavenly Father. She has come so far and it is amazing to see how the gospel changes one's life. It was truly an incredible day and I am just so grateful to have been a part of her journey and that the Lord entrusted me to help her get to this point. I will be forever grateful. The only way to put into words of how I felt is in Alma 26:16. "Therefore, let us glory, yea, we will glory in the Lord; yea, we will rejoice, for our joy is full; yea, we will praise our God forever. Behold, who can glory too much in the Lord? Yea, who can say too much of his great power, and of his mercy, and of his long-suffering towards the children of men? Behold, I say unto you, I cannot say the smallest part which I feel."
So Jacque moved to Oregon just recently and I didn't think I was going to see her for some time, after church finished on Sunday someone asked me where she has been and so I told her, then all of a sudden Sister Pipe says "There's Jacque" I was in shock, I dind't know what to say or do, I just tried to push through the crowd and give her the biggest hug ever! I made it! and it was so amazing to see her, it was truly a miracle, just being able to see her and feel of her light and spirit, she is doing such great things and is back home (Utah) for a week. She has been with some of the Sister's for the last couple of days and just yesterday invited someone to be baptized over the phone! She is changing so many peoples lives because of her discussion to come back into the arms of the Savior and it's been so amazing again to be a part of all of this. I know that I was meant to come on my mission to meet particular people and I know for an absolute certain that Jacque is one of them!
Also on Sunday we had this most amazing miracle! We were asked by some Sisters to close the Joseph Smith movie because there was a Native American man who had a lot of questions! We met him and his name is Gold and they were right - so many questions! But it was such an incredible experience and If I wrote down everything that happened I would be here forever but he asked about the Gold Plates and how the Book of Mormon could be a record of his people if they were 'savages' and all these things. We answered and bore testimony as we went. He then had the question "Did John the Baptist really come, did Peter, James and John really come?" we looked at him and just said "yes, they did".. He said "Wow..." and started crying "I haven't cried like this since 1981, I feel like what you say is truth..." Sister Pipe and I are just about in tears and the spirit was so strong! We are meeting with him again soon and he is Navajo and even knows it! and so the next day we went to Deseret Book and got him a Navajo Book of Mormon! And so he is going to teach us and it's going to be awesome. We are so excited, it was a pure miracle! He is so ready to hear the gospel and have it in his heart. There are somethings we are confused about, but it will all pan out.
Monday I was thinking, well I have nothing exciting to write in my journal today, well when I think that then something really awesome happens! Sister Tuinukuafe asked me if I would like to join her in a VIP tour, for some Australians! VIP Tours are Zone Leaders only, unless it's a language tour and well even though it's all English it was basically a language tour! We waited and then they came, it was Karen Lanyon she is a Consul- General of Australia for the 7 west states of America. It was her and her husband and they were so lovely! We took them around the Senior couple basically led it, which was nice, and I don't know if I was meant to do this, but she is from Sydney and so on the Temple Pamphlet it has a picture of Sydney Temple and she wanted to keep the Pamphlet, it was great! we went to the Tabernacle and the Christus and in the end they wanted a photo with us! and then she said "Oh, I will send this to Kim Beasley, and I'll get him to tweet it!" hahaha, it was so weird but so awesome. She is great!
Tuesday I had my interview with President, it was pretty normal and he complimented my missionary efforts and how well we are doing this transfer etc. and then he asked "so Sister Ryan, what's happening to you next transfer?" and I replied "I don't know I was hoping you would tell me" and laughed. He just said "well, let's put it this way, we are putting you to work".. I told him that the only revelation I have had about transfers is that it will be a humbling experience and that I will learn a lot, he told me "that's a really good attitude to have, no wait, let me rephrase that, that is a really good revelation you had" so I don't know what's happening but it's something! I had a lot of anxiety about it all... not gonna lie, I was freaking out! Because there is so much expection put on you by other Sisters and it can be really hard with them always asking or assuming that you are going to do something in the next transfer, but Thursday morning I had an incredibly humbling personal study that really set my mind at ease about it all. I studied faith and humility and also some of the Book of Mormon. The Spirit was so loud yet so silent and I just knew that it would be okay, the Lord has a plan for me, It doesn't matter what others think, but what matters is what the Lord thinks of me and my missionary work and efforts, He loves me despite all my imperfections and flaws. He knows what I'm capable of even if I don't and that I need to trust in Him more and stop fearing about what it is come, because it is up to me how I see the situation and what I make of it, it's not going to change and so if I want it to be different I have to change the way that I see it. It will all work out, it will be hard, yes okay, but I will learn so much from it and it will be for my benefit and learning. If I trust in my Savior and the enabling power of the Atonement, I will be given the strength needed to do what is needed of me. He will give me the tools I need as long as I'm willing to work for them and know that He will provide a way. (1 Nephi 3:7, D&C 6:36, John 12:43, D&C 122:7). I got on my knees and instantly repented for my lack of faith, I know that He has a plan and I know that it is better then what I could ever put together, He knows me better then anyone, knows me better than I know myself.
Thursday we had an Organ Tour of the Conference and Tabernacle organs which was incredible to see how they work and sit on the organs and pretend to play it (as if we had a clue what we were doing) and last Friday we went shopping (Sister Worthen, Sister Rasheed, Sister Orndal, Sister Rajah and Sister Pipe and I) for coats and boots and ended up having dinner brought for us at this Korean BBQ food truck (Thanks JK) and it was just an awesome night all together, we had so much fun!
Well that's enough for today! I know this email is a little different to others, but I hope you enjoyed it just as much.
I love my mission, I love this work, and I know that it is the Lords work, this is His time and I can't afford to waste a single second of it as I do all I can to fulfill my purpose in helping others receive the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Miracles Happen, Lives are changed, The Book of Mormon is true and the Atonement is real!
If you have troubles rely on the Lord and I promise you can't go wrong. He is there for you and loves you if you know it or not! Turn to Him and I promise joy and peace will be brought in to your life in a way you never imagined.
I love you all but as I said last week, the Lord loves you more!
Have a blessed week (something I would never say back home in Australia but is a common thing here)
Love, Sister Ryan xx
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